1990 Cheval Blanc
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Tasting notes
The 1990 Cheval Blanc flirts with perfection, this perhaps the best bottle that I have drunk. Incredible delineation on the nose, pixelated red fruit so vibrant and poised, with underlying hints of pencil box and forest floor. This just blossoms in the glass. The palate is very complex and refined, perfectly poised, layers of graphite-infused black fruit that impart a Médoc-like personality, yet few have this degree of decadence on the finish. It won over a table of hardnosed seasoned wine-lovers – just a brilliant Cheval Blanc at the very peak of its powers. Tasted single blind at the 1990 Bordeaux dinner at Medlar.
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The 1990 Cheval Blanc is a vintage that once upon a time I drank regularly, although I had not seen it since March 2016. Poured against the 1990 Lafite-Rothschild, this is the clear winner. Still youthful in color with modest bricking. The bouquet explodes from the glass with kirsch, mulberry, antique furniture and black truffle scents. With aeration it becomes more savory, the Cabernet Franc wanting to see more of the olfactory action. The palate is medium-bodied and comes equipped with a stunning velvety texture. This Saint-Émilion feels spherical, conveying a sense of controlled decadence but avoiding any ostentation. This is as good a bottle as I have encountered over the years. Brilliant. (NM)
The 1990 Chateau Cheval Blanc is fully mature at this stage, with a complex, Burgundian style in its forest floor, sweet red and black fruits, dried flowers, cigar tobacco, and spice-laced aromas and flavors. Possessing an ethereal, elegant texture, full body, resolved tannins, and no hard edges, it’s a heavenly example of this terroir that’s drinking at point today. There’s no upside here, but it should keep nicely for another 15-20 years.
About the producer
Ch. Cheval Blanc is one the finest producers in Bordeaux. The Saint-Emilion estate’s Cabernet Franc-dominant wines are consistently among the top wines of the vintage.