Clos du Marquis 2006

As usual, the second wine, the 2006 Clos du Marquis, exhibits a character similar to the grand vin, but it is a more fruit-forward effort with sweeter tannins, and a more precocious, evolved personality. With super intense black cherry and cedary notes intermixed with hints of licorice and barrique, this deep, medium to full-bodied, velvety-textured wine is ideal for consumption over the next 15+ years.

The 2006 Clos du Marquis has a typical bouquet for this cru with forward and lavish black cherries, cassis and incense aromas, perhaps more oaky than some of its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with an insistent grip in the mouth. This is surprisingly backward with impressive density. You can feel the weight of black fruit in the mouth, although it needs more finesse and precision on the finish. Give this another five years and you could have a "dark horse" on your hands.

Wonderful aromas of blackberries, minerals and dried flowers. Full-bodied, with a lovely core of cool fruit. Racy and caressing tannins. Excellent. 13.2 percent Cabernet Franc--more than normal. Better structured than normal, too.

Second wine of Léoville Las Cases. Pretty dark crimson. Ripe black fruits with lift on the nose. Very racy. Sweet start, very fine tannins. Slightly green tannins but a definite polish. This year all the Cabernet Franc went into this wine even if most of the constituents for Léoville Las Cases and Clos du Marquis come from different parcels. A bit inky on the finish. Very much an also ran in 2006. One has the sense, because of its greenness, that it has swept up the offcuts. Bit of a skinny little thing.