Chateau Marquis d’Alesme Margaux Bordeaux Wine

Chateau Marquis d’Alesme Becker Margaux Third Growth, Bordeaux wine producer profile, with wine tasting notes, wine ratings, a history of the property, information on wine making and terroir, along with wine tasting reviews. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau Marquis d’Alesme can trace their roots all the way back to 1585. 31 years after the estate was created, they began planting vines creating their Bordeaux wine vineyard. The name of the property, Marquis d’Alesme comes from one of the early aristocratic families from the Bordeaux wine region. Like many Bordeaux chateaux, Marquis d’Alesme changed hands during the French revolution.  In 1809. the Medoc chateau was sold to a Dutch wine merchant, Jean Bekker Terrlink, who changed the name of the property to include his middle name, Château Marquis d’Alesme Becker.

Comte Jean-Jules Théophile Chaix-d’Est-Ange bought the Bordeau wine estate in the early 18th century. He was also the owner of Château Lascombes, which he obtained from his father. He wanted to combine both Bordeaux wine making estates into one large Medoc property. He passed away in 1923 before he was able to create the single vineyard. The original Marquis d’Alesme château became the office for Chateau Lascombes, with the original château of Desmirail taking its place.

A succession of owners followed until 1938 when the property was sold to Edmond Ritz from Alsace. His grand-son, Jean Claude Zuger inherited the estate. If the Zuger name sounds familiar, it is because they are the owners of another Bordeaux wine property, Chateau Malescot St. Exupery which is also located in the Margaux appellation.

In 2006, Marquis d’Alesme was once again sold. Hubert Perrodo purchased it. Perrodo already owned another Margaux vineyard, Chateau Labegorce, which he obtained in 1989. Sadly, Perrodo was killed in a skiing accident shortly after buying the property.  The estate is currently managed by the daughter, Nathalie Perrodo.

The 15 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Chateau Marquis d’Alesme is divided into 3 unique terroirs. A plot located next to the chateau that consists of silica and gravel soil and some clay is planted to 100% Merlot. A parcel with silica and gravel situated close to the D2 highway is planted to 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. The third section is mostly young vines and is the source for their second wine, Marquise d’Alesme.

Chateau Marquis d’Alesme is vinified in temperature controlled, traditional cement vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank. The wine of Chateau Marquis d’Alesme is aged in 60% new, French oak barrels for an average of 18 months.

The new owners now use the shorter version of the wineries name, Chateau Marquis d’Alesme. They dropped the word Becker, helping to make the wine easier to market. There is a second wine, Marquise d’Alesme. On average, the annual production of Chateau Marquis d’Alesme is 4,000 cases per year.

Prior to 2010, the wines from Chateau Marquis d’Alesme were not exciting. But things turned around for the estate with their 2010 Bordeaux wine. With a spare no expense attitude, which included building a new fermentation cellar equipped with a combination of state-of-the-art stainless steel vats and new French oak tanks. The selection process both in the vineyards and cellars is also much more severe. The estate has also hired Michel Rolland as their consultant.  All of this adds up to the fact that this is now a Margaux property to watch.

www.chateau-marquis-dalesme.fr