Margaux 2014 Château Bel Air-Marquis d'Aligre | Bordeaux

Château Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre Margaux , also known as "BAMA", is an atypical jewel in the Margaux appellation on Bordeaux's left bank. The guardian of the spirit of the wine estate for over 50 years, Jean-Pierre Boyer perpetuates a unique approach, far removed from modern standards. Here, fermentation is spontaneous, and the wines are aged exclusively in concrete vats, for three to seven years. This method preserves the purity of the fruit and the expression of the terroir without artifice. The vineyard, largely made up of old, ungrafted vines, stretches over gravel-clay soils, perfect for cultivating the classic blend of the appellation's four main grape varieties: Merlot (35%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Cabernet Franc (20%) and Petit Verdot (15%). These conditions give the wine an elegant structure and complexity typical of great Bordeaux wines.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : Château Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre's Margaux at times evokes the finesse of the great Pomerols or even certain Burgundy wines, and is in keeping with an approach based on authenticity and respect for tradition. It is a wine of great elegance, perfectly combining power and finesse. The 1998 vintage conveys Jean-Pierre Boyer's expertise in a blend where each grape variety finds its right expression. This is a Margaux that seduces with its aromatic depth and beautiful freshness, despite the years, and stands out for its finesse and authenticity, far from the concentration often associated with modern Margaux. Decant before tasting to reveal its full potential.

On the nose, the wine reveals a rich, powerful bouquet, where red and black fruit aromas intertwine with delicate notes of blond tobacco, weathered leather and a hint of sweet spices. With aeration, nuances of undergrowth and tertiary notes of tobacco, deliciously evolved, accentuate the complexity and nobility of this Margaux.

On the palate, the wine offers a supple texture with ripe, well-integrated tannins. The alliance of grape varieties plays a unanimously perfect score, marked by the roundness of black fruit, the finesse of a hint of spice, and a remarkable balance between fatness, freshness and depth. Led by vibrant acidity, the dazzlingly refined finish elegantly takes on the accents of noble bitterness, testimony to a wine still alive and ready to be enjoyed.