Clos Du Marquis 2021 (3.0L)

93-94 JS / 91-93+ WA / 91-93 VM / 88-90 WI

This is very inky with lots of tar and iodine. Blackcurrants, too. Full-bodied. Very muscular for the vintage. Needs time to soften. - James Suckling

The 2021 Clos du Marquis is a lovely wine, offering up aromas of cherries, burning embers, dark berries, loamy soil and truffle, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety wine that's rather deep and serious, reflecting low yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare and a blend dominated by 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 19% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc in supporting roles. Lest anyone underestimate it on the strength of the challenging vintage alone, by the numbers it contains a higher concentration of polyphenols than either the 2019 or 2020 vintages. Tasted three times. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

The 2021 Clos du Marquis is a dark, sumptuous Saint-Julien. Strong Cabernet inflections give the Clos du Marquis its strong aromatic presence. Crushed flowers, spice, mint, tobacco and incense all reveal themselves with some coaxing. There are some slight rough edges in the tannins, but hopefully élevage can polish those. The 2021 is a fine and promising Clos du Marquis. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

The 2021 Clos du Marquis is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 14% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 24 September to 9 October, and to be aged in oak barrels, 50% of them new. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts onto the scene with notes of cassis, ripe plums, and boysenberries, plus hints of Sichuan pepper and pencil lead. Medium-bodied, the palate is refreshing with grainy tannins texturing the youthful black and red fruits, finishing long and pure. pH 3.69. IPT 86. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent