As ever the St Julien’s of the Delon empire slow great purity and balance in 2016. Château Léoville-Las-Cases, even by the very high standards of this property, has produced an exceptional wine. The aromatics are deep and powerful but not at all over laden. There is such wonderful vibrancy here too on the palate. And the length – wow! It is a brilliant wine. Coming from entirely different terroir Clos du Marquis, often mistakenly identified as the second wine of Léoville-Las-Cases, also looks very good indeed. For me 2016 is the finest vintage here since the amazing 2009 and 2010 vintages. If these two vintages have fractionally greater depth, the balance in 2016 surpasses both.

Once again Domaines Delon have produced an impressive set of wines at their St Julien properties Château Léoville-Las-Cases and Clos du Marquis. If they don’t quite have the truly exceptional depth of the great years 2009 and 2010, these 2015s are not at all far behind. The beautiful fruit qualities that characterise this vintage are writ large in the wines here. Château Léoville-Las-Cases, on terroir that neighbours Château Latour, regularly produces some of the very best wines in the entire Médoc. This is true in 2015. The blackcurrant fruit tones are wonderful. Clos du Marquis, from vineyards further inland from Las-Cases, has also produced impressive St Julien as well as a new second wine, La Petite Marquise.  

The purity of the wines across the Delon range is always enticing. Château Léoville-Las-Cases epitomizes this purity. The 2014 vintage appears very successful here. This is strong St Julien, with plenty of extract and weight but also freshness. It should come as no surprise that Clos du Marquis has turned in another excellent wine. Fashioned from terroir separate from the great Léoville estate, this is aromatic St Julien with plenty of fruit, depth and structure. Le Petit Lion is satisfying in 2014. It represents 20% of the production of the grand vin, and includes the fruit from younger vines and from older Merlots from the vineyard parcels of Léoville-Las-Cases itself.

Château Léoville-Las-Cases looks impressive in 2013. It is one of the wines of the vintage on the left bank. Pure, almost opulent, it is a pretty bold statement. Clos du Marquis looks very promising too and this St Julien offers good value for the quality. The talk at the Domaines Delon group that owns Las-Cases, and also Château Potensac in the Médoc and Château Nénin in Pomerol, is that the 2013 vintage in St Julien perhaps resembles 2004 and 2008 for them.