1985 Ch Belair 1er Grand Cru Classé St Emilion
Producer: Château Belair
Region: Bordeaux > St Emilion
Vintage: 1985
Type: Red
Grape varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Drinking dates: 1992 - 2003
Tasting Notes
- Robert Parker, 1998, Score: 77
- I am perplexed by the 1985 Belair, as it seems somewhat light, and lacking grip and intensity. Have I misinterpreted this wine from both cask and bottle? Drink: Now(2005)
St Emilion
South of Pomerol lies the medieval, perched village of St Emilion. Surrounding St Emilion are vines that produce round, rich and often hedonistic wines. Despite a myriad of soil types, two main ones dominate - the gravelly, limestone slopes that delve down to the valley from the plateau and the valley itself which is comprised of limestone, gravel, clay and sand. Despite St Emilion's popularity today, it was not until the 1980s to early 1990s that attention was brought to this region. Robert Parker, the famous wine critic, began reviewing their Merlot-dominated wines and giving them hefty scores. The rest is history as they say. Similar to the Médoc, there is a classification system in place which dates from 1955 and outlines several levels of quality. These include its regional appellation of St Emilion, St Emilion Grand Cru, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé and St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé, which is further divided into "A" (Ausone and Cheval Blanc) and "B" (including Angélus, Canon, Figeac and a handful of others). To ensure better accuracy, the classification is redone every 10 years enabling certain châteaux to be upgraded or downgraded depending on on the quality of their more recent vintages.
Château Belair
Ch Belair is something of a rarity for a Right Bank château as it can trace its history back to the 14th century. In 1802 they began bottling their own wines at the château - an inconceivable practice for the time and their wines sold for three times more than other St Emilions. Luckily for its followers, the price has decreased over the years making it an affordable Right Bank option.
Merlot / Cabernet Franc
This blend is favoured by many of the stars of the Right Bank in Bordeaux - Le Pin, Ausone and La Conseillante to name but a few. A potentially outstanding combination of Merlot's rich, ripe texture and soft plummy fruit with Cabernet Franc's firm tannins and crisp red fruit flavours.
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VAT is deferred until delivery.
Duty Paid ex VAT: Prices shown include UK duty but exclude VAT. Wines for immediate delivery must be purchased duty paid. VAT will be added to your invoice.
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