12 bottles per lot
Details
Château Cheval-Blanc--Vintage 1990
Saint-Emilion, 1er grand cru classé (A)
1989 enjoyed remarkably warm, dry conditions, and the same went for 1990, although with a few spells of very hot weather. In the course of July and August, there were eleven days on which temperatures exceeded 35C, and on some days it even came close to 40C. From July to September, there were far more hours of sunshine than average (+27 and rainfall was 150 mm down on average over the year as a whole. As a result, the vine cycle broke all records, with budburst on 15th March and flowering around 25th May. After moderately early veraison on 12th August for the Cabernet Franc, the ripening process was extremely quick. Harvesting started on 11th September and ended on the 25th. Thanks to severe thinning, yields were kept down below 40 hl/ha and the harvest was brought into the winery at optimal ripeness levels with grapes rich in sugar and phenolic compounds, and low in acidity. Although the average natural alcohol content was 13.6, many vats of Merlot exceeded 14. This was certainly a year fulfilling all the conditions to produce a very great vintage.
Tasting note:
A bit of a shooting star. Seven notes, perfectly balanced and easy to appreciate in cask. Very sweet, very rich, glorious in the mid-1990s; crisp, fragrant at ten years of age. Two recent notes: lovely colour; sweet, harmonious bouquet; soft, rich, lovely flavour. Completely ready. Most recently: now fully mature - colour, nose and taste. Bouquet almost gamey, very 'mocha' (Pierre Lurton: 'truffle nose'); distinctly sweet, soft, rounded, muffled tannin, delicious. Not a classic Cheval-Blanc. Last tasted Jan 2006 **** But drink soon. MB
12 bottles per lot
Saint-Emilion, 1er grand cru classé (A)
1989 enjoyed remarkably warm, dry conditions, and the same went for 1990, although with a few spells of very hot weather. In the course of July and August, there were eleven days on which temperatures exceeded 35C, and on some days it even came close to 40C. From July to September, there were far more hours of sunshine than average (+27 and rainfall was 150 mm down on average over the year as a whole. As a result, the vine cycle broke all records, with budburst on 15th March and flowering around 25th May. After moderately early veraison on 12th August for the Cabernet Franc, the ripening process was extremely quick. Harvesting started on 11th September and ended on the 25th. Thanks to severe thinning, yields were kept down below 40 hl/ha and the harvest was brought into the winery at optimal ripeness levels with grapes rich in sugar and phenolic compounds, and low in acidity. Although the average natural alcohol content was 13.6, many vats of Merlot exceeded 14. This was certainly a year fulfilling all the conditions to produce a very great vintage.
Tasting note:
A bit of a shooting star. Seven notes, perfectly balanced and easy to appreciate in cask. Very sweet, very rich, glorious in the mid-1990s; crisp, fragrant at ten years of age. Two recent notes: lovely colour; sweet, harmonious bouquet; soft, rich, lovely flavour. Completely ready. Most recently: now fully mature - colour, nose and taste. Bouquet almost gamey, very 'mocha' (Pierre Lurton: 'truffle nose'); distinctly sweet, soft, rounded, muffled tannin, delicious. Not a classic Cheval-Blanc. Last tasted Jan 2006 **** But drink soon. MB
12 bottles per lot