Château Bergat Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé 1990 – Borie-Manoux – Alc.12.5% - (€15 in the mid-90s), made from roughly equal proportions of Merlot and Cabernets (mainly Franc).
This château figures in no one’s list of stellar right bank estates and, yet, I found this wine in its 22nd year very much to my taste with the sort of gracious harmony found in traditional Rioja without the wood notes.
Another crumbly cork meant that a fine film of cork dust passed through the filter and thus somewhat spoilt the appearance which was showing some quite pretty bricking, but with little effect on the palate. The nose showed lovely aromas of mature red and dark fruit with hints of cherry, roses and forest floor. The palate was medium/full bodied with a velvety feel, a gentle sweetness on the fruit, still quite lively acidity and some ripe tannic firmness on the quite long finish. The whole was beautifully integrated and seamless. Not a “wow” wine but a lovely dignified drink, free of any Merlot vulgarity, where it was all too easy to finish the bottle; 16.5/20+++.
Will many hyper ripe and alcoholic 21st century St.Émilions be drinking so harmoniously after 20 years?