1990 Domaine Joseph Roty Mazy-Chambertin

Roty made three dazzling wines in 1990, but you will probably have to make a substantial withdrawal from your bank in order to afford them. The Mazy-Chambertin reveals a nearly opaque deep ruby/purple color, a closed, but promising nose of minerals, black fruits, licorice, and vanillin, and a super-extracted, savagely tannic, medium to full-bodied, tough-textured, concentrated finish. I would not touch a bottle for at least 6-7 years. Anyone who has visited the Roty cellars knows that while interesting, one's stay can be painfully long given (1) Roty's chain smoking, (2) incessant non-wine talk, and (3) general reluctance to answer specific questions. At the top end, his 1990s are every bit as superb as his 1980s and 1985s. Importer: Wine Markets International, Syosset, NY.