CHÂTEAU ALCÉE

A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc brought up in a mix of tank and wood, the 2016 Château Alcée sports a deep ruby color as well as a beautiful bouquet of black raspberry, spice box, new leather, white truffle and salty minerality. Nicely concentrated, medium-bodied, balanced, and long, it’s unquestionably an outstanding wine. Rating: 90 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Feb 2019)

Just as it was from barrel, the 2016 Alcée is rich, sumptuous and hedonistic. Red plum, dried herb, cherry, spice, tobacco and iron give the 2016 notable aromatic and flavor complexity. The interplay of dense fruit and persistent tannins makes for a compelling wine that delivers serious intensity at its level. The 2016 is super-ripe and potent, but has enough brightness and overall energy to make for a very complete wine. This is a strong showing from Alcée, Nicolas Thienpont's Côte de Castillon. Tasted two times. Drinking range: 2019 - 2028 Rating: 91 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jan 2019)

The 2016 Alcée, the Castillon Côte de Bordeaux courtesy of Nicolas Thienpont, has an intense yet charming bouquet of brambly red fruit, black tea, cedar and crushed stone aromas. I appreciate the definition and focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin, nicely focused and quite rigid at the moment, though there is satisfying fruit concentration. The lovely black-pepper- and allspice-infused finish is very appealing. This will require three or four years in bottle but should mature into a wine that will give two decades of drinking pleasure. Drinking range: 2022 - 2035 Rating: 91 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jan 2019)