1982 Château Bel-Air Lussac Saint-Emilion

Château Bel-Air is in the heart of the Lussac Saint-Emilion appellation. The 50-acre estate has been in the Roi family for more than a century, and it is today run by Jean-Noël Roi. The estate makes several Merlot-based wines, and the flagship wine is the Cuvée Jean Gabriel, made from vines that are an average of 30 years old. Cuvée Jean Gabriel is a relatively new wine for the estate, debuting with the 1998 vintage. It is 50 percent Merlot and 50 percent Cabernet Franc and it is an homage to one of the past patriarchs of the family, Jean Gabriel Roi. It was made with help from consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt. About 12,000 bottles of Cuvée Jean Gabriel are made annually.

Lussac-Saint-Émilion is northeast of Saint-Émilion, and it takes its name from the town of Lussac. It is considered a satellite appellation of Saint-Émilion, and it is one of several appellations allowed to attach the prestigious Saint-Émilion name to their own. Like most Right Bank estates, it grows and vinifies primarily Merlot.