Notes from a blind tasting of wines from the 1990 vintage. I selected this theme after a discussion on vintages, and my comment that there were certain years where it seemed to favour just about everywhere. 1985 was another of these miracle years, but not enough of the group would have had wines from that vintage, so I chose 1990 – good in all of France, California, Australia, Italy…..
Piper-Heidsieck Rare Cuvee Reserve Brut – their top wine, made mostly of chardonnay with a bit of pinot noir. At this age, showing a bit of colour, and a very nice nose of toasty oak and fruit with a clean middle and lemon finish. Very good.
Ropiteau Pommard 1er cru Les Chanlains – light in colour, with no sediment. The nose took a bit to open up – this came out of my cellar only a couple of hours before the event after a call from one participant pleading to trade something when he discovered the bottle of 1990 he thought he had was nowhere to be found (I suggested that he could still come but would be placed at a separate table with a bottle of Asti Spewmanti….). Developed a very decent earth and fruit nose, clean without any funk, and enough spice to have them guessing it might be a Rhone. Nice touch of strawberry at the end.
Lungarotti San Giorgio – an IGT from Umbria that has always pleased me. Dusty cabernet nose, smooth medium bodied wine with nice length and not as much acidity as many Italians would show, so a good ringer.
Ch. Canon de Brem – a brave move to bring a little Fronsac that many would think was past it, but I also have this wine and it has continued to delight. Dark and a bit ripe in the nose with a sweet entry and soft tannins.
Ch. Haut Marbuzet – dark, with rubber and a hint of blackberry in the nose, browning edges, a little light on fruit, lots of oak and soft tannin. Was no doubt better a few years ago.
Heitz Bella Oaks Cabernet – at last a Californian entry. The nose was quite ripe, the wine fully evolved with decent fruit, a little tannin and a smooth finish. Decent.
Ch. Leoville Poyferre – this one threw me because it had a definite mint nose that I hadn’t noticed in previous tastings – to the point where I mused about the possibility of it perhaps being one of the better behaved cabs from Western Australia. Fairly dry entry followed by a nice load of fruit, some tannin and more of that darned mintiness! No rush at all on this one (my small stash remains in the cellar, as yet unplundered).
Ch. Gruaud Larose – lots of spicy wood in this nose, along with good cassis and an almost Rhone leather note, as well as a slightly green note. Big wine but well resolved and drinking nicely with good midpalate fruit and good length. This will continue to improve.
Mondavi Reserve Cabernet – very dark, and (again!) lots of mint in the nose, ironically more than the Heitz had shown, and also, I thought, a slight iodine element. Big wine, a tad raw, perhaps, with warmth in the nose and good length. I tasted this and the non-reserve and bought the non-reserve on release as I judged it to be very close to the quality of the reserve but earlier drinking. I still have a couple of bottles and it still pleases.
Grahams Malvedos Centenary Port – I’ll admit to having to scramble for the finishing wine – this turned out to be the only 1990 Port I am cellaring. It had good colour, perhaps a bit too much heat in the nose, which showed a typical sweet spiciness in the nose, a mellow middle and quite good length. While not a great Port, this was a very pleasing one. No rush on it, but it drinks well now. Opened and decanted 12 hours ahead.
We decided that the wines had shown so well that we should repeat the theme in a few years and that doing this with 1985 would be a good idea if we could manage it.
