Clos du Marquis: The Red Wine from Leoville Las Cases (8 Best Wines)

Clos du Marquis red wine is produced by Chateau Leoville Las Cases in the Saint Julien appellation of France. It is considered to be on par with some of the region’s prestigious classified growths. Let’s discover everything about it, including the best Clos du Marquis wines you can buy in 2023, the winemaking techniques used, and its origins.

A Quick Intro to Clos du Marquis

Clos du Marquis is an unclassified label of Domaines Delon (which owns the chateaux Leoville Las Cases, Potensac, and Nenin.)

It was first released in 1902 as the second wine of Leoville Las Cases. Clos du Marquis is no longer treated as this French estate’s second wine since it is made with grapes from a separate vineyard. 

It is a red Bordeaux blend made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.

In addition to Clos du Marquis, Chateau Leoville Las Cases produces:  

• Chateau Leoville Las Cases: The Grand Vin of the estate classified as second growth.
• Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases: The official second wine of Leoville Las Cases 
• La Petite Marquise: The second wine of Clos du Marquis produced from young vines of the namesake vineyard cru

The name Clos du Marquis comes from the Petit Clos (small enclosed vineyard) near Marquis de Las Cases’ residence, Chateau de Leoville. 

Tempted to try these delightful wines? 

8 Best Clos du Marquis Wines to Buy in 2023

Here’s the list of our favorite Clos du Marquis wines:

1. 1992 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases 'Clos du Marquis' ($139)

This fine wine from St.Julien has a powerful aroma of pencil shavings, berries, and herbs. Its flavorful palate includes cherry, plum, and cinnamon tasting notes. Great food pairings to this wine are all kinds of meat dishes.

2. 1982 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases 'Clos du Marquis' ($129)

Here we have a majestic Clos du Marquis saturated with oak, tobacco, and blackcurrant aromas. This vintage offers delectable cassis, blackberry, and licorice flavors along with a silky texture and smooth tannin mouthfeel.

3. 2005 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases 'Clos du Marquis' ($121)

This vintage presents an exceptional expression of terroir and an addictive bouquet of crushed blackcurrants, black cherry, and pencil shavings. The high acidity is offset by a delicious palate of black fruit, fig, and warm plums. It is also characterized by an aftertaste of superb salinity.

4. 1986 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases 'Clos du Marquis' ($115)

Here is a well-structured red wine of bold freshness and a nose of cherry, spice, and blackcurrant. The vintage has balanced acidity and incredible flavors of black fruit, warm plums, and coffee. 

5. 2000 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases 'Clos du Marquis' ($104)

This magnificent vintage with grainy tannins has black cherry, creme de cassis, and black currant aromas complemented by cherry, fig, and licorice notes. It has balanced acidity and a superb salinity aftertaste.

6. 1989 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases 'Clos du Marquis' ($100)

The 1989 vintage presents a fruit and spice nose of crushed blackcurrants and herbs. The palate consists of cherry, plum, and cinnamon flavors.

7. 2015 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases 'La Petite Marquise' du Clos du Marquis ($46)

This Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend is the outstanding second wine of the estate that offers rich aromas of nuts and berries. It is medium-bodied and has grainy tannins with striking notes of caramel, dark fruit, and black currant. 

8. 2016 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases 'La Petite Marquise' du Clos du Marquis ($36)

Here we have a medium-bodied La Petite Marquise, a fine wine with firm tannin and high acidity. While the nose is fruity and herby, the palate is exceptionally flavorful with raspberry, cherry, dark fruit, and cedar tasting notes. 

Should You Invest in Clos du Marquis Wine?

Clos du Marquis wines have excellent aging potential, and recent vintages like 2009, 2010, and 2016 can become fully vibrant after cellaring for a decade or two. 

The wines have consistently scored a 90+ from acclaimed critics like James Suckling, Wine Enthusiast, Vinous, Wine Spectator, and Wine Advocate. 

Clos du Marquis wines have shown a consistent appreciation in value over the years. For instance, the value of the 1993 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases 'Clos du Marquis' appreciated by over 50%, from $51 to $77, from February to August 2020.

Clos du Marquis has also made quite a splash in the wine auction scene. For example, a 6-bottle lot of the Clos Du Marquis 1984 was sold for $350 at a Spectrum Wine auction in June 2021.

You might be keen to know more about the vineyard and winemaking techniques used at Clos du Marquis - read on.

The Clos du Marquis Vineyard

The Clos du Marquis vineyard plot is located to the west of the Leoville Las Cases vineyard.

The 45-hectare cru vineyard is at an altitude of 20 meters and has a unique terroir of humic podzol topsoil over sandy-clay gravel. The humic podzol soil is composed of organic matter from the old forests near the chateau.

The prestigious classified growths surrounding the vineyard include:

• Leoville Poyferre and Leoville Barton in the Saint Julien appellation 
• Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in the Pauillac appellation

The primary grape varietals grown in the Clos du Marquis vineyard are: 

• Cabernet Sauvignon (66%) 
• Merlot (24%)
• Cabernet Franc (9%)
• Petit Verdot (1%)     

Clos du Marquis Winemaking

Leoville Las Cases follows a traditional winemaking style when creating the sensual Clos du Marquis wine. 

This involves:

• Fermentation: The grapes are destemmed, crushed, and then fermented in temperature-controlled vats of wood, stainless steel, or concrete. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in the vats.
• Blending: The different varietals are blended after fermentation but before barrel aging to avoid the influence of oak. 
• Aging: The blend is transferred to new French oak barrels and aged for 18 months before bottling.
• Although traditional in its approach, Leoville Las Cases has always been ready to embrace new technology. Since 1987, the estate has been using a reverse osmosis machine to remove surplus water from the grape must. 
• It was also one of the first Bordeaux producers to use sulfur solution for barrel rinsing to prevent wine spoilage.

Let’s quickly explore the background story of Chateau Leoville Las Cases.

The Origins of Chateau Leoville Las Cases

The Chateau was once part of a larger property that was partitioned during the French Revolution, with one portion becoming the present-day Chateau Leoville Barton. The original estate was split up again in 1840 to form Chateau Leoville Poyferre and Chateau Leoville Las Cases. 

In the 19th century, Theophile Skawinski purchased the estate. Later on, he transferred the ownership to the Delon family. After Michel Delon’s death, his son Jean Hubert Delon took over the property.

Ready to get hold of fine wines like Clos du Marquis and venture into the world of wine investment? 

Enjoy the Seductive Delights of a Clos du Marquis

The nuanced palate and bold freshness of Clos du Marquis make for a magical drinking experience. Add a coveted bottle to your cellar and dazzle your guests with this incredible wine at your next house party.

The easiest way to invest in fine wines like Clos du Marquis is through a wine investing platform like Vinovest. Check out the Vinovest website and begin your wine investment journey today.