Clos du Marquis 2008

Good dark red. Bitter cherry, fresh bay, sage and coffee on the nose, with a floral element emerging in the glass. Supple and nicely concentrated, with attractive mid-palate sweetness and a seamless texture for the year. This rather silky Saint-Julien finishes with good floral lift.

The dominance of the black fruits gives a concentrated richness on the nose and weight of flavour on the palate. The cassis and coffee backed by chocolate enrich and this supple lushness is nicely balance by some red fruit freshness thus giving a lighter more classic feel to the finish.

For many years, Las Cases' second wine has been the equivalent of a classified growth in the Medoc. The 2008 Clos du Marquis may be one of the two or three finest second wines I have tasted from proprietor Jean-Hubert Delon. A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that came in at 13.5% natural alcohol, it is a pure, deep, full-bodied effort displaying classic aromas of creme de cassis, licorice, and crushed rocks. On the palate, there is a sensational black fruit character, no hard edges, and a seamless integration of all the component parts. This wine should drink beautifully for 15 or more years.

The 2008 Clos du Marquis has a fragrant and floral bouquet with dried rose petal scents infusing the raspberry and wild strawberry fruit, cedar and sandalwood following later. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, classic in style, a little austere and perhaps needing more depth on the finish. But it feels long and tender and constitutes the kind of SaintJulien that you know will be enhanced when served with appropriate cuisine. 2018 - 2030

A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot with 7.5% pressed wine, this has one of the few "voluptuous" noses of the vintage, quite lush with violets, cassis and black plum soaring from the glass: this is a bouquet that embraces you - very sensuous. Very smooth on the entry, this Clos du Marquis is blessed with silky tannins that really caress that palate. Black cherries and blueberries with cassis coming through on the back palate, the Merlot driving it through to the fleshy finish with surprisingly good weight. Top class. Tasted April 2009.