Château Alcee 2021 vs Côte-Rôtie, Côte Blonde, Domaine René Rostaing, Rhône 2023

Château Alcee 2021

Alcée is the pet project of widely-celebrated winemaker Nicolas Thienpont (of Pavie-Macquin fame especially, one of 2021's wines of the vintage), so it's not a huge surprise to see the wine perform at this level quality, though you still rarely expect to see this in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux. Since acquiring the estate in 2011, Nicolas has sought to push quality further and further, converting to organic farming, replanting vines, reducing yields and delaying harvesting until optimum phenolic ripeness. Winemaking is similarly assiduous, with laser-sharp selection at the sorting table and plot-by-plot vinification. The resultant wine speaks to the elegant side of Merlot and arguably bears more in comparison with Pomerol than it does with neighbouring Saint-Émilion.