The 2016 Clos du Marquis, a Bordeaux Blend from the St Julien sub-region of Bordeaux, France, showcases the exceptional quality and craftsmanship of the Léoville Las Cases estate. This wine, blended from 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc, is noted for its deep garnet-purple color and robust character. It reached an alcohol content of 13.5% and is aged in 50% new French oak barrels.
Renowned wine critic James Suckling awarded the 2016 Clos du Marquis an impressive score of 95, highlighting its "suave, fresh and upbeat feel" with "freshly baked berry pastry and ripe raspberry, boysenberry and red-plum aromas in abundance." Suckling praised the wine's "superb array of rich, fresh and deeply fruited tannins" and its "elegant, focused and perfectly balanced finish," recommending it be enjoyed from 2023 onward.
Jeb Dunnuck, another respected reviewer, also gave the wine a 95, emphasizing its "full-bodied, concentrated, incredibly elegant" profile. He noted its "purity and balance," attributing these qualities to the vintage's hallmark. Dunnuck observed "great notes of ripe black cherries, blackcurrants, spring flowers, and graphite," predicting that it would age gracefully over several decades.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, through reviewer Lisa Perrotti-Brown, awarded the wine a score of 94. She described it as "a little broody to begin," with "notes of crushed blackcurrants and black cherries" complemented by "touches of warm plums, pencil shavings, earth and new leather." Perrotti-Brown commended its "rock-solid frame of grainy tannins" and "long, mineral-laced" finish.
Wine Spectator's JM also scored the wine 94, noting its "plush edge of warm tar and ganache" that blends seamlessly into "steeped plum and cassis flavors." JM appreciated its "smoldering charcoal and graphite notes" and suggested it would age well, recommending a drinking window from 2023 through 2038.
Wine Enthusiast gave the wine a 93, highlighting its "dense with dark tannins" and the elegance typical of the appellation. The review mentioned the wine's potential for development, packed with "blueberry and blackberry fruits."
Jeff Leve of TheWineCellarInsider.com rated the wine a 92, describing it as having "excellent character and ample fresh fruit in the finish." He noted the intriguing aroma of "Granddad’s tobacco-scented sweater caught in a volcanic eruption of plum and syrupy black currants."
Decanter also rated it a 92, praising its "great depth and weight" and "lovely St-Julien balance and elegance" with flavors of "pencil-lead and savoury cassis."
In summary, the 2016 Clos du Marquis is a highly praised wine with a robust structure, elegant balance, and rich fruit flavors, promising excellent aging potential.