1998 Château Bel-Air (Domaines Martin)

Community Tasting Notes (5) Median Score: 86 points

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  2/11/2024 - Toasty Oak Likes this wine: 88 Points

  February 9, 10 & 11, 2024
  
  Garnet core, bricking toward the watery rim, showing its age.
  
  Moderately intense aromas, full-on tertiary with cedar closet, mint, leather and potpourri; it was a struggle to find the fruit…dried cranberry and cherry. The fruit was a bit more apparent on the palate, but overall, it was also dominated by the tertiary flavors. The acidity kept the wine fresh, the tannins had a fleeting grip. Past its best? I suppose that’s a matter of opinion, but probably. This wine was exactly what I was in the mood for, those aromas and flavors that one only gets with aged wine. That said, if I had more, I’d drink it sooner rather than later.
  
  This property is now known as Chateau Bel-Air Gloria, owned by Domaines Henri Martin which also owns Chateau Gloria and Chateau Saint-Pierre.

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  10/29/2023 - Lrenmarie wrote:

  4.2

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  2/24/2022 - moorewine3 Likes this wine: 70 Points

  I liked the wine, but did not love it. Unfortunately, I found it in the back of my cellar forgotten well beyond when it should have been consumed [probably 2018]. Well now in early 2022, I found the wine light, only a slight browning at the edges when decanting twice - it was a deep purple, and I tasted more fruit than being grounded like mud, earthy, or tobacco. I'm not good on really distinguishing tastes. We served a spicy Philippine dish and the wine held up well enough. We did consume the full bottle. A rating of 70 at an age of 24 years may be a bit generous, but fair, I believe. I'd go back for later vintages.

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  3/28/2007 - behm0027 wrote: 86 Points

  Dark red brick color. Black cherry and plum compose the fruit on the nose, while the familiar aromas of Haut-Médoc shine through; the musty barnyard and straw intertwined with rubber and earthiness. The palate, albeit fleeting and uninspiring, contained pleasant red fruit. In contrast, the subtle nuances of the slightly tannic finish captivated my tongue as robust tobacco notes lingered a moment before slowly giving into flavors of spice, earthy mud, and cedar. I would not recommend decanting this light-bodied, delicate Bordeaux. Drink now.

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  3/25/2006 - D# wrote:

  nice, solid, traditionnal Bordeaux; earthy, rough, needs to air

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