CHATEAU PICHON LALANDE 1990 , Bordeaux

"Prior to our vertical tasting, it had been a while since I last crossed paths with a bottle of the Pichon-Lalande, so I was extremely curious to see how this wine had evolved with a few more years of bottle age. For claret historians, this wine is important in the annals of Pichon, for it was the first vintage that Robert Parker was less an enthusiastic about, after a red hot love affair with the property that dated back to at least 1982. As the wine now closes on its thirtieth birthday, it is clear that Monsieur Parker was incorrect about the wine as it has evolved beautifully, though it is far more of a middleweight year here that one might expect from this torrid vintage. The bouquet is pure, complex and nicely tertiary today, wafting from the glass in a blend of cassis, a touch of red berry, tobacco leaf, coffee, gravel, summer truffles, cigar smoke, toasty oak and a gentle topnote of menthol. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and very elegant in profile, with a good core, melting tannins and loverly focus and grip on the long and complex finish. This is a very good wine and is now fully into its plateau of peak maturity. Reviewed October 2019. John Gilman" "Very dark blackish crimson. Notably aromatic, even a hint of herbaceousness on this bottle. Lovely balance and spread of mellow aromas. Tannis fully moulten. Quite delicate for a 1990. Quite fresh enough on the finish. Subtle with a hint of tarmacadam. Lots of pleasure. Neat. Reviewed September 2010. Jancis Robinson"