Chateau Marquis d'Alesme 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 2018

A rock star Margaux that should be snatched up by readers, the 2018 Château Marquis D'Alesme reveals a dense purple hue as well as ripe, sexy notes of blackcurrants, spicy oak, tobacco leaf, earth, and cedar. Deep, full-bodied, and gorgeously concentrated, it has velvety tannins, a layered, mouthcoating texture, and a great finish. It's a baby, but wow, what a wine. Hide bottle for 5-7 years if you can (you'll be forgiven for opening a bottle early) and it's going to evolve for 30-40 years.

The 2018 Marquis d'Alesme Becker is from the lieu-dit Les Terrasses de Margaux. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, and it has 14.5% alcohol. It was aged for 18 months in 65% new and 35% two-year-old barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs considerable swirling to unlock notes of ripe blackcurrants, wild blueberries and Morello cherries, plus suggestions of violets, star anise, underbrush and Sichuan pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with energy, featuring loads of red and black fruit preserves layers and a finely grained texture, finishing long and mineral tinged.

The 2018 Marquis d'Alesme is a very silky, elegant wine. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, dried flowers and mint are laced throughout this wonderfully nuanced Margaux. Bright red berry fruit, mid-weight structure and silky tannins add to an impression of total finesse. The 2018 is so impressive, even in the early going.

This is a wonderful wine with dark berries, wet earth and dark tea. Full body, firm and striking tannins and a long, flavorful finish.

Good stuff from winemaker Marjolaine de Coninck: there's a creamy sweetness through the palate, with patisserie notes joining the dark fruit impact of the Cabernet. It's well balanced and rich, with tannins that build fairly rapidly from the mid-palate onwards - you can feel their impact but they support rather than crush.

The 2018 Marquis d’Alesme (the Becker is only noted on the back label!) has a beautiful and very pure bouquet of violet-tinged black fruit, crushed rock and India ink scents, all very seductive. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, perfectly pitched acidity and a velvety-smooth texture that lingers. Plush and extraordinarily harmonious, and one of the purest 2018s you will find on the Left Bank.