Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre is a potent reminder of what Bordeaux was, can be, and in many ways, should be. The wines offer a step back in time.
Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre's Jean-Pierre Boyer has overseen every vintage after 1950 and produces Bordeaux in an utterly unyielding style.
These are profoundly eye-opening wines that remind you that Bordeaux is capable of haunting nuance, delicacy, and a whispering complexity. If Bordeaux's image has become associated with a certain amount of aristocratic polish and power, Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre reminds you that there's a history and potential to work on a different register.
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Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre is an example of a château that was hiding in plain sight for years. Boyer runs a tiny estate and there's never been any pressure to promote the wines. Once more and more people became fascinated by the old fashioned winemaking from producers like Juge and Gentaz-Dervieux, Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre came out from the shadows. The wines now have a sizable following throughout France and England, and are starting to be noticed in the U.S.
For people ready to embrace a somewhat rugged and brutally honest Bordeaux, Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre often comes across as a revelation. The 1996 is a perfect vintage to check out Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre. It's a cooler, savory, and mineral vintage. Needless to say, it offers a snapshot of the beating heart of Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre.
It's a wine that certainly doesn't pull any punches. The 1996 offers lots of earth, minerality, and savory notes of tobacco and cedar. There's a firm tannic structure and really good length. As the wine opens, you get really pleasing bright floral notes.
Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre is right next to Château Margaux and is home to many old vines, including ungrafted ones that are over a hundred years old. The wines see a very brief period in barrel and then get more time in cement tanks. Boyer keeps an extensive library of back-vintages.
There's nothing like Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre. They are definitely not for everyone, but they deliver such purity and the breeding from the great Margaux terroir. The beautiful soulfulness seems like it's from another time. This is not to be missed.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits
