Saint-Julien is a terroir of great significance for the Domaines Delon, and we anticipate these first arrivals of smooth yet intense blends from the appellation will be very well received. You may have come across the skills and craftsmanship of Domaine Delon in our portfolio before with Chateau Pontensac, yet this stunning Clos sits more south, in the heart of the Haut-Medoc. No one should assume that it is simply another iteration of the Delon range, as it brings a century's worth of Saint-Julien viticulture and terroir with it to the cellar.
First planted in the early 20th century, Clos du Marquis has become a historical name in the portfolio of Domaines Delon. Inspired by the Petit Clos sitting alongside Château de Léoville, which was residence of the Marquis de Las Cases, Domaines Delon named their first wine Clos du Marquis, with a debut release in 1902. The first plantings of vines in these holdings were ones of high quality with the ability to soak up the top terroirs of the Saint Julien appellation.
This terroir hosts quaternary gravel much older and finer than that of its neighbouring enclosure of Léoville Las Cases (a walled in vineyard known as the 'Enclos'). Taking advantage of this fine gravel, the Delon family have stretched the vines across 45 hectares of land, with the current plantings aged 30 years on average. The additional organic matter filtering through the top soil is characteristic of the Saint-Julien appellation and gives it that forest-like element to the final wine.
Overall, the Clos du Marquis terroirs are situated to the west and surrounded by prestigious Classified Growths, particularly Seconds Crus Classés of Saint-Julien and Pauillac: Léoville Poyferré, Léoville Barton, and Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.
This new Bordeaux wine we bring to you, Clos du Marquis, offers a fine expression of the Saint-Julien character: structure, complexity, harmony, distinction and ageing potential. Made in minimal quantities, the stock will not last long.
Clos du Marquis - Saint-Julien Grand Vin
2015
The 2015 Clos du Marquis is powerful and dense from the outset. Inky blue/purplish fruit, liquorice, spice, lavender and liquorice are all pushed forward in this decidedly plush, voluptuous Saint-Julien. Firm tannins give the wine explosive energy that carries through to the persistent finish. From barrel, the 2015 was much more forward, but from bottle my impression is that it is going to need at least a few years to be at its very best. There is a good bit of polish here that just needs time to fully emerge. 92+ points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous.
2012
Tasted blind at the Bordeaux 2012 Southwold tasting. The 2012 Clos du Marquis has a very intense bouquet, the more fruit-driven of all the Saint Julien 2012s with layers of black cherries and cranberry fruit, an undercurrent of autumn leaves and cigar box. The palate is medium-bodied with fine definition: smooth and very harmonious, quite intense on the entry and yet without that long sustain on the finish. That does not matter too much, because what comes before is very precise and pure, the class of the terroir evident from start to finish. Tasted January 2016. 92 points, Neal Martin, Wine Advocate.