Chateau Bel-Air Marquis d’Aligre.
1 Like
This. An old-school stalwart. Mr. Boyer started making wine in the 1950’s and never got around how to make wine in a modern way. Wines are made the way he learned doing them 70 years ago, ie. vinified and aged in large concrete tanks for many years, bottled whenever he thinks is good and released at around 10 years of age. No oak at any point - although I’ve understood he experimented with wood aging for a few vintages.
Unfortunately mr. Boyer has since retired, so there are going to be no new vintages of BAMA. If you want to check out the producer’s style, now is the high time. They can be quite reticent and understated wines, occasionally even austere, and often call for several hours of breathing before they start to come around. The wines have often been remarkably closed right after opening a bottle. Age-wise, the sweet spot is somewhere between 20 and 30 years, at least for me.
1 Like
I agree with everything you say…except for one point: he released several new vintages recently : 2013, 14, 15, 16 and 18! But they probably are the last. BAMA is a wine for those that wish that time had stood still in the mid 70s, so really as if RMP, Rolland and Co had never existed. They’re not always good, because artisan made wines cannot be, but when they are they are truly sublime.
2 Likes
I was a bit unclear here, I mean that mr. Boyer is now retired, so there are not going to be any new vintages as he sold his vineyards. However, I’ve understood that he has quite a bit of stock left, so even if he hasn’t made any new vintages since his retirement, I’m sure there’s going to be a steady flow of BAMA bottles for some time.
However, I can’t remember which year he retired, so it’s possible we’re going to see still some new vintages - I haven’t seen 2017 and 2019, so we might still see those released at some point. Maybe.
And this indeed. They might not always to be to someone’s liking, either - sometimes one finds the wines charmless and lean, another finds them precise, fresh and nuanced. I also feel there is some bottle variation as well.
2 Likes
I had to LOL at this. The only US listing for a BAMdA vintage more recent than 2010 is this one for the 2022. The price is a giveaway, as is the photo (with a different chateau’s label) (not copied and pasted), but the description is the funniest:
2 Likes
Sounds like BAMA all right. 
A few perspectives from a Londoner (marks out of 20) - with a theme that (benign) technology has propelled the quality
2023 - not tried, can’t wait because I think it will be my kind of vintage - NR
2022 - a triumph of technology over climate, homogenous (like BMW vs Mercedes and Audi) you are almost buying the same product with different producers, but fabulous quality and perfect ripeness (little over ripeness) - 19
2021 - lean, bare, well made - 15
2020 - challenges 2016 (and 2019) for benchmark status, more classical than 19 - 19
2019 - not in a good place last time I tried them but invested heavily at low prices - kept the faith even though high alcohol a concern - 18
2018 - now unfairly denigrated versus allegedly superior vintages that followed - some fabulous wines on both banks - 18
2017 - classical with difficult growing conditions but so many good wines on both banks, reaping the dividends of the shift from extraction to infusion - 16
2016 - still the benchmark - 19
2015 - warm solar vintage unfairly denigrated and under-rated, overall far superior to 2014 - 18
2014 - classical and good value, as we all know -16
2013 - very little experience apart from a crap Ducru and souped up Mouton - NR
2012 - didn’t show well initially but some useful wines - a restaurant vintage - some notable successes however especially on the RB - e.g., La Conseillante - and the LB - e.g., LLC - 15
2011 - another restaurant vintage with plenty of pleasant clarets - 14
2010 - was a fan but many going through a goofy awkward stage but some top end wines set a very high bar - Margaux, Mouton, Palmer, Baron, LLC - big framed and high in alcohol many awkward now but should come good - 18
2009 - showing better than the 2010s now - modern 82? Quite a lot of truth in that but not strictly comparable - 18 plus (edges 2010 now)
2008 - a depression vintage rescued by Parker. Where does the truth lie - somewhere in the middle - serviceable vintage with no stand outs - apart from the gorgeous Mouton - 15
2007 - little experience but the ones I have had have tasted are at best rather mixed - NR
2006 - classical, but awkward, backward, lack generosity and grace - 15
2005 - heralded, but the technology has left it behind - thick wines with lots of mid-palate stuffing - not particularly elegant but lots to luxuriate in and like, and lots to enjoy next year on the 20th anniversary - 17
2004 - a sound vintage - we are trying some next month - but nothing really excels in this vintage - apart perhaps from Lafite and Leoville Barton - 15
2003 - ooff - cooked and underripe - some come across as ok but lack the harmony, balance and finesse that is the hallmark of Bordeaux. - NR
2002 - very under-rated on the left bank and a great early drinking classical LB vintage - the RB drags down the score a bit -15
2001 - the vintage that everybody ignored …and then suddenly fell in love with - the truth lies in the middle - a lot of good wines on both banks but quite a few skinny ones too - 16
2000 - the vintage that is really coming into its own as its 25th anniversary approaches - eclipses 95 and 96 now - great on both banks - 17
I will stop there
14 Likes
More on the topic of price, rather than vintage, I would echo what Alfert has stated elsewhere that Bordeaux in the last 10 years has offered some of the best values in wine (especially while other underappreciated or less marketed regions are starting to see meaningful price increases across the board). So while there’s obviously the Classified Growths in Bordeaux, the Cru Bourgeois shouldn’t be forgotten (as well as some satellite regions on the right bank). Many of these have tremendous quality for the price and offer pleasure now while also having plenty of structure to go some distance in the cellar. For example I thought the 2020 Chateau Poujeaux and Lilian Ladouys were tremendous values.
1 Like
I knew starting this thread would cost me money. Just picked up an ex-cellar 6-pack of '16 Haut Brion in OWC. No Limit Fine Wines just blasted them out at $555/btl, which seems good in today’s market.
3 Likes
Those ratings … I get. I only have decent volume experiences from vintages 2000 to 2005 and your ratings are my kind of ranking.
Looking forward to your notes when you try the 2004s.
2 Likes