2025 Clos du Marquis (St-Julien)

Brambled fruit on the nose, full of hawthorn and hedgerow fruits, shot through with blackcurrant pastille and incense, crab apple, grip and slate-textured minerality, will soften further over ageing, has the austerity that you hope for at this early stage of the Las Cases stable. Michael Georges technical director. 93 points

The 2025 Clos du Marquis is a potent, brooding wine. A rush of dark-toned fruit, gravel, incense, licorice, tobacco and scorched earth hits the palate. Cabernet Sauvignon takes the lead, and that very much comes through in the wine`s savory character and structural profile. Lavender, mint, dried herbs and chocolate follow as the 2025 gains volume in the glass. There`s a lot of wine here. I am looking forward to tasting this in finished form, given its considerable potential. 90-93 points

The 2025 Clos du Marquis is a serious wine that will reward patience. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, creme de cassis, violets and burning embers, it`s medium- to full-bodied, deep and layered, with bright acids and a chassis of ripe, powdery but abundant tannins. The blend this year is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. 92-94 points

The 2025 Clos du Marquis was harvested between September 8 and 20 at 24 hl/ha and matured in 55% new oak for a planned 16 months. This has a fragrant and intense bouquet, with just a hint of lavender suffusing the black cherry and blackcurrant scents, more blue fruit surfacing with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied, with a powerful entry, quite precocious licorice-tinged black fruit. A little `heady` in style, I feel that the warmth of that summer comes through more here compared to the Las Cases. 91-93 points