2020 Chateau Marquis d'Alesme Margaux

  • 97 Point "Very High Quality" Vintage ~Vinous
  • "Full and Powerful. Real Structure Here" ~James Suckling
  • "Clear Depth to the Fruit on the Nose, This Is a Pretty Serious Wine" ~Decanter
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About the Wine

Since its classification as a Grand Cru Classé in 1855, Marquis d’Alesme has been an integral part of Bordeaux's rich history. This estate has been a hub of culture and passion since the 18th century. The Marquis' fascination for Chinese art, along with the cosmopolitan voyages of Jean Bekker-Teerlink, laid the foundation for an extraordinary legacy. A love for beauty and botany birthed stunning landscaped gardens, while the idea that great wine is an inspired work of art remained at its core.

Pierre Vincent de Paule, Marquis d'Alesme, was a scholar, art enthusiast, and a man of many passions. His love for the Orient, inspired by the works of late 17th-century Jesuit priests, ignited his fascination for the exotic. He played a pivotal role in shaping the estate and its legacy. 

Hubert Perrodo, a self-taught and enterprising businessman, ventured into oil exploration before making his mark in Bordeaux vineyards. His acquisition of Château Marquis d'Alesme in 2006 breathed new life into this historic estate.

Today, Nathalie Perrodo, alongside Marjolaine Maurice de Coninck, General Director, carries forward the legacy with enthusiasm and a fresh perspective. Together, they are crafting a new chapter in the history of the estate, staying true to the meticulous care required to produce a Great Wine. 

Marquis d’Alesme's terroir is a canvas that nature has artfully prepared for crafting exceptional wines. The soil, with its gravelly-siliceous, marly-siliceous, and clay & limestone composition, is perfectly exposed on gentle slopes. Mild weather, courtesy of the nearby Gironde estuary, ensures ideal conditions for viticulture.

Each vine is carefully selected, observed, and pampered through the seasons to yield the finest fruit. The Cabernet family reigns supreme here, making up 70% of the grape varieties, with Cabernet Sauvignon leading the way at 63%. Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc add complexity, while Merlot, comprising 30% of the grape varieties, lends a delicate roundness. The resulting wines are elegant, refined, and full of flavor, boasting juicy blackcurrant, blackberry, and blueberry notes, balanced by a graceful minerality.

2020 was a great year for Bordeaux. Vinous Media blessed this year with a 97-point review and said, "Two thousand-twenty is an exceptional vintage for Bordeaux, certainly the best in the 2018-2020 trilogy. Quality is very, very high."

Aging: 15-19 months in French oak barrels. 

Tasting Notes: 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc.
See Critical Reviews for detailed tasting notes.

Reviews

Lilacs, roses, licorice, espresso, spice and wild cherries, along with a hint of tobacco leaf shoot from the glass. On the palate, the wine is supple, creamy, polished and generous, the fruit is full-bodied, fresh and rich, leaving you with layers of perfectly ripe, plums, cherries and touch of chocolate that comes in at the end. Drink from 2024-2050. ~95 The Wine Cellar Insider

Chewy and very tannic with a solid depth of dark fruit, showing blackberry and currant character. Full and powerful. Real structure here. ~94-95 James Suckling

On the nose, fresh, aromatic and offers a certain racy/fresh power, a fine grain and a certain fullness. It reveals notes of blackberry, wild berries and tobacco combined with hints of vanilla, sweet spices, fresh red berries and a discreet hint of cherry blossom, nice minerality and a discreet hint of nutmeg. On the palate, fresh, fruity, a bit tight and offers good definition, a certain gourmandize, a juicy/acidic frame, minerality, good definition and well conducted density/richness. The wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy blackberry, violet and hints of raspberry combined with wild red berries as well as hints of sweet blond tobacco, nutmeg and an imperceptible hint of coffee in the background. Good length. A discreet touch of dried almond, a little chewiness and sapidity on the finish/persistence. ~94 VertdeVin

Clear depth to the fruit on the nose, this is a pretty serious wine, where you see the lines of the tannins stretching out before you and in between the muscles you get clear floral notes, giving it a savoury Cabernet emphasis. With time in the glass, the cassis fruits come along and show their density and class, and the clear spice. Claude Gros consultant. 3.65pH, 50% new oak. 15ha estate. Harvest September 23 to October 2 (the heavier storm Alex fell on October 3rd). Drinking Window 2028 - 2044. ~94 Decanter

Solidly built, with a singed sandalwood and alder frame holding a core of dark plum and warmed cassis together, while light charcoal, bay leaf and earth details emerge on the finish. A strong showing. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2036. ~93 Wine Spectator

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, deep core, delicate rim brightening. Delicate herbal savouriness, ripe plums, dark wild berries, hints of nougat and liquorice in the background. Medium complexity, ripe red cherries, ripe tannins, good freshness, a lively food companion, a bit dry on the finish, still needs time. ~93 Falstaff

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