wine details
reviews
Decanter 92/100A deep, rich, opulent nose giving that Margaux glamour straight out the gate. Heady, perfumed purple flowers on the nose. The aromas are really beguiling, you get the ripe Cabernet fruit which was such a success in 2021 - the green pepper, black pepper, blueberries and eucalyptus with hints from the Merlot - sharp, sweet and sour strawberries and red cherries with herbal notes of liquorice and cedar. It's certainly fresh and you get a clarity on the palate, it's not massively structured per se but offering lovely balance, freshness and precision of all the elements. There's a vibrancy to this and a nice mouthfeel of gentle but grippy tannins - they're fine but filling. Fruit and oak are well balanced with such persistence of gentle flavour. Lovely refinement and class with a lifted minty finish. I love it. 3% Cabernet Sauvignon completes the blend. 3.80pH. They lost around 25% of the yield in 2021, bringing in 32hL/ha compared to the usual 40-45hL/ha. Georgie Hindle
Vinous 91-93/100
The 2021 Marquis d'Alesme Becker was picked from 30 September and 14 October, matured 50% new oak. Now, this has a lovely bouquet with iris flower infusing the lifted black fruit, fine mineralité here. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannins, fine grip, slightly saline with a bit of sinew on the finish. Fine sense of energy here, though it does not fan out like the 2019 or 2020, i.e. it reflects the growing season. Neal Martin