Chateau Marquis d'Alesme 2019

Harmonious and luscious, this bold blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot comes with a clear tannic structure and aromas of violets, roses and pure blueberry fruit.

A bold, extroverted wine, the 2019 Marquis d'Alesme is every bit as impressive from bottle as it was en primeur. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, leather, licorice and bittersweet chocolate are all amplified, as are the potent tannins. This is an especially rich, extracted style of Margaux, and yet all the elements come together so well, especially with a bit of air.

Elegant, soft, silky, and sensuous, the wine is rich, ripe, and almost overflowing with waves of polished, sweet, fresh plums, dark cherries, licorice, five spice, espresso bean, and dark chocolate on the backend. Over the past few years, they have really picked up the volume here at Chateau Marquis d'Alesme. For a wine from the Margaux appellation at this level of quality and price, my tip of the day is: buy it! Drink from 2026–2050.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Subtle wood spice, tobacco nuances, black cherries, a hint of blackberries, fresh orange zest. Black cherries on the palate, integrated tannins, good freshness, lemony touch, mineral finish, a lively food wine.

The 2019 Château Marquis D'Alesme is terrific and a good follow-up to the brilliant 2018. Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue, it gives up a great nose of ripe darker cherries, blackberries, mulberries, leafy herbs, cedar pencil, and violets. This is followed by a medium- to full-bodied Margaux with a rich, fleshy, expansive mouthfeel, polished tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. I'm not sure it will make terribly old bones, but it shines for its purity of fruit as well as its terrific overall balance and purity. As I wrote from barrel, it's one of those pretty, elegant wines that still packs rocking levels of fruit! Drink it any time over the coming 15–20 years.

Kunz barrel sample 2020: (57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 14% alc. vol.) Dense, elegant, finely mineral and powerful bouquet, blueberry jelly, cassis, nougat, delicate toasted notes, vanilla powder. Balanced, full, fruity palate with a dense, creamy structure, powerful, sweet fruit, fine tannins, complex aromatics, long, aromatic, delicately bitter finish.

Carefully constructed tannic architecture, moreish sapidity, crushed roses, blueberries, blackberries, edges of fennel and pomegranate, love it. Real grip, length and balance. Harvest September 26 to October 12. Marjolaine de Coninck technical director, owner Nathalie Perrodo.

The wine opens with a sophisticated bouquet of blueberry, rhubarb jam, black plum, iris, and petrol. The palate is juicy, gentle, and charming, supported by an acidic framework that carries the wine quite far.

Marquis d’Alesme reveals itself in a delicate, subtle way through nuances of blackberry and spice. On the palate, its silky texture and balance highlight the finesse for which it is known. The wine is fresh, gourmand, juicy, and shows good aging potential.

The 2019 Marquis d’Alesme is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It strolls out with easy-going scents of plum preserves, baked blackberries, and cherry pie, followed by touches of garrigue and anise. The medium-bodied palate delivers refreshing acidity and soft tannins to frame the lively fruit, finishing with a skip in its step.