Taversham’s Spring Auction | Chateau Marquis Bel Air d’Aligre
We’d like to take a few moments to highlight Chateau Marquis Bel Air d’Aligre in the upcoming auction.
The information in this piece comes from an article by Neil Martin on Marquis Bel Air d’Aligre in Vinous from May 2018
“I have met countless Bordeaux winemakers over two decades. None have been cut from the same rough-hewn cloth as the owner of Bel-Air Marquis d’Aligre. Jean-Pierre Boyer is the last of his kind.”
Read More on Vinous.com
This auction sees the rare opportunity to bid on older vintages made by one of the most intriguing, curious and precious wineries in the whole of Margaux, Chateau Bel Air-Marquis d’Aligre.
“Born May 1933, Jean-Pierre Boyer’s energy belies the fact that he is about to turn eighty-five – nothing unusual there. Many winemakers work until they are physically incapable. What is remarkable is that Jean-Pierre is embarking upon his 68th vintage at the same property. That is not a typo. Sixty-eight vintages. Think about that for a moment. The first vintage under his aegis was 1950, fourteen years before Jean-Claude Berrouet, five years before Lalou Bize-Leroy. This man remembers helping his father Pierre make the 1947 vintage. His calloused hands tended the vines and bottled the 1947, 1949, 1959, 1961, 1982, 2009 and one hopes, 2018, and everything between. Even more astonishing is that his modus operandi, his tenets and practices, remained unaltered from his first day to this. It is forgotten Bordeaux made corporeal and if you don’t believe me, then I guarantee you will by the time you finish reading this article.”
“The quality of the wine is no surprise…”
“To be honest, the quality of the wine is no surprise because it had been instigated the previous year. I had heard about the wine, but never tasted it until I encountered the 1970 last May. I was impressed. A few weeks later a munificent Belgian collector organized a private dinner with several vintages of Marquis Bel Air d’Aligre stretching back to a 1961. The wines were cut from a totally different cloth to any Bordeaux I had tasted. They evoked a fast-disappearing era of Bordeaux. They were remarkably consistent, and their backstory made them intermittently profound, extraordinarily pure, almost Saint Julien-like in style with sappy finishes that urged another sip. Let me emphasize that those who relish satin-like textures and big, bold fruit in their Bordeaux ought to steer clear of Bel-Air Marquis d’Aligre. They are expressions of terroir in its most unadulterated and unmasked form. I let the notes speak for themselves.”
With their vineyards neighbouring Chateau Margaux, this small Chateau, Marquis Bel Air d’Aligre has a cult following, so it’s one you may not have heard of before. But, it could be the most important discovery you will ever make in Bordeaux. Bid on a collection of Marquis Bel Air d’Aligre including the top vintages of the 90’s as well as 2000 and 2005, shipped directly from our cellars in Bordeaux.
BIDDING OPENS
Friday 1st May 2020
Bidding Closes on Sunday 8th May
The full catalogue is already online, but don’t forget that even as a registered user on tavershams.com you need to register for each upcoming auction to bid, it’s best to get in early!
We’ve also changed our Buyers Premium rate for 2020, it is now charged at the lower rate of 15.5% (+vat).