The aromas are deep and just a hint musky, below lies very young fruit. This is full-bodied – there is still plenty of tannin. Really good dimension – this has a full and very outgoing personality that jumps out of the glass – clearly very impressive.
1990
1990 Drouhin Joseph Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots
Deeply coloured – still. The nose is super, wide, faintly spicy and complex – tobacco notes and an impression (in the mind) first of brown but slowly changing to red. At the same time the nose slowly becomes softer with sweeter spice. In the mouth my first impression is ’size’ – this is big – followed by plenty of dry tannin. There is quite enough concentration to buffer the tannin, and this concentration really expands on the palate. It’s hardly elegant, but it’s very impressive. I would say this is aromatically excellent and quite ‘ready’, but the palate trails behind, needing at least another 5 years in the cellar. A super bottle.
1990 Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée Les Chaumes
Medium-plus colour. Just seems a little cleaner and sweeter than the ‘89 and no surmaturité, though it’s quite dense. The palate also has quite some density, indeed it seems rather monolithic – long but quite primary. There’s plenty of tannin if you look for it. Over about 45 minutes in the glass I never felt that there was a moment where the wine blossomed, the nose remaining finer than the palate. Given the density and relatively primary aspect I would suggest waiting another 3+ years before revisiting.
1990 Comtes Lafon Volnay Santenots-du Milieu
(From magnum) Very deep colour – close to black. No obvious oak on the nose, but it’s so dense and unforgiving – perhaps this is a harsh adjective, but this wine is so fresh, linear and dense that it could be 2002 in presentation. The only clue to its age, is that the tannins have started to melt, but super concentration remains – it’s a tour-de-force – but wait for 2015. If there is one criticism, the wine doesn’t seem so long and is unlikely to gain length with extra age – but I’m still very, very impressed. Versus the Clerget Chambolle this has twice the depth & concentration, but the Clerget is significantly more refined – the choice is yours.
1990 Comtes Lafon Pommard
1990 Sauzet Etienne Puligny-Montrachet Les Referts
1990 Bize Simon Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Vergelesses
1990 Gros Michel Vosne-Romanée Clos des Réas
1990 Clavelier SA Vosne-Romanée Aux Brûlées
The wine-list was a bit miss-leading as I was expecting a Thomas-Moillard wine – however the label looked nice so I took it anyway !! Deep ruby colour with no colour development and not much lighter at the rim. Nose is very deep with cooked fruits , black & red, though still quite primary. Palate is thick with well covered acidity and slightly rustic unresolved tannin. The spicy fruit and finish, however, are superb, a true multidimensional taste experience. Despite the rustic tannins and despite the fact it’s still January, my wine of the year so far Excellent+