2005 Leoville Las Cases - Clos du Marquis Bordeaux Blend - France - Bordeaux - St Julien - Red

Very good. While this bottle was just as corpulent and ripe-tasting as the last one I consumed, it's beginning to show a more earthy quality and has an iron undertow on the finish. While this has always been a well crafted wine, it's beginning to get even more interesting. I would suspect it will begin really hitting its stride in 2014 and continue through 2019.

This wine was not built to last and it shows. It is already fading. Its body is gone-a medium weight shadow of its former self. Hints of currant and spice, but they are mostly gone.

93 points Wine Spectator: "Fabulous aromas of crushed raspberry, blackberry, mineral and licorice follow through to a full-bodied palate. This is chewy yet silky, with a long, long finish. Balanced and powerful. Best after 2012." (03/08) 91 points Robert Parker: "The superb second wine, the 2005 Clos du Marquis, reflects the utter brilliance of the 2005 grand vin. It boasts an inky/ruby/purple color along with a sweet perfume of lead pencil, ripe cherries and black currants, and hints of earth and vanillin. Dense, chewy, fleshy, and full-bodied, this beauty will be drinkable in 3-4 years, and should keep for 15-20." (04/08) 90 points Stephen Tanzer: "Good full red-ruby. Superripe aromas of plum, mocha, coffee and spicy oak. Big, dry, broad and rich, with a chewy quality and noteworthy sweetness to the plummy flavor. This has more baby fat than the young 2006 but not quite as much detail or verve. Finishes quite broad, with major ripe tannins and lingering sweet fruit." (May/June '08) ETA: Sept 25th, 2009.