Closing in on it’s 21st birthday, we did a retrospective tasting with “the locals” of 1990 Bordeaux last Tuesday. The line up was stout, the crowd familiar and fun with a couple of new faces, and few NSGs thrown in from a member of our table to a dual sit in. The scene was Scalini Fideli, that does a tremendous menu for only $58 Prix Fixe, and is corkage free from Monday through Friday. The food is great, and a real steal for the price.
On the to the wines:
Have to start with some bubbles in this group, so we opened a 1990 Pol Roger Winston Churchill. This bottle tasted a bit more evolved than others I’ve had, but that’s a GREAT thing. This was far more open and opulent, with a good nutty quality and zero hints of oxidation; just pure and built for the long haul. Great bottle of Champagne, and worth being patient for another 5+ years.
Our “appetizer wine” was a fun half bottle contribution of 1990 Beausejour Duffau. A strong disclaimer of this wine is that I have NEVER had a bottle that comes within a stone’s throw of perfection, and this one included. The fruit was more muted here, with good secondary character, that was subdued below my pleasure threshold as the brett was a bit too powerful for me. This might have benefited from decanting, but alas, we popped, poured and passed for 8 guys. Fun to try again, and hoping to find “the grail” one day.
Another fun stand alone was a La Lagune 1990. I’m a big fan of these “lesser wines”, and I think the 1990s had these by the truck load. On another night, this might have performed better, or on Tuesday with whatever, but on this Tuesday, with this meal, and these wines, finished at the back of the back, but finishing last on this night was NOT a bad thing at all. Only time in my drinking career that might be true.
On the to big flights:
Pomerol: Clinet vs Conseillante
This was a killer way to start off, splitting hairs on 2 of the best wines of the year. The Conseillante was my WOTN, for it’s depth, balance, concentration and complexity, all slipped in to the velvet glove of the house style. The Clinet was a bit awkward at first, but came to together to show a richer, more powerful, but yet simpler style. This showed to me it needed more time, so hold’em if you got only a scant few remaining.
Some classifieds
So we had some odd couples, Cos D’estournel and Lynch Bages were up next, and both surprised. I gave the nod to the Cos, as it was a bit more my speed (just more earthy and characteristic of what I like on the left bank), but the Lynch was nipping at it’s heals. This was a terrific flight, and neither wine disappointed.
St. Julien
I thought the Gruaud Larose ran away with this one. The GL was more sturdy, with only a touch of stink and tremendously evolved secondary flavors mated to rich, dark fruits. The Leoville Poyferre showed it’s classic softness, but didn’t really have a ton of interesting character going on. A bit linear, and straight forward. Not bad, just not wow (for me).
The Heavyweights
This was a dream match up. One of the Left Bank’s elite vs. one of the Right Bank’s elite. The L’Angelus was a perfect example of this wine: Flashy fruit, super silky tannins, great secondary character and life ahead of it. The Pichon Baron was a brute: dark, rich, concentrated fruit mated to classic sweet tannins of the vintage, and a bright future ahead of it. I gave the nod to the much sluttier Pichon, but the L’Angelus will win against most foe.
The photo finish
Nothing is worse than corked wine, but a halfie of 90 Yquem? Doesn’t get much worse. The generosity of David goes beyond the word itself, as his “dessert wine replacement” was a 1990 LLC. Obviously, no one turned this down, and it was simply incredible. Classic LLC, with a need of about 5 more years in the cellar, but a terrific wine on all levels.
Tremendous night of food, wine and friends, and already looking forward to the next one.