2023 Clos du Marquis

A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc that spent 16 months in 50% new French oak, the 2023 Clos Du Marquis is a bigger, richer wine in the vintage. Its deep purple/plum hue is followed by blockbuster aromatics of blackcurrants, smoke, tobacco, spice, and chocolate. Rich, full-bodied, deep, and layered on the palate, it has ample mid-palate depth, ripe tannins, nicely integrated oak, and a great finish. I love it even today, yet it will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and have 30 years of longevity. Drink 2029-2055.

The 2023 Clos du Marquis is a standout. Dark, deep and explosive, the 2023 possesses serious mid-palate density and exceptional balance. Black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, incense, lavender and hard candy soar from the glass, building into a sweeping crescendo that explodes on the back end. This is one of the finest vintages of Clos du Marquis I can remember tasting. There's striking depth, density and personality. Clos du Marquis is a real sleeper in 2023.

The 2023 Clos du Marquis, raised in 50% new oak for 16 months, takes a few moments to really open in the glass, but it reveals satisfying fruit concentration, with blackberry, cedar and light cigar box scents unfurling in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, with quite a feisty opening, bright and sharp, with a keen line of acidity that counters that ripe red fruit. Gentle grip but quite persistent on the finish, this is a very fine, perhaps more approachable Clos du Marquis.