La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - 1988, 1989, 1990 Red Bordeaux

This was a fantastic tasting. A few general comments: I found the 88s to be my least favorite overall. While some show classic claret notes and can be quite nice, some are starting show lean and mean at this point. The 89s seem to be my favorite as they have the fruit of the 90s, but with just a tad more restraint and more classic structure. The 90s are more showy right now, and probably always will be, and therefore seem to be giving more hedonistic pleasure right now than the 89s...but the 89s need the most time and have a lot left to show.

I found I preferred the Pichon Baron over the Lynch Bages in every vintage. The LBs are easier to like, but ultimately the PBs are better, deeper and more complex across these three vintages. Outside of the killer 1990 Lafite, the PBs were definitely my favorite and they trumped the Moutons in convincing fashion.

With duck rillette, haricot vert and grainy Dijon mustard...

• 1988 Château Lynch-Bages 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Medium red, some bricking. This had a classic Lynch-Bages with mature red fruits, menthol and cedar. On the palate this wasn’t as impressive as it was light in the mouth with cool flavours of mature red fruits and pencil shavings. Fades quickly on the finish. Pencil shavings, mature red fruits. A few at the table thought this was elegant on the palate, but I was thinking more along the lines of thin and dilute. The nose was actually quite nice…too bad the palate didn’t live up to it. Drink now. Good.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1989 Château Lynch-Bages 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Medium red, some bricking. This was singing on the nose when I opened it at home but by the time we got to it (hour or so later) it seems less expressive (maybe because it’s now sitting beside the extremely expressive ’90). At any rate, nose offers notes of cedar, pencil lead, darker fruits and some Bordeaux funk. These characters carry onto the palate but the flavours are much more intense than the aromas are on the nose. There is a lot of structure here (most structured of the LB trio) with great acidity and solid tannins. This is full and round in the mouth and very well balanced. Dark, almost black fruits linger on the finish. This is still quite youthful and I’ll hold my remaining bottle for a least 5 years. Excellent. 92+

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1990 Château Lynch-Bages 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Slightly more youthful looking than the ’89. This had the most expressive nose of the flight with loads of cedar, Bordeaux funk, dark fruits, bell pepper and tobacco. This also takes the cake for the sweetest fruit and most supple and round mouthfeel. There’s a good deal of structure here, but the ripe and sweet nature of the tannins almost fools you into thinking there’s none. Flavours are intense, sweet and refined compared to the ‘89s more tannic and structured profile. Ample acidity keeps the round mouthfeel from being sluggish and there’s a hint of alcohol on the finish that reminds you of the hot year that 1990 was. This had the best nose of the flight; the ’89 had the best palate of the flight. Like the ’89, this should continue to develop for at least 5+ years, but this won’t be as long lived as the ’89. Excellent. 92+

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1989 Château Prieuré-Lichine 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Kind of a modern nose with plenty of okay notes coming through, darker fruits and hints of funk. Not as expressive or classic as the Lynch Bages wines. This was also the most resolved on the palate with powdery tannins and good acidity. This is fully mature. Good.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

With saddle of rabbit wrapped in prosciutto and sage with hedgehog mushrooms, ricotta gnudi and ramps...

• 1988 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Ruby red, just hints of browning at rim. Dark nose that took a little while to open up but once it did showed beautiful development, perfume and classic claret notes. On the palate this wine was very well balanced with developed red and black fruits, lots of acidity and resolved tannins. This was much better than the ’88 Lynch Bages showing more intensity, balance and presence. This is drinking perfectly now. Excellent.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1989 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Ruby red with hints of browning near the rim. While the ’88 showed great maturity, this showed great youthfulness, but like the ’88, this showed classic Bordeaux notes of tobacco, cedar, hints of bell pepper, cassis and dark cherries. There’s a wonderful richness to the nose that lifted by an elegant perfume note. There’s just a hint of funk on the nose that gives you some idea this is a 23 year old wine, but that’s the only indication you get. In the mouth this is big, powerful and rich with loads of fruit backed by a classic tannic spine. This shows remarkable elegance despite its powerful and tannic profile. This is the most structured wine of the flight loads of firm tannins and bright acidity. This is the most youthful wine of the night and in need of 5-10 years. Outstanding. 94+

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1990 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Darkest wine of the flight and not showing its age at all. Sweetest nose yet with rich and dark aromas of blackberries, cassis, coffee beans and cedar. While the nose here is of a different tone than the ’89, it’s equally as intoxicating and enjoyable. On the palate the ripe and rich flavours fully coat the mouth while intensity and weight. Like the ’90 Lynch Bages, the tannins here are sweet and chewy and the acidity is plentiful and prevents the mouthfeel from being too round or heavy. For a wine with such intensity and rich fruit, the balance is incredible. This needs a lot of time…5-10 years to be sure. Outstanding. 93+

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

With braised boneless beef shortrib, soft polenta and broccolini...

• 1988 Château Mouton Rothschild 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  After just finishing the flight of 88, 89 and 90 Pichon Baron, the nose here comes across as almost modern, which is really strange considering the vintage. Jammy notes that would have me guessing this came from a hot year if tasting it blind. On the palate it’s structured with an austere finish. Tannins are drying and firm. The jammy/modern nature of the nose certainly doesn’t much the structured, lean and classic profile of the palate. Despite this wine’s inconsistencies, it was fairly enjoyable, with nice fruit and spice on the palate, but just in a tough spot in this tasting. As it sat in the glass the nose improved slightly but overall this was disappointing and part of me feels this bottle may not have been representative. Very good.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1989 Château Mouton Rothschild 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Medium red colour. There was a good dose of sulfur at first on the nose here but that eventually blew off and left a nice sweet and sour funk that I enjoyed while others at the table didn’t. There were also aromas of earth, spice and red fruits. On the palate this had classic flavours of plum, cassis and spice with firm tannins and lots of acidity. This well stored bottle was drinking quite youthfully and I think it needs another 5 years at least before all its potential is revealed. Excellent. 92+

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1990 Château Lafite Rothschild 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Wow…game over with this nose. I could declare this my WOTN just from the smell. An intoxicating and purely classic Bordeaux nose of cedar, some poopy funk with unadulterated cassis, blackcurrant and plum fruit and maybe a hint of floral. Just an incredibly complex, pure and classic nose. In the mouth, once again, classic cedar notes wrapped in a nimble yet muscular frame of plum, blackcurrant and dark cherries. Silky, balanced and very long. It’s subtle yet powerful, elegant yet muscular. This has the best nose, palate and texture of all the wines tonight. Going into this I almost wanted to not like this wine, but alas, it’s incredibly good. It’s drinking very well now but has at least a decade left of development to go. Outstanding. 95+

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

With apple/caramel sable and seasonal berries...

• 1990 Château de Fargues 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  No formal notes. Medium gold colour with notes of mango, honey and apricot with good acidity. Drinking well. Excellent.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue