Clos du Marquis, St Julien,

Clos du Marquis 2018 has a deep garnet purple color. It rocks up with open-knit notes of blackcurrants, plums, and blueberries, plus suggestions of tree bark, pencil lead, and lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers a good core of pure black fruits and a firm, grainy texture, finishing long and refreshing.

The 2018 Clos du Marquis is consistent with my tasting note from barrel. It has a perfumed, camphor-tinged bouquet featuring plenty of brambly red fruit, and maybe just a hint of dark chocolate loitering in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and quite saline in the mouth with fine depth. It is not the most complex Clos du Marquis that I have tasted, but I appreciate the persistent black pepper aftertaste, which is quite Pauillac in style. Very fine.