TN:1990 LA TACHE

A very good friend found out his daughter was responding very well to her Hodgkins chemo. So to celebrate he took out a 1990 La Tache. The wine was delicious. A bit closed initially, within 30 minutes it was singing. Tertiary flavors starting to develop, a bit restrained, another 10 yrs would do the wine some good. Plenty of life left, another 30yrs+ easy, for well stored bottles. The price of admission for this wine is very high, too high for me, but this very happy occasion warranted it for my friend.

Sometimes, price doesn’t matter, so long as you can afford it. Good for your friend’s daughter.

I bought a 1922 Madeira, my mother’s birth year wine, for her 90th Birthday. When people ask me how much it cost (much less than a 1990 La Tache), I tell them it doesn’t matter. The truth is, I don’t even remember. I could afford it, and that made it worth it.

Hope they enjoy it again in 30+ years.

This was a highlight at La Paulee this year tasted from 2 different bottles.

What a great occasion to celebrate a wonderful event with a wine of this stature !

It has been about 5 years since I last drank the 1990 La Tache, and I looked up my tasting notes made at the time :

"1990 La Tache Domaine de la Romanee-Conti

Ten years older than the 2000 La Tache, which we also had for dinner, this wine showed remarkable youth and vigor. Medium dark ruby in colour with just a faint line of amber on the rim; an impressive bouquet exhibiting rich cherry and dark berry fruit, a medley of spices, together with delicate floral notes, and these continued to gain strength with each whiff; plenty of concentration, but the wine was exceptionally smooth in texture; acidity in harmony with the other elements, but sufficient to cleanse the palate for each successive mouthful; some tannins still to resolve, but they fall well beneath the full measure of fruit; expansive breadth of deep cherry and some cassis fruit that harmonizes with the nuances of spice and mineral present; the fruit comes in layers and doesn’t want to quit, as it leads on to a long and satisfying sweet fruit finish. No disappointment here, as this wine was all I might have expected, and even a bit more. A long future remains for this vintage of La Tache, although it’s highly appealing now."

Alas, that was the last bottle of that vintage in my cellar.

Hank

This was my thought too. Best of luck to them.

Yep. Best wine I have ever tasted and had the good fortune to purchase it off a restaurant list about 6 years ago for a ridiculous deal price. Could not afford to not buy it. Got chills from this wine.

Man, I wish my wife understood stuff like this.

Hmmm…good TNs and good memory.

Hank - do you remember what was the released-price for DRC - La Tache 1990 in Alberta ?

SAQ released DRC - La Tâche 1990 (732909) at CAD $347…

Sorry, Peter, I don’t have that information. It was probably similar to the SAQ pricing. The Alberta tax structure didn’t change until 1994.

Hank

The scariest word in the English language is cancer. I hope that your friend’s daughter continues to do well.

An Oncologist would be able to provide better information concerning a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, but we have two friends who are undergoing treatment for the disease. They tell me that chemotherapy in both cases can produce a success rate of over 80% and that life expectancy with treatment is fairly good, often running 25 years or more. Radiation is another form of treatment, of course, but neither of our friends has undergone such. Both have responded well to the chemo and are carrying on with their lives.

Celebrating each measure of success is an important step, I believe. If Andrew’s friend has more of the '90 La Tache in his cellar, I couldn’t think of a better way to toast the ongoing success of treatment.

Hank

1990 La Tâche is certainly one of the greatest La Tâche. I have drunk it several times and I was always impressed by the high personality of this wine.

My greatest ever La Tâche is the 1962 which is also the most beloved for Aubert de Villaine.
A wine which is out of this world, trascendantal. A religious experience.

I like this.