The colour is gradually turning into garnet, but still deep ruby and bright. On the nose dark chocolate, coffee, gravel, graphite, and much more. The list could go on forever, since, as it is often the case with a well stored old wine of this standing, the experience keeps changing. In the mouth very elegant, with a lot of character and a savour that increase progressively, with an explosion towards the end. The tannins are perfectly integrated and the pleasant aftertaste last forever.
I find this Lafite 1990 as exciting as the iconic Lafite 1982 I tasted two years ago a first time and in the spring a second time. The bottle was in pristine conditions and the maturity of the wine most likely at its top. Extremely enjoyable to drink. One of the best bottles of my life!
The 1990 Lafite Rothschild is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc.
For Bordeaux, the 1990 vintage has a legendary reputation as one of the best vintages of the 20th Century. All great Bordeaux vintages spring from hot years and the 1990 Bordeaux vintage was the second hottest year of the century. Only 1947 was warmer. 1990 also offered vintners more sunlight as well. The year was only surpassed by 1949 for the amount of sun the grapes received. Interestingly, 1990 set another second place record. It was the second wettest year on record for a hot vintage. Only 1989 surpassed it for rainfall. The quality of the vintage allowed great wines to be produced at all levels in every appellation.
In 1990 I was 17 years old, Iraq invaded Kuwait and my mother left my father. A great year for Bordeaux and its wines, a bit less for me and my family.
1990 was also the year Germany reunited, Yugoslavia’s communist regime collapsed, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, and Margaret Thatcher resigned as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
In 1990 the Human Genome Project started, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched and Tim Berners-Lee created the first web server and the foundation for the World Wide Web.
I received this bottle as a gift. It sells at around 1’000 CHF.
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Type: Red
Vintage: 1990
Producer: Chateau Lafite Rothschild
Price range: Luxury (>100 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 7/5