1990 Bordeaux at Fabio's
Tasted Friday, December 24, 2010 by blanquito with 711 views
Introduction
First off, another great night with the regulars. We've really built a terrific NYC-based group over the last 3 years with a core of 5-7 guys who show up, bring great wine and consistently have a blast. I've really come to value the company and companionship of this group... The wines were terrific. Though I must say, the overall quality wasn't really any higher for me than what we had in July in our "80's Bordeaux Tasting". The best of the 1990 Left Bankers have a long way to go, but both Righties seemed like they should be drunk sooner than later...
1990 Château La Fleur de Gay 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
A lighter, lovely wine, fairly Burgundian. Much better on the nose, with the palate seeming borderline light, but still very lovely. Has a fresh bouquet of strawberries, ash and smoke. The palate is a lighter style with some very drying tannin on the finish. Old school, very nice.
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1990 Château La Conseillante 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
At a big 1990 Bordeaux horizontal... Takes a little while to come to life, but once open, lovely notes of black tea, freshness… better depth than the Fleur with a some sour cherry… overall, a light palate presence, very smooth. Very complex bouquet. I was definitely in the minority in thinking is merely excellent rather than other worldly. Others liked it even more than I.
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1990 Château Rausan-Ségla 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
At a big 1990 Bordeaux horizontal... Big, layered wine, still ample tannins, but lots of fleshy fruit, long, tangy. Raspberry nose (very Margaux), ripest but still restrained compared to the wines of today. Imminently drinkable, but this will hold and perhaps improve for a while. I liked this much more than most at the table, and it was my #3 in the WOTN voting.
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1990 Château Mouton Rothschild 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
One sentence: excellent bouquet, disappointing palate.
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1990 Château Sociando-Mallet 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
I really liked this one. A classy claret bouquet of lead pencil, cranberries, perfume, leather and smoke. The palate is smooth and rich, but still buttoned-down. Seriously layered and deep, a classically-styled claret in every respect. There’s the signature green note of SM, but it adds character and complexity, rather than distraction. One can only hope that the 2003 develops as well as this. My #4 WOTN and in the running with the Cos as the youngest wine at the table (from a big 1990 Bordeaux horizontal tasting).
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1990 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
I actually disliked this wine, and concur with Ian's note. There was an off-putting sour yogurt aromas and sour-bright palate. Hugely disappointing.
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1990 Château Montrose 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
At a big 1990 Bordeaux horizontal... My first 1990 Montrose. It did not disappoint. Gorgeous, gorgeous bouquet with 100-pt complexity of soy sauce, hotel-lobby lilies, new patent leather, Christmas, truffle-sweetened cranberries, beef blood, and much more. Zero funk/brett/etc. The palate was sweet, long, resolved and lovely, but again, this is Bordeaux from 20 years-ago, so the palate impression is dry and classic compared to the Post-Rolland world. That all said, and this was one of the best wines I've ever had ever, I found the concentration merely adequate and so, it was a step down from the 1986 Mouton and 1986 Lafite for me-- those '86's were infinitely deep, and as such, more complete wines. Still, easily my #1 WOTN.
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1990 Château Cos d'Estournel 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
At a big 1990 Bordeaux horizontal... Probably the tightiest wine, it came to life only after extended air in the glass. Inscrutable and then wide-open, rich and deep, long and layered with slowly emerging aromatics and palate-presence which promise greatness. My #2 WOTN.
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1990 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Counterpoint Sonoma Mountain 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain
At a big 1990 Bordeaux horizontal... The bouquet comes across immediately as a bird of a different feather than the Clarets, with some caramelly-oak, confectioner’s sugar, and lots of cool menthol-minty notes. But much more Bordeaux-like to taste, dry with good acids and excellent depth without heaviness. Still some greenness which intones "Cabernet" with a light French accent. I liked this, but I am sympathetic to wines like this which can still be found for $40 twenty years on. But it can't rival the best Bordeaux for complexity. I tried the dregs on Day 2 and it was still going strong, much better on the palate.
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1990 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 87 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Surprisingly light and superficial, perhaps it was indeed past its prime. It seemed sweet, superficial, minty and simple next to the Bordeaux.
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1990 Château d'Yquem 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Young, young, young, but sooooo good and classy. Not over-the-top at all, shading more towards elegance than power, but with endless sneaky depth and length. See Ian's note. This was included as a WOTN candidate, but I didn't include it in my voting, as it's on its own for me. 95 today, 100 pt potential.
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