The 2004 Clos du Marquis is a Saint-Julien red from the Delon family, the same stable as Château Léoville-Las Cases and often discussed as its “second wine.” In 2004 it was built on a classic Left Bank framework, reported as a Cabernet-led blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon with 38% Merlot plus small portions of Cabernet Franc (2%) and Petit Verdot (3%), reaching 13.15% alcohol. The vintage’s profile here is about structure and clarity rather than overt richness, with several critics emphasizing freshness and well-judged tannin.

This is also a strongly reviewed wine, with multiple excellent professional notes. Wine Spectator’s 91 stands out as an especially strong endorsement, calling it “Very well made. Excellent,” and advising “Best after 2011.” In that review, the wine shows lifted aromatics—“raspberry and citrus, with just a hint of sweet tobacco”—followed by a “solid core of fruit” and “a caressing, layered tannin structure” (Wine Spectator).

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (89) places it among “Bordeaux’s top second wines,” highlighting “crunchy juicy red cherry and currant fruit” alongside “notions of herbs and spice box.” Parker also describes it as “well-made, medium-bodied, elegant,” and notes that it is “reminiscent of its bigger sibling,” with confidence it “should age well for 10–15 years” (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate).

Wine Enthusiast (90) leans into the darker, more floral side of the wine, describing it as “big and black,” “stunningly perfumed with eucalyptus and violets.” The palate is framed by assertive structure: “Herbs and ripe black fruit flavors are given shape by the tannins that go straight through the wine,” finishing with “great acidity” (Wine Enthusiast).

Overall, the 2004 Clos du Marquis reads as a well-made, cellar-worthy Saint-Julien: aromatic, firmly structured, and balanced by notable acidity, with enough fruit concentration to reward patience.