TN: 90 Malmaison [Moulis]

[AKR]

90 Malmaison [Moulis] This is 13% abv, and was popped and poured over a couple of nights, with a slab of fish, and then Worcestershire soaked lamb chops. 13% was pretty big for that era I believe. The label says the property has some relationship to Nadine Rothschild, although I'm unclear which branch of the family arrows she's from.

This 1990 is pretty good! Despite the age of this cru bourgeois, its held well and is quite drinkable/tasty, showing tertiary notes. I find leather, orange peels and iodine on the nose. On the palate the fruit is sweet, tannins all resolved, and balanced acidity. It is fine to enjoy by itself while cooking/puttering. With more air, I find mulberry notes. This is powerful witness to the aging powers of even the smaller wines, in big ripe years. The only dimension I'd find it coming up a short is in the concentration. Compared to other rich 1990's it doesn't hold the tongue captive. A very nice B grade, maybe more if you like the intrigue of older wines. If one is putting away any modern years, this sets a nice guidepost for what Malmaison can taste like as it reaches her 3rd decade. I've not tried the estate before and I suppose the closest vintage AOC pairing I've tried must have been a masculine 89 Chasse Spleen.

Ms. Rothschild seems to have been an actress before becoming a wine purveyor.

[AlexR]

Hi Arv,

Edmond de Rothschild revived Ch. Malmaison in Moulis about the same time he did so next door, at Château Clarke, in Listrac.
He also owned, I believe, 1/6 of Lafite.

Nadine is Edmond's widow. She was an actress who met Edmond at a dinner in Paris. She wrote a book called "La Baronne Rentre à Cinq Heures" ("The Baronness Goes Home to Sleep at 5 am". She has also written other books.

I am pleasantly surprised that your 1990 had held up as well as it did. Bordeaux will never cease to amaze us!

Best regards,
Alex R.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

I'm not surprised at all. Just a few years ago a bottle of another 1990 Listrac, Ch. Semeillan-Mazeau, was about as you described, only I liked it even more than you seem to this. The 1996, which I tried first, was so good too I bought out MacArthur's entire stock at either $9.99 or $12.99 a bottle, the same or similar pricing at which I purchased the three 1990s at the same time.

[AKR]

I wonder what salacious stories she has in her books.

It was a pretty good wine, I think it would get 87-88 pts or something, and showed fine age elements.

I would note that the last glass threw a tremendous amount of sediment.

For some reason I thought fining/filtration was done more at the cru bourgeois estates.