Our Bordeaux group met at Riverpark last night for a look at 1990 claret. A bubbly and a white to start:
2009 Ledru “Cuvee De Goulte” Champagne
Citrus and mineral, a little brioche, full, powerful. B+
2005 Matrot “Quintessance” Puligny-Montrachet
Quite ripe, tropical, complex, more Meursault than Puligny, could use a bit more acid. B
On to the reds, not blind.
Flight #1 - Marguax meets Graves
1990 Ch. Palmer
Quite funky, this had good fruit and balance underneath. Brett was within my tolerance, but surprising. B/B+
1990 Ch. Pape-Clement
I thought this was really very good, with cassis and black cherry fruit, some spice, midbodied and elegant. B+/A-
My starter was some excellent sweetbreads with an egg and asparagus
Flight #2 St Emilion
1990 Ch. Figeac
Some thought meaty/bloody, I felt more herby. Just a touch of a roasted note, but not extreme, and with a long finish. B+
1990 Ch. Canon
Best bottle I’ve had of this. Dark fruits, coffee, good length. B+/A-
Flight #3 Pomerol
1990 Ch. la Conseillante
Black fruits, floral, cigarbox. Exotic and complex while remaining clearly Pomerol. Gets my WOTN vote by a hair over the Clinet. A-
1990 Ch. Clinet
Lovely, long, maybe the youngest bottle at table. Ripe but not overripe, velvety, some minty herb. A-
My main course was bacon-wrapped rabbit loin with cornbread stuffing and peas, really very good (others really liked their lamb)
Flight #4 N. Medoc (St J and St Est.)
1990 Ch Gruaud-Larose
Just a hint of brett, red and black fruits, not as long as some wines. Not bad just a little foursquare compared to tablemates. B
1990 Ch Cos d’Estournel
Lean and a little tough. Not as much fruit as other 1990s. B-
Cheese course with Humboldt Fog, Ossau-Iraty, and a Vermont cheese whose name I missed
Flight #5 Pauillac
1990 Ch Pichon Baron
Young, black currant and smoke, a little cedar. Quite long. B+/A-
1990 Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste
Ripe cassis fruit, earth, a little mocha. B+
At night’s end we did our usual 3/2/1 voting:
Fun night with a good assortment of wines.
Conseillante 26 pts
Clinet 10 pts
Pichon Baron 8 pts
Figeac 4 pts
Palmer 3 pts
Pape Clement 2 pts
Canon 1 pt
Nice group of wines, good food, great group
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.