Why the 1990 Chateau Lagrange is famous
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2018 3:22 pm
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
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