Marquis d'Alesme - Margaux 2020

Vinous

92,5-92,5

byNeal Martinthe2/28/2025

The 2020 Marquis d'Alesme Becker has a clean and precise bouquet with blackberry, raspberry and crushed stone aromas. A touch of dried rose petal surfaces with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with pastille-like red fruit on the entry. Plush red fruit, marmalade and white pepper vie for attention with the vivacious, spicy finish. This is approachable, but it should age well in bottle. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Wine Advocate

89

byWilliam Kelleythe4/6/2023

Exhibiting aromas of blackberries, licorice, cigar wrapper and petals, the 2020 Marquis d'Alesme is medium to full-bodied, with a somewhat chewy, extracted profile that renders it less charming than its stablemate Labégorce.

Wine Spectator

93

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2023

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.

The Wine Cellar Insider

95

byJeff Levethe3/22/2023

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.

Vinous

92

byAntonio Gallonithe2/24/2023

The 2020 Marquis d'Alesme is powerful and very dense, but well-balanced in this style, one that seeks power and richness over finesse. Black cherry, leather, chocolate, tobacco, menthol and licorice are all pushed forward. The 2020 is very good, but it could have been better.

Vinous

94

byNeal Martinthe2/15/2023

The 2020 Marquis d'Alesme is matured in 50% new oak and was bottled a little later than other châteaux. It has a crisp bouquet with redcurrant, white-tipped strawberry, cedar and crushed violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine and quite saturated tannins, mainly black fruit tinged with spice, smooth in texture with a touch of piquancy towards the finish. It is persistent and it blossoms in the glass. Very fine.

Yvesbeck.wine

94

byYves Beckthe1/3/2023

Très invitant, Marquis d'Alesme de distingue par son harmonie entre les nuances d'élevage et des
notes de fruits mûrs. Très précis et friand, le vin est élégant, dense et soutenu par des tannins
suaves. Ces derniers lui confèrent de l'ampleur et assurent une bonne aptitude à la garde…
quoiqu'au vu de son caractère invitant, il sera certainement bu avant ! 2024-2040

Wine Spectator

93

byJames Molesworththe11/30/2022

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.

Vinous

92-94

byAntonio Gallonithe6/1/2021

The 2020 Marquis d'Alesme is potent and brooding right out of the gate. Iron, chalk, white pepper, cedar and tobacco add quite a bit of aromatic presence to the red-fleshed fruit. A driving, intense Margaux, Marquis d'Alesme is going to need time in bottle. Today, the tannins are pretty imposing in their searing intensity.

Decanter.com

94

byJane Ansonthe5/25/2021

Cassis, bilberry, chocolate, mocha and pepper. Good, austere, tight, mint leaf on the close of play. This has depth of expression, the fruit has been carefully extracted to minimise what are still pretty ferocious tannins. A yield of 30hl/ha. Tasted three times and was impressed each time. Important to note that Marquis de Terme is one of the few Left Bank estates that does a final adjustment to the blend before bottling, although typically changes are only made to the second wine so this is likely to be at least extremely close to what will go into the final bottle.

Jeb DUNNUCK

93-95

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/23/2021

Another gem of an estate in Margaux that should be on everyone’s radar is Château Marquis D'Alesme. Their 2020 offers wonderful purity as well as notes of cassis, darker berries, violets, and toasted spice, with a touch of chocolaty oak in the background. More medium-bodied, beautifully textured, and fruit-loaded, it has terrific tannins (especially for this vintage), notable mid-palate density, and loads of charm. It’s well worth seeking out in the vintage.

The Wine Cellar Insider

94-96

byJeff Levethe5/21/2021

Violets, lilacs, cherry pipe tobacco, plums, currants, spice and blackberry aromatics fill the perfume. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, round, juicy, fresh and rich, with layers of perfectly ripe, silky, plums, cherries, currants, espresso and spice. The luxurious, rich finish hits all the right notes as it lingers on your palate. 94-96

Wine Advocate

92-94

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/20/2021

Composed of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Marquis d'Alesme Becker is aging for approximately 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% new. Deep purple-black colored, it leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of mulberries, black cherries and blackcurrant pastilles, plus suggestions of underbrush, fallen leaves and violets. The medium-bodied palate is lively and refreshing, featuring a light touch of fine-grained tannins and just enough mid-palate red berry flavors, finishing savory.

Anthocyanes

90-92

byYohan Castaingthe5/11/2021

Nez terrien, boisé, très épices. Bouche tannique, de la puissance mais des tanins très structurants et un boisé prégnant qui, à mon avis, ne partira pas.

Falstaff

91-93

byPeter Moserthe5/10/2021

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Ockerrandaufhel- lung. Zart tabakig unterlegte schwarze Waldbeerfrucht, frische Herzkirschen, feine Kräuterwürze, Orangenzesten unterlegt. Saftig, gute Komplexität, schwarze Kirschen, reife Pflaumen, präsente, noch etwas fordernde Tannine, mineralisch im Nachhall, straffes Finale, wird von Reife profitieren.

My Bettane + Desseauve

90-91

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/7/2021

Jamessuckling.com

94-95

byJames Sucklingthe5/4/2021

Chewy and very tannic with a solid depth of dark fruit, showing blackberry and currant character. Full and powerful. Real structure here.