Great 1982 vs 1990 Vintage Tasting

Rare-Bordeaux-Weine, Wachtberg (Germany)
Tasted Thursday, May 25, 2017 by DrZett with 471 views

Introduction

Once again a beautiful wine tasting evening with an awesome menu at Elke's home in Wachtberg - close to the Ahr-Valley in Germany.

Just the 1990 Chateau Gruaud Larose bottle had to be exchanged since it was corked.

It was very interesting to see how these two vintages with 8 years between each other competed. As you see in my votings there isn't a clear vintage winner it more depends on the Chateau than the vintage.

Thank you Elke for this experience!

Flight 1 - Bubbles (1 Note)

Flight 2 (2 Notes)

Flight 3 (2 Notes)

  • 1982 Château Cheval Blanc 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Wow - what a beauty! Beautiful structure and long finish. Soft tannins, some nice aging notes but beautiful ripe red berries too. Close to perfection in my opinon.

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  • 1990 Château Cheval Blanc 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Awesome, a lot of power left here, this one is in a good drinking window now, but could age for at least 10 years more. Beautiful ripe red fruits and some beginnig aging notes. Just beautiful.

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Flight 4 (2 Notes)

  • 1982 Château Angélus 85 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Still interesting but way over its peak and too flat. Not much fruit left here.

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  • 1990 Château Angélus 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    In great drinking window now! Beautiful ripeness and a lot of power left in this beauty. Long finish and a nice soft acidity - drink up in the next few years.

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Flight 5 (2 Notes)

  • 1982 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 98 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Simply amazing! So much power and fruit left - this one will age beautiful for plenty more years. One of the best wines I ever had! Nice beginning soft aging notes with fresh leather and forrest soil on the one hand and beautiful juicy red berries on the other hand. Perfect structure and a never ending finish! Wish I had one of these bottles on my own. A breathtaking experience.

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  • 1990 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Great body and nice tannins - still quite closed in the moment. Needs some air. Lots of beautiful red ripe fruits. Long and great finish. It will get even better in the next years - have patience. Really beautiful!

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Flight 6 (2 Notes)

  • 1982 Château Haut-Brion 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Nice aging notes and a beautiful body. Soft tannins, medium-long finish. A little over its peak in my opinion but still a great wine with a great structure after all these years.

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  • 1990 Château Haut-Brion 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Beautiful mixture between ripe red berries, tobacco and fresh leather. In a good drinking window now. Amazing structure with a long finish and nicely intergrated tannins. Amazing!

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Flight 7 (2 Notes)

  • 1982 Château Montrose 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    Wow, a little surprise. Nicely aged with beautiful wet leather, dark soil and some overripe black and red berries in the back. Still a lot of fun and a beautiful juicy medium-long finish. Drink up now.

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  • 1990 Château Montrose 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    Still very young although nice integrated tannins and beginning beautiful aging notes. A lot of power left. Beautiful red and black berries. Long finish.

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Flight 8 (2 Notes)

  • 1982 Château Margaux 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Very complex with an amazing structure. Quite young, would never guessed on a 1982 vintage. Lots of fruits and an endless finish - a really great vintage of this wine!

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  • 1990 Château Margaux 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Still very young and powerful. Great structure, firm tannins and nice red fruits. Beautiful and very interesting to see its development in the future. Right now very, very nice!

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Flight 9 (2 Notes)

Flight 10 (2 Notes)

  • 1982 Château Mouton Rothschild 98 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Simply amazing, so much power and fruit left here! I would never guessed the vintage if tasted blind. Great long finish, this is beautiful stuff. Lovely!

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  • 1990 Château Mouton Rothschild 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Interesting wit nice soft tannins and a good body. But the same problem as the 1982 vintage - not enough power and fruit left here. MR seems to have the biggest problems with its quality fromthe great vintages from the big Chateaus.

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Flight 11 (2 Notes)

  • 1982 Château Gruaud Larose 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Biggest surprise of the tasting night for me and most people in our group. This is a true beauty with all what it needs. A lot of juicy fruit power and some nice beginning aging notes like wet leather and fresh tobacco. Tasted more like a young maybe 10 year old Gruaud. Endless finish and a great structure. Simply amazing!

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  • 1982 Château Léoville Las Cases 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Beautiful right now, quit young, some great years ahead. Soft tannins, nice body and a great medium-long finish. Very nice!

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Flight 12 (2 Notes)

Closing

The overall winner:

1st.
98 pts. 1982 Château La Mission Haut-Brion

2nd.
97 pts. 1982 Château Gruaud Larose

3rd.
96 pts. 1990 Château Cheval Blanc

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