TN: 1995 Château Bel Air-Marquis d'Aligre (France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux)

At the urging of @Robert.A.Jr and his Gilligan, @Marc_Frontario, I cracked open a bottle of the 95 BAMA. The wine is certainly good, but it strikes me as the type of wine that tastes better when sampled in small amounts (I also get this with wines that are a bretty and many Napa Cabs). At 29 years old, there’s going to be significant bottle variation, but if my bottle was at all representative, there’s absolutely no reason to hold.

  • 1995 Château Bel Air-Marquis d'Aligre - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (8/27/2024)
    Red fruited with a prominent note of green bell pepper. Good (medium+) acidity with tannins completely resolved. Somewhat lean; there's a touch of VA and a pleasant rusticity. Overall a lot to like about this wine, which is definitely a throwback. Tasty and enjoyable, yet more fun/interesting to drink than delicious. Will not improve; drink now.
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Totally fair. I went back and looked, it was the 96 that showed me more variation. Do you have any 1998 or 2000?

I have 1998 and 2004. I think you recently popped, and enjoyed, the 1998. I’ll probably bring at least on of the bottles when I next travel to see other Berserkers.

I felt kinda similarly when I had my first bottle three years ago. My lone remaining bottle continues to just sit there, mostly because I’m just so apathetic towards it. I should just drink it to get it out of the way.