| The ten of us had been anticipating this tasting for quite
some time. After all, how often does one get the chance to
taste several top growth Bordeaux side by side? Two years before
we had each agreed to contribute a bottle from our private
cellars from a vintage between 1980 and 1990. Our host, collected
our prized bottles personally two weeks in advance. Preparations
were perfect with Riedel Grand Cru Bordeaux glasses and all
wines decanted shortly before being tasted blind. Following
are my own notes from a very memorable tasting:
Blind Tasting on October 25th, 2002
Bordeaux 1980-1990
Château Mouton Rothschild 1985 1er Cru Pauillac
Medium garnet color fades towards the rim with brilliant light brick tones.
The nose is intense with smoky aromas, dark berries, leather, and scents
of forest floor. The body is of medium weight and a cherry-fruit acidity
lends elegance. The ripe generous tannins are velvety smooth and the finish
is never-ending. This wine is drinking beautifully now, but will easily maintain
its peak for the rest of the decade.
Score 95/100
Château Pichon Lalande 1988 2è Cru Pauillac
The deep dense ruby has very little brick coloring. A discreet approach that
slowing envelopes in aromas of soft ripe damson and tarragon. The texture
on the palate is fascinating: full-bodied, voluptuous, and velvety with supple
tannins. This wine is still rather youthful and will develop for the next
couple of years and enjoy its peak between 2005 an 2015.
Score 92/100
Château Montrose 1989 2è Cru St. Estèphe
I have tasted this wine twice before and discovered it to be quite closed and
disappointing, so I was pleasantly surprised at the unmasking of its identity
after the tasting. The color is still quite youthful, with dark dense red
reaching nearly to the rim. The bouquet is intense with pronounced ethereal
aromas like menthol, anis, tar and tarragon. On the palate, there is good
plumy fruit and a bit of chocolate, but the tannins are just a tad green
and astringent. This wine still needs some time and should enjoy its peak
from 2006 to 2016.
Score 86/100
Château Latour 1985 1èr Cru Pauillac
Dark red brick, fading at the rim hints a mature wine. Sweaty saddle, pine
needles, cigar box and blackberries are all pronounced on the nose, but are
lacking on the palate. This medium-bodied wine does bring pleasant fruity
and toasty flavors, but not the complexity promised by the nose. The tannins
are nicely rounded, but the finish is rather short and disappointing.
Score 87/100
Château de Fieuzal 1990 Graves
This dense dark-red colored wine doesn't just smell like sweaty saddle, but
the horse itself! Call it animal magnetism if you like, it takes some getting
accustomed to. Flavors of huckleberry and boysenberry combine with new cigar
box, pine and some rather herbaceous aromas. The wine is not particularly
well balanced and the finish is short. Drink until 2010.
Score 83/100
Château Haut Brion 1990 1èr Cru Graves
This wine is showing a good dark red color with shiny brilliant brick reflections.
The nose is magnificent and packed with plenty of spicy fruit, fresh timber,
and pencil lead. Full-voluptuous body and complex concentrated flavors on
the palate. The seductively haunting finish is incredibly long. This wine
is drinking superbly now, but it should hold this for another 20 years.
Score 95/100
Château Palmer 1989 3ème Cru Margaux
This medium garnet colored wine has a sweet damson nose with hints of vanilla
and caramel. A medium body, satiny mouthfeel and supple tannins marry with
generous ripe fruit. This wine is drinking wonderfully now and shows no signs
of fading in the near future: drink until 2019+.
Score 93/100
Château Lafite-Rothschild 1990 1èr Cru Pauillac
This medium garnet colored wine has shiny orange reflections. An appealing
bouquet with scents of cranberry, cassis, tar, orange zest, and catnip. The
sweet flavor of black currant jelly would nearly be submerged by the very
powerful tannin structure if the rich full body were not there for support.
This big muscular wine still needs some time to develop. Drink 2008-2030
Score 93/100
Château Cheval Blanc 1988 Grand Cru St. Emilion
The classic mature Bordeaux color can be seen here with the typical mature
brick hue. This wine has a gentle smoky approach with a soft ripe plum background.
There is a slightly chemical nuance on the nose that is similar to menthol.
On the palate the wine is silky with age softened tannins and anis joins
the other flavors, but the acidity is a bit too high and the wine generally
lacks the depth I would expect. The wine is currently still at its peak,
but is showing the first signs of its imminent decline. Drink before 2005.
Score 86/100
Château Smith Haut Lafitte 1990 Pessac Leognan
This dark garnet colored wine has an attractive scent of red currants, boysenberries,
and vanilla pudding. A light, rather diluted body makes the alcohol all too
apparent on the palate. Ripe juicy fruit carries through on an elegant finish.
This wine is at its peak now and may continue to hold this until 2005.
Score 84/100
Château Pavie 1986 Grand Cru St. Emilion
The brick red color of this wine speaks of its maturity. A sweet stylish nose
is reminiscent of ripe plums, figs, vanilla, and clove. Medium-bodied with
nicely rounded tannins and generous ripe fruit, this wine is well balanced
and harmonious. The finish seems to close together in a wedge, but then opens
again and lingers briefly with soft spicy fruit. This wine possesses charm
and is at its peak but should hold fine until 2010.
Score 88/100
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