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Manage Subscriptions1990 Château Lafite Rothschild
Red Bordeaux Blend
- France
- Bordeaux
- Médoc
- Pauillac
Community Tasting Notes 250
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atlantisssss wrote: 98 points
May 2, 2024 - Birthday Dinner. Got lucky with a perfectly stored bottle. The wine has incredibly vibrant fruit left in it despite its (our) age - this great wine easily has 10 years of peak drinking window left in it.
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mflesh wrote: 99 points
April 21, 2024 - Served right by a 1988 DRC St Vivant, this 1990 Ch Lafite Rothschild took the DRC to 10 rounds, and then punched it out in the 11th. Honestly hard to compare this wine to a DRC since they were quite a bit different (Pinot...vs. --> 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 13% Cabernet Franc in the Ch. Lafite). The combination is incredible. 75% of CellarTracker's inventory is in cellar at the time of this TN, and I think I kind of understand why. My previous experience almost 10 years ago with this very same vintage under questionable provenance was quite a bit different, so it again goes to show you that provenance after bottling is absolutely #1. That experience was a smoky ashtray. This one was near to being otherworldy, and one of a few 99's that I have ever given a wine (only one 100 in 4700 wines). This wine had been allowed to decant for about 4 hours before anyone got to it. Opulent red fruit abounds here in the nose and palate with a hint of black fruit. Nose with a smoky char about it with a hint of saddle leather but a ton of red fruit crush. On the palate, There was an ashy note that was definitely more in the background, but this resembled more of the pencil shaving and graphite notes I see with a lot of these well made Bordeaux. Smoked tobacco, black cherry, cassis, fig tart, herbal notes, black tea, red licorice up front, and then black licorice that developed as this wine sat on the palate. Slightly charred sweet cedar tannin with mild black pepper notes. Really delectable, right on the line of full bodied, although I still get a lot of rather "feminine" notes here which made this one dance with the seared grouper and lamb stew which were its food accompaniment. A 70th birthday celebration of a wine friend, with this and the 88 DRC St. Vivant both the stars of the show. Not worthy! If you're lucky to have a case of this wine, and have not yet cracked it open, it's time to get the crowbar out. Drink one every two years until it's done, and it won't let you down. Drink now or hold for 30 years.
2 people found this helpful Comment -
Jeremy Holmes wrote:
April 17, 2024 - Bottles donated from the Lafite Rothschild cellar. Seriously good! The nose draws you in with such pure cassis fruit, violet florals and lead pencil. Luscious fruits surround the high tensile, graphite spine. It is rich and voluminous yet so focused and detailed. It is fresh, youthful and has terrific length.
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MichielV wrote: 95 points
April 14, 2024 - At Renee and Gerry (+Melissa and Andrew). With great salmon dish. What a spectacular bottle. Super fresh. Great color, nose and the whole thing. No words to describe how great this is. Super long life left but why wait. Very spoiled that i got to drink this.
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G SQUARED Does not like this wine: 85 points
March 24, 2024 - Must’ve been a bad bottle. Lean, austere, lacking fruit. Decanted for two hrs to see if it helped. A little but not to the extent it should have.
Pro Reviews 14
Add a Pro ReviewDecanter
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By Charles Curtis MW
Château Lafite Rothschild: 1986-2010 vertical tasting, 3/1/2022 (link)(Château Lafite Rothschild, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text.
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By Jane Anson
Bordeaux first growths 1990 vintage, 2/9/2021 (link)(Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text.
Vinous
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By Neal Martin
Cellar Journal: Bordeaux 1920-2015 (Dec 2019), 12/1/2019 (link)(Lafite-rothschild Lafite-rothschild Red) Subscribe to see review text.
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By Neal Martin
Looking Back To Go Forward: Lafite-Rothschild 1868 – 2015 (Jul 2018), 7/18/2018 (link)(Lafite-rothschild Lafite-rothschild Red) Subscribe to see review text.
JancisRobinson.com
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By Jancis Robinson, MW
12/17/2012 (link)(Ch Lafite Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text.
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By Jancis Robinson, MW
10/15/2010 (link)(Ch Lafite Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text.
Vintage Tastings
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By John Kapon
Hong Kong Killers, 2/5/2010(Chateau Lafite Rothschild) Subscribe to see review text.
JancisRobinson.com
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By Jancis Robinson, MW
10/16/2007 (link)(Ch Lafite Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text.
Vintage Tastings
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By John Kapon
An Evening of Lafite-Rothschild, 8/15/2005(Lafite-Rothschild) Subscribe to see review text.
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By John Kapon
A Mega 1990 Bordeaux Tasting with Clive, 3/21/2005(Lafite) Subscribe to see review text.
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By John Kapon
Hanging with Mr. Parker and Mr. Squires in Baltimore and D.C, 2/21/2005(Lafite) Subscribe to see review text.
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By John Kapon
The European Grand Jury, Vegas Style, 1/16/2005(Lafite) Subscribe to see review text.
JancisRobinson.com
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By Jancis Robinson, MW
10/7/2002 (link)(Ch Lafite Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text.
Vinous
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By Stephen Tanzer
The 1990 Clarets...To Have and To Hold (Nov 1993), 11/1/1993 (link)(Lafite-rothschild Lafite-rothschild) Subscribe to see review text.
Wine Definition
- Vintage 1990
- Type Red
- Producer Château Lafite Rothschild
- Varietal Red Bordeaux Blend
- Designation n/a
- Vineyard n/a
- Country France
- Region Bordeaux
- SubRegion Médoc
- Appellation Pauillac
- UPC Codes 000000147385, 018138415528, 1000000000121, 3419466188103, 3700274110807, 9300633425111
Community Holdings
- Pending Delivery 122 (1%)
- In Cellars 7,623 (75%)
- Consumed 2,467 (24%)
Food Pairing
Community Recommendations
RoastWho Likes This Wine
More About This Wine
Articles
- ProducerChâteau Lafite Rothschild
- VarietyRed Bordeaux Blend
- CountryFrance
- RegionBordeaux
- SubRegionMédoc
- AppellationPauillac
Add Articles
- Wine1990 Château Lafite Rothschild (add)
- FamilyChâteau Lafite Rothschild (add)
- ProducerChâteau Lafite Rothschild
- VarietalRed Bordeaux Blend
- CountryFrance
- RegionBordeaux
- SubRegionMédoc
- AppellationPauillac