1990 Bordeaux Tasting at Wine Watch

The Wines of Bordeaux give tone to the stomach, while leaving the mouth fresh and the head clear.  More than one invalid abandoned by the doctors has been seen to drink the good old wine of Bordeaux and return to health.

--Comments by members of the Jury judging Bordeaux wines submitted under the new 1855 classification at the 1855 World's Fair in  Paris, as noted in 1855: A History of the Bordeaux Classification

I like the idea of toning the stomach by drinking Bordeaux!  And if you want to do the ultimate tune up for your abs we have a line-up of Bordeaux that will make your belly shake.  This is one of our "Once in a lifetime" tasting events and I just added up the average price to put all these wines on the table by yourself and it would cost you upwards of $7000!  Do the math; with 12 people at the table we should be charging $600 or more for this event because in addition to serving these 10 top level Bordeaux we are serving Bordeaux's most famous wine for dessert, aka liquid gold- Chateau D'Yquem! 

We accept trade for admission for events like this and just for fun I put together an offering on this e-mail with all of the wines from these famous properties that we have here in the store at Wine Watch.  Check out everything that we have in stock from Bordeaux on our web page for live real time inventory 24/7.

Wine Watch Caterings Toni Lampasone will be making a special menu to accompany the tasting wines and the fee for this dinner is only $395 + tax per person, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

1990 Bordeaux Tasting at Wine WatchFriday, June 14th7pm

1990 Chateau La Louviere Pessac Leognan $100

(90 Points) One of the finest of the lesser known Graves chateaux, La Louviere has been making terrific wine since the late eighties. Both vintages performed well in my 89/90 blind tastings. The 1990 exhibits a saturated purple color, a less-evolved nose of black fruits, smoke, and grilled meats, full body, low acidity, and intense, concentrated fruit, all crammed into a layered, pure, sweet, fruity, ripe wine. While not yet mature, it is delicious to drink. The wine will hit its plateau of maturity in 2-3 years, and last for 12-15 or more.  Wine Advocate #109, Feb 1997

1990 Chateau Gruaud Larose St. Julien $225

(94 Points) Meaty, smoky, sweet berry and black currant characteristics intertwined with roasted herb, charcoal, new saddle leather, and bloody steak juice-like notes are found in this lush, full-bodied, opulent wine. It is a fully mature 1990 that, given its depth and intensity, should continue to evolve for at least another 15 years. Release price: ($350.00/case) Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

1990 Chateau Lagrange St Julien $150

(94 Points) One of this estate’s superstars (only rivaled by the 1986 and 1996), the 1990 Lagrange exhibits sweet toasty oak notes intermixed with jammy blackberries, cassis, licorice, smoke, and underbrush. Full-bodied with lovely melted tannins, an opulent, fleshy mouthfeel, and loads of purity as well as depth, it has reached full maturity, but is capable of lasting another 10-15 years. Release price: ($210.00/case)  Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

1990 Chateau La Conseillante Pomerol $400

(97 Points) This deep ruby/garnet-hued 1990 reveals considerable amber at the edge as well as a knock-out bouquet of cedar, kirsch, licorice, roasted herbs, and spice box. An exuberant, atypically flamboyant effort, it possesses supple texture, medium to full body, sweet fruit, plenty of glycerin, and attractive melted tannin. This wine has been delicious since birth, but additional nuances continue to develop in the bottle. Drink it over the next decade. Release price: ($390.00/case)   Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

1990 Chateau Lafleur Pomerol $2000

(97+ Points) This wine goes from strength to strength, and is developing even better than I initially expected. More backward than most of the big, Cabernet Sauvignon-based 1990 Medocs, it is full-bodied and viscous, but not as thick or oily as the 1982 can be. The 1990's fresh, pure black raspberry, incense, and minerality characteristics result in a young, legendary wine. Still deep ruby/purple to the rim as well as extraordinarily intense, it is 4-10 years away from full maturity, and should evolve for another 30+ years. It is an amazing achievement! Release price: ($1800.00/case)   Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

1990 Chateau Montrose St. Estephe $550

(100 Points) I have had the 1990 Montrose on four separate occasions over the last several months, and I have consistently rated it either 99 or 100. Three of the bottles came from my cellar, and one was tasted at the chateau. None of them revealed any brett, which is not the case with bottles that were exposed to heat, or had bad storage issues. The wine remains a blockbuster, an inky/ruby/purple-colored effort revealing stunning concentration, amazingly high glycerin, and abundant amounts of sweet black fruits intermixed with notions of earth and spice. It is a fleshy, full-bodied St.-Estephe with atypically high amounts of fatness and fruit extract, but it is settling down nicely and seems set for another 2-3 decades of longevity. Many have felt the 1989 Montrose is better, and it is getting closer to meriting a three digit score, but it remains more tannic and backward. Release price: ($350.00/case)   Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

1990 Chateau La Mission Haut Brion Pessac Leognan $900

(99 Points) Reminiscing over the 1989 and 1990 vintages, which I have followed from birth, there always seemed to be a dramatic difference in quality. Not that the 1990 was not a top wine, but in its infancy, I never thought it would come close to being as riveting and magnetic as its older sibling, the 1989. However, it has proven to be nearly as prodigious. One of the hottest years in Bordeaux, 1990, a vintage of enormous yields, even dwarfing yields in 1985 and 1982, produced a fabulously open-knit, seemingly fast track La Mission that, at age 22, shows no signs of fading or losing its grip. The color is slightly more mature and evolved than the 1989’s, exhibiting a lighter rim and a less dark blue/ruby/purple hue. Classic La Mission-Haut-Brion aromatics of camphor, licorice, scorched earth, hot bricks, barbecue, cassis, blueberry and kirsch are well displayed. Broad, expansive, velvety-textured and opulent with high glycerin and perhaps slightly higher alcohol (I don’t have the statistics to verify that), the 1990 is as delicious and open-knit as the 1989, with less density and possibly less potential longevity. Most 1990s have been quick to reach full maturity, and as brilliant as they can be, they need to be monitored carefully by owners. Currently in late adolescence, but close to full maturity, the 1990 should hold in a cold cellar for another 15-20 years. However, it is a fabulous wine to inspect, taste and consume, so why wait?  Wine Advocate #202, Aug 2012

1990 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan $800

(98 Points) 1990: In terms of the brilliant complexity and nobility of the aromatics, scorched earth, black currants, plums, charcoal, cedar, and spices, the 1990 offers an aromatic explosion that is unparalleled. It is always fascinating to taste this wine next to the 1989, which is a monumental effort, but much more backward and denser, without the aromatic complexity of the 1990. The 1990 put on weight after bottling, and is currently rich, full-bodied, opulent, even flamboyant by Haut Brion’s standards. It is an incredible expression of a noble terroir in a top vintage. While it has been fully mature for a number of years, it does not reveal any bricking at the edge, and I suspect it will stay at this level for another 10-15 years ... but why wait? It is irresistible now. Release price: ($1200.00/case)   Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac $1000

(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. Release price:($1400.00/case)   Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

1990 Lateau Latour Pauillac $900

(95+ Points) This is one of the more perplexing Latours to evaluate. It has plenty of sweetness as well as a gorgeous, rich fruitiness, but it lacks the firmness one finds in more recent great vintages such as 1996, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008. There is plenty of sweet, ripe currant fruitiness, abundant glycerin, and full body, but I’m still waiting for that extra nuance of complexity to emerge. It’s all there, but the wine still seems to be more monolithic than one would expect in a wine approaching 19 years of age. It is not the sure-fire winner I thought it was in its youth, but then again, I don’t have any reason to doubt that more complexity will emerge. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035. Release price: ($1500.00/case)   Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

 

 

Dessert

1990 Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes $500

(99 Points) 1990: An extraordinary effort, Yquem's 1990 is a rich and fabulously superb, sweet wine. This wine also possesses lots of elegance and finesse. The wine's medium gold color is accompanied by an exceptionally sweet nose of honeyed tropical fruits, peaches, coconut, and apricots. High quality, subtle toasty oak is well-integrated. The wine is massive on the palate, with layers of intensely ripe botrytis-tinged, exceptionally sweet fruit. Surprisingly well-integrated acidity, and a seamless, full-bodied power and richness have created a wine of remarkable harmony and purity. Certainly it is one of the richest Yquems I have ever tasted, with 50-100 years of potential longevity. An awesome Yquem! Anticipated maturity: 2003-2050+.  Wine Advocate #122, Apr 1999

Menu

Selection of cheese:  Hard Cheddar, Beemster Gouda and Reggiano parmesan

Duck Confi Spring Rolls with Hoisin Plum Dipping Sauce

Sliced NY Sirloin with Bordeaux demi glaze and Shoestring Fries dusted with gremolata

Chocolate, candied orange peel and honeycomb treats

 

The tasting is $395 + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Other Vintages of the wines we have on the table that are available in the store

We have a huge collection of Bordeaux in the store and just the wines above in this tasting there aer over 60 listings for different vintages and sizes.   The bottles in stock are listed here below and all of these wines are at 15% off our regular List price. 

 

Chateau Gruaud Larose St Julien

2003 Sarget De Gruaud Larose St Julien Price: $49.50    Your Price: $43.56 Quantity in Stock: 8

A delicious wine. Initially quite herbal and cedar flavors that dissipated over time (30-60 mins open, no decant) with more red St. Julian fruit shining through, plus tobacco  Cellar tracker notes:  2/16/2013 - TashNYC wrote: 90 Points

 

2000 Chateau Gruaud Larose St Julien Price: $345.00    Your Price: $303.60 Quantity in Stock: 6

(94 Points) A very strong effort for Gruaud Larose, possibly eclipsed by what they have done in 2009, this is a pure, full-bodied Gruaud Larose with plenty of new saddle leather, cedar wood, black currants, cherries, licorice, and Provencal herbs. Spicy, earthy, full-bodied, and rich, it has hit its plateau of full maturity, where it should stay for another 20 or more years. Wine Advocate # 189 Jun 2010

 

1995 Chateau Gruaud Larose St. Julien Price: $165.00    Your Price: $145.20 Quantity in Stock: 11

(91 points) Intense aromas of crushed blackberries, licorice and Spanish cedar. Full-bodied, concentrated and structured. Give it some time.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008. –JS Wine Spectator Issue: Web Only - 2007

 

Chateau La Conseillante Pomerol

2004 Chateau La Conseillante Pomerol Price: $150.00    Your $127.50

(89 Points) The 2004 La Conseillante has put on weight since I tasted it from barrel. Made in an atypically structured, tight style, the deep ruby/blue-tinged 2004 offers up sweet mulberry, cassis, licorice, and roasted herb aromas as well as flavors. This medium-bodied, moderately tannic effort will benefit from 1-3 years of cellaring, and should keep for 12-15 years. It is somewhat reminiscent of the 1999. This is a very good wine, but the 2005 and 2006 blow it away – qualitatively speaking!  Wine Advocate #171, Jun 2007

 

Chateau Lafleur Pomerol

2005 Chateau Lafleur Pomerol Price: $2250.00    Your Price: $1980.00 Quantity in Stock: 6

(100 Points)Exhibits a complex nose of crushed blackberry, dried flowers and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with a rich, powerful palate. Tannic and muscular, with great length. Superracy. Builds and goes and goes. So fine and beautiful. Mythic. Best after 2017. –JS Wine Spectator Issue: Mar 31, 2008

 

1995 Chateau Lafleur Pomerol Price: $815.00    Your Price: $717.20 Quantity in Stock: 1

(93 points) This is an awesome Lafleur, but it is also an amazingly backward, tannic monster that will need more cellaring than any Medoc in this vintage. The wine boasts an opaque black/purple color, as well as a closed but promising nose that represents the essence of blackberry, raspberry, and cherry fruit. Intertwined with those aromas is the tell-tale mineral terroir of Lafleur, full body, blistering dry, astringent tannin, and a layered, weighty feel on the palate. This is the kind of young claret that I couldn't wait to rush out and buy two decades ago, but now I have to be content to admire it and wish I were twenty years younger. It is formidable, prodigious, and oh, so promising, but I cannot see it being ready to drink before the end of the second decade of the next century! Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050. Wine Advocate #115, Feb 1998

 

Chateau Montrose St Estephe

2010 Chateau Montrose St Estephe Price: $367.50    Your Price: $323.40 Quantity in Stock: 9

(99 points) The 2010 Montrose is a fabulous wine, and I was leaning toward giving it a three-digit score, which it may ultimately merit after it resolves some of its very sweet tannin. It is not as soft or flamboyant as the 2009, but it is a great classic, coming in at 13.9% natural alcohol. Representing 64% of the total production, the final blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot (which is one percent different than the barrel sample blends that were presented). Inky bluish/purple in color, with classic blueberry, black currant, crushed rock and floral notes, hints of graphite, and lots of wild mountain berry fruit, this wine is extravagantly rich, has very sweet but noticeable tannin, laser-like precision, a massive, full-bodied mouthfeel and a finish of close to 50 seconds. This remarkable wine will probably tighten up somewhat in the bottle, and need most of a decade to shed some tannin and its rather grapy, primary personality. The finish blew me away, and the overall power, richness and balance of this wine are virtually perfect. Look for it to drink well for half a century or more.

Although Jean Delmas remains a consultant at Montrose, he has yielded his primary responsibilities over to a younger staff, but he still believes the 2010 Montrose is one of the all-time great wines ever produced at this estate, equaling or exceeding the quality of the 1929, 1945, 1959, 1961, 1989, 1990 or 2009. Wine Advocate #205, Feb 2013

 

2010 Dame de Montrose St. Estephe Price: $84.00    Your Price: $73.92 Quantity in Stock: 12

(94 Points) One of the best second wines, and possibly the best since the 1990 is the 2010 La Dame de Montrose. This represents 36% of the production and is a blend of two grapes – 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot. A superb second wine, opulent and substantively textured, it shares more in common with a flamboyant, exuberant year such as 2009 than most 2010s. Dense purple, its oodles of fruit, luxurious mouthfeel and terrific finish make it a sleeper of the vintage. It’s a wine to buy in abundant quantities and drink over the next 10-15+ years.

Although Jean Delmas remains a consultant at Montrose, he has yielded his primary responsibilities over to a younger staff, but he still believes the 2010 Montrose is one of the all-time great wines ever produced at this estate, equaling or exceeding the quality of the 1929, 1945, 1959, 1961, 1989, 1990 or 2009. Wine Advocate #205, Feb 2013

 

2004 Chateau Montrose St Estephe 3 Liter Price: $525.00    Your Price: $462.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

(91 points) An impressive effort for the vintage, the 2004 Montrose possesses a deep ruby/purple-tinged color as well as a sweet nose of black fruits intermixed with notions of smoke, cold steel, earth, and subtle background wood. With excellent texture, a sweet ripeness, medium to full body, and moderate tannin, it should drink well for 15 years. Wine Advocate #171, Jun 2007

 

2000 Chateau Montrose St. Estephe MAGNUM Price: $480.00    Your Price: $422.40 Quantity in Stock: 1

(95+ points) Originally rated 96, this wine confirmed its early rating, although again, the backwardness and still very obvious tannins suggest another 7- to 8-year wait. Dense ruby/purple, with a bouquet of blueberry, crushed rock, and some floral notes, the wine is medium to full-bodied , rich, powerful, but again very tannic and still strikingly youthful. For a wine that is already 10 years of age, it remains infantile. This blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot is indeed a special wine and should hit its prime in about 2020 and last at least 30 years afterward.  Wine Advocate #189 Jun 2010

 

Chateau La Mission Haut Brion Pessac Leognan

2005 Chateau La Mission Haut Brion Pessac Leognan Price: $687.00    Your Price: $604.56 Quantity in Stock: 6

(97 Points) There are slightly more than 5,000 cases of the 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion, a blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a touch of Cabernet Franc. While there is little difference between La Mission and Haut-Brion’s terroirs (their vineyards are only separated by a two-lane road), La Mission possesses more fat, texture, and intensity. An enormously endowed wine with huge tannin and structure, the 2005 offers a quintessential Graves bouquet of burning embers, charcoal, blackberries, truffles, black currants, and a meaty character. Reminiscent of the 1989, with more structure as well as a longer window of drinkability, the 2005 may be a modern day, improved version of a vintage such as 1955, which was well-endowed, very tannic, and took a long time to come around. While fabulously full-bodied and unctuous, the 2005 will not provide much charm in its youth. It needs 8-10 years of cellaring, and should age effortlessly for 30-40 years.

The rivalry between the two great Pessac-Leognan estates of Haut-Brion and La Mission-Haut-Brion continues despite the fact that since 1983, both wines have been made by the same winemaking team. Jean-Bernard Delmas has moved fifty miles north to Montrose, but his son, Jean-Philippe, has produced both wines following the 2003 vintage. La Mission is obviously made in a different style than Haut-Brion. It will never have as much nuance and nobility aromatically. It does possess more muscle, concentration, and opulence than Haut-Brion, but both offer prodigious styles of wine. Wine Advocate #176, Apr 2008

 

1990 Chateau La Mission Haut Brion Pessac Price: $750.00    Your Price: $660.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

(99 Points) Reminiscing over the 1989 and 1990 vintages, which I have followed from birth, there always seemed to be a dramatic difference in quality. Not that the 1990 was not a top wine, but in its infancy, I never thought it would come close to being as riveting and magnetic as its older sibling, the 1989. However, it has proven to be nearly as prodigious. One of the hottest years in Bordeaux, 1990, a vintage of enormous yields, even dwarfing yields in 1985 and 1982, produced a fabulously open-knit, seemingly fast track La Mission that, at age 22, shows no signs of fading or losing its grip. The color is slightly more mature and evolved than the 1989’s, exhibiting a lighter rim and a less dark blue/ruby/purple hue. Classic La Mission-Haut-Brion aromatics of camphor, licorice, scorched earth, hot bricks, barbecue, cassis, blueberry and kirsch are well displayed. Broad, expansive, velvety-textured and opulent with high glycerin and perhaps slightly higher alcohol (I don’t have the statistics to verify that), the 1990 is as delicious and open-knit as the 1989, with less density and possibly less potential longevity. Most 1990s have been quick to reach full maturity, and as brilliant as they can be, they need to be monitored carefully by owners. Currently in late adolescence, but close to full maturity, the 1990 should hold in a cold cellar for another 15-20 years. However, it is a fabulous wine to inspect, taste and consume, so why wait?  Wine Advocate #202, Aug 2012

 

Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan

2000 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan MAGNUM Price: $2600.00    Your Price: $2288.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

2000 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan Price: $1150.00    Sale Price: $807.00 Quantity in Stock: 4

(98 Points) It will always be tempting to compare the 2000 Haut-Brion with the perfect 2000 La Mission Haut-Brion. However, it is not as fat, unctuous, flamboyant, or voluminous as La Mission. Yet, like a great diplomat, it is a wine of intensity, authority, and measured restraint. A supremely elegant offering, its dense ruby/purple color, and burgeoning perfume of scorched earth, liquid minerals, plums, black currants, cherries, lead pencil, and subtle spicy oak are followed by a delicate yet powerfully flavorful, multi-layered, highly nuanced, and extraordinarily pure and seamless wine. There have been so many recent classics from Haut-Brion, it is premature to suggest the 2000 is better than the 1998, 1995, 1990, or 1989, but it is certainly a prodigious wine of dazzling persistence, length, and complexity. A blend of 51% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% Cabernet Franc, it should prove to be uncommonly long-lived, even by the standards of Haut-Brion. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040. Wine Advocate # 146, Apr 2003

 

1999 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan Price: $475.00    Your Price: $418.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(96 Points) This wine has been brilliant on every occasion I have tasted it. More accessible and forward than the 1996, it possesses a saturated ruby/purple color, as well as a beautiful, knock-out set of aromatics, consisting of black fruits, vanillin, spice, and wood-fire smoke. Multidimensional and rich, with layers of ripe fruit, and beautifully integrated tannin and acidity, this medium to full-bodied wine is a graceful, seamless, exceptional Haut-Brion that should drink surprisingly well young. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2030. Wine Advocate # 115, Feb 1998

 

1990 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan Price: $975.00    Your Price: $858.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(96 Points) Haut-Brion has been the most consistent first-growth over the last decade, producing top-notch wines, even in such tough years as 1987, 1993, and 1994. I have had a tendency to forget just how exceptional the 1990 Haut-Brion is because of the huge shadow cast by the 1989. However, in this blind tasting, the 1990 proved itself to be a great wine. Its price has not risen nearly as much as one might expect given its quality. The 1990 is a decadently ripe wine with much more evolution to its fragrant cassis, mineral, smoked-herb, hot rocks, tobacco, sweet, toasty nose. Fat, rich, and medium to full-bodied, this superbly-concentrated, forward, awesomely-endowed wine requires 4-6 years of cellaring; it is capable of lasting for 20-25 years. It is an unheralded, underrated 1990 that deserves more attention. Wine Advocate # 109, February 1997

 

1989 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan 3 LITER Price: $10000.00    Sale Price: $8000.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(100 Points) Haut-Brion has been the most consistent first-growth over the last decade, producing top-notch wines, even in such tough years as 1987, 1993, and 1994. The 1989 is one of a handful of truly profound wines from a vintage that tends to be overrated, save for the Pomerols, a few St.-Emilions, and some overachievers in the Medoc. However, 1989 was an extraordinary success for Jean Delmas, the administrator of Haut-Brion and La Mission-Haut-Brion. The prodigious 1989 Haut-Brion is one of the greatest first-growths I have ever tasted. It has always reminded me of what the 1959 must have tasted like in its youth, but it is even richer and more compelling aromatically. The wine exhibits an opaque ruby/purple color, as well as a sweet nose of jammy fruit, tobacco, spicy oak, minerals, and smoke. Fabulously concentrated, with huge levels of fruit, extract, and glycerin, this wine is nearly viscous because of its thickness and richness. Low acidity gives the wine even more appeal and adds to its precociousness. The wine has not budged in development since it was first bottled, although it has always provided thrilling drinking because of its voluptuous texture. It needs another 5-6 years of bottle age before it will begin to develop Haut-Brion's fabulous fragrance. Expect it to hit its plateau of maturity around 2003-2005 and drink well for 15-25 years. Wine Advocate # 109, Feb 1997

 

1983 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan Price: $835.00    Sale Price: $695.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

1983 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan Price: $475.00    Sale Price: $395.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(93 Points) Concentrated and polished, this wine shows a deep color and intense aromas and flavors of cherry, mint, plum and lead pencil. Full-bodied and reserved with excellent tannins. Better after 1998.--The Bordeaux 50. –JS Wine Spectator Issue: Oct 15, 1994

 

1982 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan 3 Liter Price: $10000.00    Your Price: $8800.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

1982 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan (High Shoulder) Price: $1250.00    Your Price: $1100.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(95 Points) I know Jean Delmas, whom I respect as one of the world’s greatest wine producers, has always thought the 1982 Haut Brion was similar to the 1959, but I have yet to see that. It seems to me the 1989 is closer to the 1959, another perfect wine and one of the all-time great Haut Brions. While the 1982 is a beauty, it has never hit the highest notes this vintage or terroir can achieve. Complex aromatics of scorched earth, smoked herbs, and sweet red and black currants are followed by a full-bodied, silky-textured wine, but I have never felt this offering has possessed the concentration, texture, or multidimensional personality found in such vintages as 1989, 1990, and more recent years. Nevertheless, this is essentially splitting hairs as the 1982 remains a superb Haut Brion. Seemingly less evolved than the 1990, it is capable of another 20-30 years of longevity. Perhaps there is something in reserve that will reveal itself in the next decade. Drink now-2035. Release price: ($400.00/case) Wine Advocate # 183, Jun 2009

 

1975 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan Price: $975.00    Sale Price: $800.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

 

Chateau Lafite Rothschild

2005 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Paulllac Price: $2000.00    Sale Price: $1450.00 Quantity in Stock: 4

(94-98) Made in an ethereal style, the 2005 Lafite is composed of nearly 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, just under 11% Merlot, and a tiny fraction of Petit Verdot (representing only 40% of the total harvest). It is a deep, structured, linear style of Lafite Rothschild that is in total contrast to the opulence and extravagant richness of the 2003 and the bold, dramatic power of the 2000. The dense ruby/plum/purple-tinged 2005 offers up scents of graphite, flowers, crushed rocks, and loads of berry fruit. Medium-bodied and sweet with high tannin, it represents the quintessentially elegant style of Bordeaux. Another brilliant effort made under the auspices of administrator Charles Chevalier, it should be at its finest between 2015-2050 . Wine Advocate # 170, April 2007

 

2004 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $1350.00    Sale Price: $950.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

 

2003 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Magnum Price: $2900.00    Sale Price: $2400.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

2003 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $1500.00    Sale Price: $1175.00 Quantity in Stock: 5

(100 Points) A modern day version of the 1959 Lafite, the 2003 Lafite Rothschild was bottled in mid-May, 2005 after achieving 12.9% natural alcohol – hardly an astonishing figure given the vintage’s weather conditions. A combination of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, it represents a ripe version of the essence of Lafite-Rothschild. Dense purple-colored, with classic notes of graphite intertwined with melted licorice, creme de cassis, smoke, and flowers, it reveals extraordinary richness, opulence, power, purity, intensity, and viscosity. Whether this wine will close down or not is questionable as it is somewhat atypical given its sweetness and softness. Analytically, there are extremely high tannins, which I suspect will assert themselves in the future. Production in 2003 was less than half of normal. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2050. Wine Advocate #164, Apr 2006

 

2001 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $1500.00    Sale Price: $900.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(96 Points) Stick your nose in this and it says something¿"I am special." Deep and generous aromas of blackberries, fresh tobacco and minerals. It's full-bodied, with big velvety tannins and a superlong finish. Like a fine cashmere sweater. Best after 2010. 22,000 cases made. -JS Wine Spectator Issue: Mar 31, 2004

 

2000 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $3000.00     Sale Price: $2300.00 Quantity in Stock: 3

2000 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $2500.00     Sale Price: $2057 Quantity in Stock: 3

(100 Points) Well, well, well - Lafite Rothschild does it again. Ever since manager Charles Chevalier was transferred from his beloved Sauternes property of Rieussec (also owned by the Rothschilds) to Lafite in 1994, there has been a succession of profound wines to emerge from this noble estate. The 2000 Lafite Rothschild, a blend of 93.3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.7% Merlot (only 36% of the crop made the grade) has an opaque ruby/purple color, followed by an extraordinary aromatic expression of liquid minerals/stones interwoven with the tell-tale graphite notes, mulberry, black currants, caramel, and tobacco. In the mouth, it is remarkably light on its feet, but somehow seems to pack intense flavors into layer upon layer of fruit and richness that cascade over the palate. A compelling wine, with extraordinary precision, great intensity, and a seamlessness in spite of what are obviously elevated levels of tannin, this wine was provocatively open and beautiful when tasted in January and February, but I am sure it will soon close down. The finish lasted a whopping 72 seconds! This is utterly fascinating stuff. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2050. Wine Advocate # 146, Apr 2003

 

1999 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $1165.00    Your Price: $1025.20 Quantity in Stock: 1

(95 Points) The 1999 Lafite Rothschild sports an engraved "1999" on the bottle along with an eclipse to mark that significant historical event of August, 1999. It is a quintessential offering from Lafite Rothschild. This prodigious wine is both elegant and intensely flavored, and almost diaphanous in its layers that unfold with no heaviness. An opaque ruby/purple color is accompanied by a complex bouquet of lead pencil, graphite, cedar, creme de cassis, toast, and vanilla. It is medium-bodied, with extravagant layers of richness yet little weight, and a finish that is all sweetness, ripeness, and harmony. This extraordinary Lafite increasingly appears to be a modern day clone of the majestic 1953. A mere one-third of the crop made it into the grand vin! Anticipated maturity: 2007-2030. Wine Advocate # 140

 

1998 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Magnum Price: $3750.00    Sale Price: $3187.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

1998 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $1275.00    Sale Price: $1112.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(98 Points) A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, this wine represents only 34% of Lafite's total harvest. In a less than perfect Medoc vintage, it has been spectacular since birth, putting on more weight and flesh over the last year. This opaque purple-colored 1998 is close to perfection. The spectacular nose of lead pencil, smoky, mineral, and black currant fruit soars majestically from the glass. The wine is elegant yet profoundly rich, revealing the essence of Lafite's character. The tannin is sweet, and the wine is spectacularly layered yet never heavy. The finish is sweet, super-rich, yet impeccably balanced and long (50 seconds). Anticipated maturity: 2007-2035. Wine Advocate # 134, Apr 2001

 

1997 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $1200.00    Sale Price: $950.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Magnum Price: $3750.00    Sale Price: $3187.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

(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. Release price:($1400.00/case)   Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

 

1989 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 3 Liter Price: $6750.00    Your Price: $5940.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(93 Points) Subtle, yet rich and decadent, offering meat, sweet berry and fresh leather on the nose. Full and very soft, with velvety tannins and a long, fruity finish. This has so much ripe fruit. Reserved and firm, this is turning to a very fine and shy Lafite. This is fresh and structured, but still holding back. I wouldn't wait, though.—'89/'99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now. –JS Wine Spectator Issue: Web Only - 2010

 

1986 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Paulllac Price: $3500.00    Sale Price: $2750.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

1986 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Paulllac Price: $1800    Sale Price: $1584 Quantity in Stock: 1

(99 Points) The 1986 possesses outstanding richness, a deep color, medium body, a graceful, harmonious texture, and superb length. The penetrating fragrance of cedar, chestnuts, minerals, and rich fruit is a hallmark of this wine. Powerful, dense, rich, and tannic, as well as medium to full-bodied, with awesome extraction of fruit, this Lafite has immense potential. Patience is required. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2030. Wine Advocate # 95, Oct 1994

 

1985 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $780.00    Sale Price: $650.00 Quantity in Stock: 4

(90 Points) The 1985 Lafite is revealing more class and complexity than I predicted. A moderately intense, cedary, woody, herb and berry-scented bouquet is attractive. The wine is open-knit and ripe, with fine tannins, sweet, medium-bodied, mineral, and cassis-scented flavors, fine depth, and a graceful, harmonious feel. It is beginning to blossom and appears to possess more depth and character than I had thought. Wine Advocate # 88 Aug 1993

 

1982 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $3300.00    Your Price: $2904.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(100 Points) The 1982 Lafite possesses a dark, dense ruby/purple color with only a subtle lightening at the rim. Spectacular aromatics offer jammy cherry and black fruits intertwined with lead pencil, mineral, and smoky wood scents. Powerful for a Lafite, this wine unfolds to reveal extraordinary richness, purity, and overall symmetry in addition to stunning flavor depth and persistence. The finish lasts for nearly a minute. Plenty of tannin remains, and the wine displays a vibrancy and youthfulness that belie its 18 years of age. The modern day equivalent of Lafite-Rothschild's immortal 1959, the 1982 will enjoy another 30-70 years of life! An amazing achievement! Anticipated maturity: 2007-2070. Wine Advocate # 129, June 2000

 

1980 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $690.00    Your Price: $607.20 Quantity in Stock: 1

 

1971 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $1150.00    Sale Price: $950.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

1971 Chateau Lafite (STAINED LABEL)(SCUFFED LABELS) Price: $619.00    Sale Price: $525.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

 

1970 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Magnum Price: $1500.00    Your Price: $1320.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

1970 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $1050.00    Sale Price: $875.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(89 Points) Pale garnet; cedary nose, with vanilla nuances; very concentrated; shows elegant, stylish cassis and tea flavors, but lacks the density and vigor of Mouton and Latour; also not up to the Imperial bottle tasted earlier. – Wine Spectator Issue: May 15, 1993

 

1961 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Price: $5000.00    Sale Price: $3600.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

(94 Points) Tasted from magnum. A really good, suave example of Lafite from a vintage in which it often tastes harsh and unyielding with tannins. This bottle blends spicy, nutmeglike aromas with abundant fruit flavors and meaty undertones. It is plenty firm and tannic, but not overly so. The finish is exceptionally long, too.--1961 Bordeaux horizontal. Drink now through 2010.  Wine Spectator ssue: Apr 30, 1996

 

1957 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac (mid shoulder) Price: $1990.00    Your Price: $1751.20 Quantity in Stock: 1

 

Chateau Latour Pauillac

2008 Chateau Latour Pauillac Price: $950.00    Sale Price: $625.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(95 Points) An extraordinary wine, the classic 2008 Latour (13.5% natural alcohol) is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc (40% of the production made it into the grand vin). Its dense purple color is followed by hints of espresso roast, cassis, burning embers, truffles and graphite. Rich with full-bodied power, beautiful purity and graciousness allied to a voluminous, savory, broad mouthfeel, this beauty will be drinkable in 4-5 years and will keep for three decades. Wine Advocate #194, May 2011

 

2006 Chateau Latour Pauillac Price: $855.00    Your Price: $752.40 Quantity in Stock: 3

(95 Points) The 2006 Latour performed even better from bottle than from barrel. Only 38% of the production (10,000 cases) made it into the grand vin, a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot and a small amount of Cabernet Franc. From barrel, I thought it was a modern day version of the 1996 or 1986, and certainly the 1996 comparison still holds. I thought it was somewhat austere from barrel, but that is no longer an issue. This is a beautifully rich Chateau Latour boasting a dense ruby/purple color, a sweet, smoky, charcoal, cassis, graphite, and forest floor-scented nose, full body, an attractive freshness, and sweet, noble tannins. This layered Latour is one of the vintage's top dozen or so wines. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2030.

Latour's brilliant manager, Frederic Engerer, has purchased 15 hectares of old vine Grenache and Syrah in the Cotes du Rhone region, the Drome, at a cool-climate elevation. I can't wait to see the first vintage from this Cotes du Rhone project.

 

2005 Chateau Latour Pauillac Price: $1800.00    Sale Price: $1499.00 Quantity in Stock: 6

(99 Points) Dark ruby black in color. Brilliant, intense aromas of mineral, blackberry and currant, with hints of Indian spices and cigar box, lead to a full-bodied palate, with ultrafine tannins and a beautiful balance of blackberry, raspberry and mineral. There's subtlety, yet also great depth. Lasts for minutes on the palate. This is a Latour with fabulous tone and vigor. Best after 2018. 12,500 cases made. –JS Wine Spectator Issue: Mar 31, 2008

 

2004 Chateau Latour Pauillac Price: $895.00    Sale Price: $550.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

2004 Chateau Latour Pauillac Price: $565.00    Sale Price: $470.00 Quantity in Stock: 10

(95 Points) A terrific effort from Administrator Frederic Engerer and owner Francois Pinault, the dark ruby/purple-tinged 2004 Latour exhibits a strong cassis character intermixed with notes of crushed rocks, earth, cedar, and forest floor. Racy, elegant, but powerful with medium to full body, and sweet tannin, it will benefit from 5-7 years of cellaring, and should keep for three decades. It is a very impressive offering. Wine Advocate #171, Jun 2007

 

2001 Chateau Latour Pauillac Price: $590.00    Sale Price: $490.00 Quantity in Stock: 11

(95 Points) boasts an inky/ruby/purple color to the rim as well as a glorious bouquet of black currants, crushed stones, vanilla, and hints of truffles and oak. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance primarily Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it reveals a sweetness on the palate that is atypical for such a young Latour. The beautiful integration of tannin, acidity, and wood is stunning. The wine flows across the palate with fabulous texture, purity, and presence. This luscious, full-bodied Latour was surprisingly open-knit on the three occasions I tasted it from bottle. However, do not mistake its aging ability as this 2001, despite its precociousness, will last 20-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025. The Wine Advocate (06/04)

 

2000 Chateau Latour Pauillac Price: $1500.00    Sale Price: $1229.00 Quantity in Stock: 10

(98 Points) There are only 14,000 cases (only 48% of the crop made it into the grand vin) of the 2000, which flirts with perfection. Truly great stuff, it reveals perfect equilibrium, great finesse, yet colossal size, with a thickness and density that rival the brilliant 1996. This saturated black ruby/purple colored wine seems almost discreet on first inspection, but with aeration, notes of vanilla, exceptionally pure, mineral infused creme de cassis, and earth emerge. Full-bodied and tannic, it should come close to representing perfection. Latours 2000 is hard to compare with previous vintages. It obviously does not have the opulence of the 1990 and 1982, yet there is an extraordinary purity, delineation, seamlessness, and freshness to this wine that sets it apart from previous vintages. In any event, it is prodigious, with at least five decades of evolution ahead of it. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2050. The Wine Advocate, Issue 146, April 2003

 

1996 Chateau Latour Pauillac Price: $1200.00    Your Price: $1056.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(99 Points) A spectacular Latour, the 1996 may be the modern day clone of the 1966, only riper. This vintage, which is so variable in Pomerol, St.-Emilion, and Graves, was fabulous for the late-harvested Cabernet Sauvignon of the northern Medoc because of splendid weather in late September and early October. An opaque purple color is followed by phenomenally sweet, pure aromas of cassis infused with subtle minerals. This massive offering possesses unreal levels of extract, full body, intensely ripe, but abundant tannin, and a finish that lasts for nearly a minute. Classic and dense, it displays the potential for 50-75 years of longevity. Although still an infant, it would be educational to taste a bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050. Wine Advocate #129, Jun 2000

 

1995 Chateau Latour Pauillac Price: $715.00    Sale Price: $595.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

“A beauty, the opaque dense purple-colored 1995 exhibits jammy cassis, vanillin, and minerals in its fragrant but still youthful aromatics. Medium to full-bodied, with exceptional purity, superb concentration, and a long, intense, ripe, 40-second finish, this is a magnificent example of Latour. As the wine sat in the glass, scents of roasted espresso and toasty new oak emerged. This classic will require considerable cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2050.†(95 Points) Wine Advocate # 129, June2000

 

1982 Chateau Latour Pauillac 3 Liter Price: $15000.00    Your Price: $13200.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

1982 Chateau Latour Pauillac Price: $2998.00    Your Price: $2638.24 Quantity in Stock: 1

(100 Points) As I indicated in the review of the 1982 Bordeaux, this is an unusual Latour in the fact that it has always been precocious. It has been jammy, forward, and delicious no matter when the cork was pulled, in total contrast to its two first-growth siblings, Mouton Rothschild and Lafite-Rothschild. The dense, opaque garnet-colored 1982 Latour reveals slight amber at the edge. Sweet, smoky, roasted aromas in the nose combine with jammy levels of black currant, cherry, and prune-like fruit. It possesses extraordinary concentration and unctuosity, with a thick, fat texture oozing notes of cedar wood, tobacco, coffee, and over-ripe fruit. Low acidity as well as high alcohol (for Bordeaux) give the wine even more glycerin and textural chewiness. The finish lasts forever. The only Latour that remotely resembles the 1982 is the 1961, which has a similar texture and succulence. Anticipated maturity: now-2040 The Wine Advocate Issue 129, June 2000.

 

1980 Chateau Latour (MID SHOULDER)(SCUFFED LABEL) Price: $350.00    Sale Price: $250.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

 

1974 Chateau Latour Pauillac High Shoulder Price: $350.00    Your Price: $308.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

 

1996 Les Forts de Latour Pauilllac Magnum Price: $425.00    Your Price: $374.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(90 Points) The dense ruby/purple-colored 1996 Les Forts de Latour is exceedingly tannic, with cassis and mushroom-like notes in the aromatics. This full-bodied wine is impressively constituted and one of the finest Forts de Latours of the last two decades. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018. Wine Advocate #122, Apr 1999

 

1959 Chateau Latour Pauillac (high shoulder) Price: $3240.00    Your Price: $2851.20 Quantity in Stock: 1

(96 Points) Dark garnet with an amber edge, the 1959 Latour reveals a touch of volatile acidity in the nose, along with aromas of melted caramel, tobacco, and jammy red and black fruits. As the wine sat in the glass, notes of minerals, coffee, spice, and underbrush emerged. There is still copious tannin in the finish (I am not sure it will ever be fully resolved), but this sumptuous, complex, fragrant, super-rich Latour cuts a broad swath across the palate. Fully mature, it is best consumed over the next decade. Wine Advocate # 129, Jun 2000

 

1961 Chateau Latour Pauillac Price: $6000.00    Sale Price: $4800.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(100 Poinits) Port-like, with an unctuous texture, and a dark garnet color with considerable amber at the edge, the 1961 Latour possesses a viscosity and thickness. One of the three bottles served at the Chateau's tasting revealed a surprisingly aggressive, minty, herbaceous nose, but the other two bottles were liquid perfection, exhibiting fragrant, cedary, truffle, leather, mineral, and sweet, jammy aromatics, full-bodied, voluptuous textures, exquisite purity and concentration, and a layered, highly-nuanced finish that represents the essence of compellingly great wine.

The 1961 has been fully mature for over 15 years, but it seems to get richer, holding onto its succulence and fat, and developing more aromatic nuances without losing any sweetness or concentration. An extraordinary wine, it is unquestionably one of the Bordeaux legends of the century! Anticipated maturity: now-2025 Wine Advocate #129, Jun 2000

 

Chateau D'Yquem

2005 Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes Price: $900.00    Your Price: $765.00 Quantity in Stock: 10

(95-98 Points) Concentrated nose of apricot compote, dried fruit, and figs with vanilla and floral (jasmine and acacia blossom) aromas. The bouquet opens up after swirling in the glass to reveal entremely fresh citrus zest overtones that emphasize the wine's subtle refinement. Starts out deliciously suave and caressing on the palate, with perfect balance. The fresh acidity and elegance compliment the wine's restrained power, giving it incredible class. there are strong flavors of gingerbread, orange nonette cakes and liquorice followed by a gorgeous acid tang that underpins the wine's beautiful, long aftertaste on a par with the chateau's most illustrious vintages. The tremendously varied and complex flavor all seem to vibrate on the same wavelength, melting into a subltle whole. Once this is esprienced, there is an irresistible urge to plunge bak into this sensual, infinitly rich universe. Tasted by the winemaking team at Chateau D'yquem.  Wine Advocate # 176, Apr 2008

 

2001 Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes 375ml Price: $470.00    Sale Price: $375.00 Quantity in Stock: 3

(100 points) There are 10,000 cases of this perfect sweet white Bordeaux. The 2001 Yquem reveals a hint of green in its light gold color. While somewhat reticent aromatically, with airing, it offers up honeyed tropical fruit, orange marmalade, pineapple, sweet creme brulee, and buttered nut-like scents. In the mouth, it is full-bodied with gorgeously refreshing acidity as well as massive concentration and unctuosity. Everything is uplifted and given laser-like focus by refreshing acidity. This large-scaled, youthful Yquem appears set to take its place among the most legendary vintages of the past, and will age effortlessly for 75 years. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2100 . Wine Advocate #158 Apr 2005

 

1999 Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes Price: $323.75    Your Price: $275.19 Quantity in Stock: 1

Superb brilliant golden color. The bouquet is already intense and very expressive, to an extent rarely and seen in a wine this young. Tremendously pure, complex aromas; yellow fruit, dried fruit, spices, aromatic plants, and elegant oak. Starts out beautifully on the palate. the roundness is backed up by great acidity and a vivacious quality. Beautifully cmooth and soft aftertaste. This elegant wine has a remarkably long finish. Tasted in February 2004 by the Chateau D'Yquem Wine making team

 

1989 Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes 375ml Price: $350.00    Your Price: $297.50 Quantity in Stock: 3

(97 points) The favorite sweet wine of millionaires, Chateau d'Yquem has, not unexpectedly, turned in a brilliant effort with their newly released 1989. It is a large-scaled, massively rich, unctuously-textured wine that should evolve effortlessly for a half century or more. It does not reveal the compelling finesse and complexity of the 1988 or 1986, but it is a far heavier, richer wine than either of those vintages. It is reminiscent of the 1976, with additional fat and glycerin. The wine is extremely alcoholic and rich, with a huge nose of smoky, honey-covered coconuts and overripe pineapples and apricots. As with most young vintages of Yquem, the wine's structure is barely noticeable. These wines are so highly extracted and rich yet approachable young, it is difficult to believe they will last for 50 or more years. The 1989 is the richest Yquem made in the eighties, and it has an edge in complexity over the powerhouse 1983. It remains to be seen whether this wine will develop the extraordinary aromatic complexity possessed by the promising 1988 and 1986 Yquems. Last tasted 11/97 Bordeaux Book, 3rd Edition, Jan 1998

 

1988 Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes Price: $600.00    Sale Price: $510.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

1988 Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes (375ml) Price: $375.00    Your Price: $318.75 Quantity in Stock: 4

(94) Big and showy, rich and ripe, featuring sweet mango, pineapple and lime character. Full in body, with a long finish that reins in honey, dried apricot and toasted vanilla flavors. Drink or hold until at least 1998. 6,500 cases made. WINE SPECTATOR BUYING GUIDE 04/15/95

 

1986 Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes Price: $510.00    Sale Price: $425.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

(98 Points) With greater evidence of botrytis than the colossal 1983, but less power and alcohol, the 1986 d'Yquem tastes reminiscent of the 1975, only more precocious. Several highly respected Bordeaux negociants who are d'Yquem enthusiasts had claimed the 1986 d'Yquem was the greatest wine produced at the property since the legendary 1937. However, after the release of the 1988 they concluded that the 1988 surpassed even the 1986. The 1986's enthralling bouquet of pineapples, sauteed hazelnuts, vanillin, and ripe apricots is breathtaking. Compellingly concentrated, its breadth as well as depth of flavor seemingly know no limits. This full-bodied, powerful, yet impeccably elegant d'Yquem should provide memorable drinking for 40-55 more years. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2040. Last tasted, 7/93. Wine Advocate #88, Aug 1993