BAMA – the oak-free Margaux

Tom Munro wrote recently about The other Bordeaux, the Bordeaux outside the favoured elite of classed growths where all sorts of interesting things are going on, despite the financial rewards being so much less obvious. These are wines that we can afford! See also our tasting notes last week on the 2015 crus bourgeois and The exquisite pain of the bourgeoisie. 

One Margaux property completely outside the Bordeaux norm is Ch Bel-Air Marquis d’Aligre (BAMA to its relatively few initiates). Our co-author of Wine Grapes José Vouillamoz introduced me to the wines, which are clearly very unconventional, almost...