1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac [WA96][D95][WS95]

Producer: Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 
Region: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
Blend: Bordeaux Red Blend
Year: 1990  

Wine Advocate, 96 Points 

"Interestingly, a bottle of 1990 Lafite Rothschild I pulled from my cellar for a video blog on my web site was still buttoned down, tight, and even with extended decanting was not showing as much as I would have hoped. However, a bottle tasted, of all places, in Seoul, Korea in February, was only a few points short of perfection. That amazing performance motivated me to pull another bottle out of my cellar and follow it over the course of two days. Sure enough, by the second day the wine was roaring from the glass. The 1990 Lafite has turned out far better than my early assessment. While it still possesses some firmness, and performs like a late adolescent in terms of its evolution, it boasts gorgeous aromas of cedar, tobacco leaf, cassis, and lead pencil shavings. The explosive aromas are followed by a fleshy, full-bodied wine that should hit its peak in 5-8 years, and last for 25-30 more." 

Decanter, 95 Points 

"A smoky, slightly baked character to the fruit and an undercurrent of dark chocolate and ground coffee. The texture is soft, sunny, and supple, with agreeable plumpness on the finish. 1990 was another sunny year that produced a lush, ripe result for Lafite that is immediately approachable. Although it should continue to show well, it lacks the incisive character of cooler years. The growing season was easy, with warm weather throughout and a successful flowering that set a large crop. There was sufficient sun to ripen all the fruit, however, and the final result was 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 13% Cabernet Franc." 

Wine Spectator, 95 Points 

"Very serious fruit, with juicy berry, tobacco and cedar character. Slightly more body than the 1989, but they are very close in character. I would give this a little more time. Best after 2007. 25,000 cases made." 

Alcohol: 12.5% 

*Discounts do not apply to items like this one in the Fine & Rare category. Price and availability in store may vary.