Why the 1990 Chateau Lagrange is famous

[Nicklasss]

Last spring, I bought 2 bottles of the 1990 Chateau Lagrange in Washington DC, to bring back home. The objective was not to hold them longer, but open them this year.

Unfortunately, the first bottle, opened a few weeks ago, was 50 % corked. Not undrinkable, but low fruit, a bit of wet cardboard and a very dry finish.

I opened the second bottle last night, as we were having dinner with JeanFred and his wife, in a BYOW restaurant.

The second bottle of the 1990 Chateau Lagrange (probably the best ever vintage for that Chateau) was glorious, famous, delicious. Remind me when it bested the 1989 Chateau Pichon Baron at the 2001 BWE convention. Dark color, with an incredible nose of blackcurrants, strong soft spices, integrated vanillin oak, red peppers, tobacco, cocoa, more dark red berries and more blackcurrants. The best the terroir of Saint-Julien can offer. In mouth, perfect body, rich attack of fruit, with again that multidimensional creamy soft spicyness/oak, some herbs like rosemary. On the end of it's plateau I guess, but still having some tannins, with strong mineral and perfumed blackcurrants finish. Some forrest soil with light truffle too. Each glass was even better, over the 150 minutes we had it. Strong contestant for one of the greatest wine i will have this year (excluding the wines from the 2018 BWE convention). Memorable. Tn: 95.

JeanFred brought a 2007 Chateau Pavie Macquin, that trenscended the reputation of the vintage. A little bit clearer than the Lagrange, nice young nose of cherries, concentrated red berries, nice vanilla oak, light blueberries. In mouth, all the character of the youth, but with excellent concentration. Good fruit, concentrated lightly acidic cherries, good body, soft tannins from the merlot, light rasberries from the franc. Still primary, but with decent length. Very well made. Just sligthly behind the 2006 I had twice. But very distinctive Saint Émilion. Tn: 91. A bit leefy on the final.

A very good night.

Nic

[AKR]

Definitely my favorite year for that estate too, although I've not had recent years.

[JimHow]

The 1990 Lagrange came in second place to the ‘89 Lynch on that memorable night in Chicago in February 2001, just ahead of the ‘89 Purple Baron. It is my second favorite vintage of Lagrange, behind only the 2007.

[marcs]

Not to be all negative, but I went to a big Lagrange vertical a few months ago in DC and ended up pretty "meh" on the whole chateau. The wines were fine, good, but nothing blew me away. My favorites were probably the 2009 and 1996. The 2015 was very promising along the lines of the 2009. I felt the 1990 was good but not great and on the downslope for my taste -- would probably have preferred it a few years ago. But I tend to like fruit, if you're into tertiary complexity you might rank it a lot higher.

Apparently the market agrees with me on the relative quality of Lagrange as the wines are very well priced. The 2009 is available at $60 and the 2015, which I think will be as good as the 2009, is widely available for $50. If you like Lagrange I would jump on the 2015 and maybe backfill the 2009, you can get three or four of those for the price of one 1990. But I'd rather pay a bit more and get other wines.

[Nicklasss]

I had the 2015 at the UGC in Montréal. It was one of the excellent Saint Julien, but Léoville Barton was better. But I don't think it will get to the 1990 level.

I think i had an almost a pristine bottle of the 1990 last night. It was a very comfortable 1990 in it age. The complexity was noticeable, that is not usual for Lagrange, as it is a normally very good mid of the pack Cru Classé, with good characteristics but not overly complex.

I wish you would have been here Marcus, just to compare last night bottle with the one you had at your vertical. Like I wrote, the first bottle I opened a few weeks ago was corked and dull.

Nic

[Blanquito]

I’ve had the 90 Lagrange 4 times in the last 18 months. Two bottles were really stellar (93-94 pt territory), worthy of all the hype this vintage gets at this Château, one was merely good (even dull), and one was corked.

For my tastes, the 3 sound bottles all showed notably better on Day 2. Hence, I think the 1990 will get even a bit better once fully mature, but I suspect there’s signifant bottle variation.

[marcs]

I had the 2015 at the UGC in Montréal. It was one of the excellent Saint Julien, but Léoville Barton was better.
Nic

I hear the 2015 Leoville Barton is going to be legendary, so not surprising if Lagrange wasn't as good (and it's less than half the price). What was your impression of the Leoville Barton? Did it justify the hype that it's one of the best LBs ever, or was it more just in the very good range?

[stefan]

Every bottle of 1990 Lagrange I have drunk has been great. Unfortunately, the days you could it for around $100 are gone.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Funny but from limited tasting experience and by reputation, "legendary" is not a word I have seen associated with Leo B., other than Anthony Barton is legendary for not overpricing his wines.

[AKR]

I'm of the same mind as marcs....lovely wines but they don't thrill me as some others estates do.

And I still have quite a bit to chew through.

Fortunately, the SO's favorite Medoc's are usually St Julien's.