Bordeaux Vintage 1990 at Fabio’s
12/17/2010
Brothers Patrick and Brendan are on their annual holiday visit and just as during his prior NYC visits, Patrick made sure to get us together by organizing a very enjoyable wine-dinner and 1990 Bordeaux was the chosen theme. A night with terrific wines and a very pleasant and engaging company,
The white wines:
2001 Jobard Meursault Blagny, Burgundy
Off theme, but since Ian emailed that he’ll be at the restaurant much earlier than our appointed group start time, and since I was in the neighborhood, I grabbed this bottle from my refrigerator and met up with him. Steely, mineral, high citrus, others commented about being quite Chablis-like. I like the lean, dry and compact structure, and some point, even had that young dry-Alsace Riesling a la Trimbach CFE kind of thing to it. B+
1990 Domaine Guy Amiot et fils Puligny-Montrachet Les Demoiselles, Burgundy
This bottle was pretty much way beyond it’s best drinking days. Gold, brown sugarish tint, Old, woody nose. NR
1990 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Cuvee Des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre, Alsace
Some old musty, rubbery smell. This blew off with glass time to show a little more fruity, earthy notes. In spite of the nose, the wine showed a lot of ripe white fruit, slight petrol notes, and semblance of a good overall balance, Tartness at the short finish. B
The red wines:
Flight 1
1990 Ch, La Fleur de Gay, Pomerol
Younger in appearance and taste than a bottle that I recently had in an earlier 1990’s Right Bank horizontal. An alluring Pomerol nose with dry earth, leaves, and chocolate. Lean fruit, slight green, meat, quite acidic, layers of red and blue fruit. B+
1990 Ch, La Conseillante, Pomerol
That bretty, funky nose that I distinctly remember from previous La Conseillante from same vintage (and the 1989, as well), but much less so with this bottle. With glass time, the brett completely blew away and I noted fresh baked croissant. Classy, ripe, and elegant. Smooth but with fine complexity exuding grilled meat, blueberries, tea, and very well rounded. A- (Group: WOTF, 3rd Place WOTN)
Flight 2:
1990 Ch. Rauzan-Segla, Margaux
Floral, sexy and feminine bouquet. There’s a slight harshness, non-detracting, on the approach, sour cherries. A softer fruitier element with air time. B/B+
1990 Ch. Sociando Mallet, Haut Medoc
A compelling yet very attractive nose with leather, tobacco, and wet leaves. The Sociando vegetable notes was there, with soft tannin. A classic SM and was a brute when compared to the Rauzan-Segla B/B+ (Group: WOTF)
1990 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, Pauillac
Lots of leather on the nose. Dull, un-interesting, but I would still drink if offered. B-
Flight 3
1990 Ch. Pichon Longueville Baron, Pauillac
A Pauillac nose with some gravel, cigar and leather. Slight brett. Young, Tannic, acidic, and sweet ripe black fruit. Power with fine craftsmanship. A-
1990 Ch. Montrose, Saint Estephe
Even with the slight horse sweat on the bouquet, there was also the appealing mix of underbrush, ripe fruit, grille meat and tobacco. A seamless, silky, powerful, classic Bordeaux. A complete wine. A (Group: WOTF and WOTN, my 2nd Place WOTN)
1990 Ch. Cos d’Estournel, Saint Estephe
Very secondary on the bouquet with leather and cigar. This was a forceful and muscular wine that at times evoked its lean black fruity component within a medium-bodied structure. Others liked it more than I did. B
Flight 4
We wanted to add some ringers and blind mystery wines to mix, but since the following were brought in uncovered for most to see, we rightfully decided to just put them in as a flight by themselves.
1990 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Mountain
The nose emoted Bordeaux with some secondary leathery notes, but was also emitting sweet ripe fruit. High in acidity, with the ripe fruit gently spreading itself in the palate. At some point, other than fruit and more fruit, this did not posses the high level of complexity that the Old World stuff did. Not bad, though. B
1990 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Unlike other Montelena that I had before, this one had that musty old wood smell to it. Mint, oaky, with lots of sweet fruit. It thinned out with 20 minutes in the glass. B-
Dessert
1990 Ch. d’Yquem, Sauternes
Brown sugary, peach, apricot, crème brulee that explodes in a most wonderful way in the mouth. An unforgettable experience. Outstanding. A (Group: 2nd Place WOTN, My WOTN)