Château Bel Air - Marquis d'Aligre 1996

Château Bel Air - Marquis d'Aligre 1996

Cru exceptionnel de Margaux 

Rated 94/100 by Parker

Ideal drinking window: 2021–2051.

"Aromatic profile: The 1996 Château Bel Air Marquis d'Aligre opens beautifully with notes of plum, blackcurrant, fresh tobacco, sweet spices, and earthy nuances. On the palate: Both medium-bodied and expansive, the wine captivates with its great purity of fruit, fine concentration, and integrated tannins, marking the beginning of a long phase of maturity." — William Kelley.

Learn more about the estate:

Nestled in Soussans, in the heart of the Margaux appellation, Château Bel Air – Marquis d'Aligre stands out as an exception—a true outlier—in the Bordeaux landscape. Eschewing modernist trends and industrial logic, the estate cultivates a unique identity. Originally intended for the personal consumption of the Marquis d'Aligre family, the wine was not submitted for the famous 1855 Classification but was awarded the title of "Grand Cru Exceptionnel" in 1932. Taken over by the Boyer family in the mid-20th century, it was long crafted with timeless rigor by Jean-Pierre Boyer, who upheld ancestral methods far removed from market-driven standards.

The estate's winemaking philosophy differs radically from typical Médoc practices. The vineyard—featuring very old vines interplanted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and a significant proportion of Petit Verdot—is managed with the utmost respect for the soil. Above all, the estate has made the unique choice to completely ban new oak barrels in favor of extended aging in concrete vats, allowing the wine to develop without any masking oak influence.