A Saint-Julien AOC By Domaines Delon
Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, France
Wine Style: Bordeaux / Heritage
Average Price: $$ / €€
Overall Rating: 94 points
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
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Château Owner:
Jean-Hubert Delon
Domaines Delon is a Bordeaux Domaine with three Château’s on both banks of the Garonne River. On the right bank they have a Pomerol Château called Nénin, and two on the left bank with Château Potensac in the Médoc AOC and the Château Léoville Las Cases the Saint-Julien AOC. While enjoying a dinner at La TABLE de Joël Robuchon in Paris, now called L'Atelier by Joël Robuchon, the Sommelier picked one of the three Saint-Julien AOC wines offered from the Château Léoville Las Cases - the 1999 Clos du Marquis.
The Delon Estate philosophy is to produce a perfect expression of the Saint-Julien, based on structure, harmony, distinction, complexity and aging potential. They must have good aging potential and be able to improve with age. Precise ripening level of the grapes, balance in the blend and adapted maturation according to the wine's potential, all contribute in obtaining the oenological features which play a part in the wine's aging capacity.
Not only is the soil worked traditionally using the age-old knowledge of the terroir but also their integrated agricultural methods show true respect of the surrounding environment. After strict selection, only the most representative batches of each product are chosen for the final blend. The Delon family and its team ensure that the wines are as consistent as possible, by a first blend before barreling and by re-blending them after aging. The Delon family considers that each bottle of each wine produced is an ambassador for all consumers who taste them.
The story that started in the 17TH Century as one of the oldest Médoc estates, Domaine de Léoville belonged to some of the wealthiest and most influential noble French families before it was acquired by the Las Cases family. The estate was split up between 1826 and 1840 as a result of the French Revolution. There are three main wines produced at this domaine, the Grand Vin, Clos du Marquis, and the secondary grand vin.
The Grand Vin’s current terroir has therefore been at the historic heart of the original terroir since the 17th century. Pierre Jean, Adolphe and Gabriel de Las Cases were successive heirs to the property until 1900, when Théophile Skawinski purchased a share in the estate and became its manager. Léoville Las Cases has now been managed by the same family since the late 19th century and is today represented by Jean-Hubert Delon, sole owner of the Château and proprietor of Château Potensac in the Médoc and Château Nénin in Pomerol.
Clos du Marquis was created in 1902 and has its origins in the "Petit Clos" adjacent to the Château de Léoville, home of the Marquis de Las Cases. The Clos du Marquis comes from the great terroir’s of the Saint-Julien appellation that were not part of the former Léoville estate.
These terroir’s are located further west and surrounded by prestigious Crus Classés (Classified Growths) including Second Growths from the Saint-Julien and Pauillac appellations: Léoville Poyferré, Léoville Barton and Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. The Clos du Marquis thus displays typical Saint-Julien characteristics: structure, complexity, balance, distinction and great aging potential.
AOC: Saint-Julien
Surface area: 98 ha
Average age of vines: 40 years
Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon 66% / Merlot 24% / Cabernet Franc 9% / Petit Verdot 1%
Density of plantation: 8 600 plants/ha
Wine & Grape:
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Nose (Bouquet):
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Palette Experience:
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1999
Clos du Marquis Saint-Julien
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Winemaker Notes:
This is stacked, with dark plum, cassis and blueberry reduction notes forming the core. The serious spine of graphite and tar is thoroughly embedded, so the finish is long and polished
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Winemaker Notes:
Elegant, endless and classical, with menthol, cedar and black fruit and tannins that softly float alongisde the fruit."
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Final notes, review basics, and observations:
5 stars
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An Extraordinary Tasting Experience
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92 - 100 points
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4 Stars
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An Outstanding Tasting Experience
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86 - 91 points
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3 Stars
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Exceeded All My Expectations
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80 - 85 points
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2 Stars
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Far Above the Average Wine
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74 - 79 points
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1 Star
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An Average Wine
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69 - 73 points
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0.5 Star
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A very Basic Wine
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62 - 68 points
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0 Stars
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ALERT: Poor, or Appalling Wine
(Do not waste your money or time)
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61% or below
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*** NOTE TO THE READER ***
I refer to myself as a oenophile though, oenophilia is defined as “a disciplined devotion to wine, accompanying strict traditions of consumption and appreciation.” In a general sense, oenophilia also refers to the enjoyment of wine, often by a laymen - which I am, and not qualified as a professional. I just enjoy drinking it, so my rating is based on enjoyment and the overall experience, not the science of an expert.
Overall Star Rating:
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94 Points
5 of 5 Stars:
An Extraordinary Tasting Experience
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93/95
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93/96
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93/94
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Wines Produced
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Red: Heritage
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Grape Blends
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Red:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, & Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
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Regulatory
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Bottle Prices
(excluding taxes)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major wine countries and connoisseur’s**
Wine Selction:
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Currency rates in the top wine producing & wine purchasing countries:
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Price Chart :
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2012 (750 ml)
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$98.00
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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$124.00
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Australian Dollar (AUS)
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$$
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75.00
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£££££
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123.00
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$
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663.00
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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84.00
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European Union (EUR)
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€€€€€
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131.00
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New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
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$
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R 1264.00
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South African Rand (ZAR)
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R
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Currency rates as of July 2017
Les Domaines Delon:
Château Léoville Las Cases
Rue de l'École, 33250
Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, France
Château Nénin
33 500 Pomerol
Château Potensac
33 340 Ordonnac
Tasting Room Information:
Website:
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Tasting room:
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+01 33 (0)5 56 73 25 26
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Fax:
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+01 33 (0)5 56 59 18 33
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Email Contact:
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Tasting Room hours:
France Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - BST Offset + 1:00)
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Monday - Sunday:
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Social Media:
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****
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Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Glorified Cook (Exec Chef)
Father, Husband, Wine Drinker,
Restaurant nut, History, and
Star Trek lover
I am based in Florida, and have worked in the food industry for over twenty years, from restaurants, catering, and contracting in Afghanistan, Iraq, + Antarctica. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in 2012. Since then over 350 articles have been written, including some San Pellegrino, Michelin, and Elite Travelers Guide top picks. Other articles include recipes, a Grand Food Dictionary, ethnic cuisines, tasting tours, exotic locations, and wine from vineyards in the old and new world alike.
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