One is usually prepared for "off year" Bordeaux to show poorly but we look for the exceptions. I've had a bottle of this St. Emilion lurking in my cellar for years (I bought judiciously from the 1993 vintage - La Mission, Trotanoy, La Fleur Petrus and such). It can be fun as well as instructive to pull off vintages for blind tastings.
This wine has a deep red colour, lightening at the edges and a rather nice chocolate and coffee nose with hints of an elusive element that reminds me of fountain pen ink! In the mouth it flows smoothly. with good balance and ends with medium length and now soft tannins. No hints at all that it is from such an ill regarded vintage, except that by the time we finished it a couple of hours later, a faint greenish note had appeared on palate.
I think that the people that ignore vintages based on some critic's judgement may be missing a good bet. You can often find pearls among the dross. I also bought a few 1994s that have shown quite well (the La Mission and Pichon Lalande are very good and lesser wines like the Branaire has been very reliable).