Chateau la Conseillante 1990

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 1990 La Conseillante is fully mature, and totally brilliant. Its medium ruby color is followed by a perfumed, complex bouquet of sandalwood, cedar, ripe cherries, licorice and Asian spices. Upfront and not holding anything back, it reveals loads of sweet fruit and is incredibly complex and nuanced aromatically. This gives way to a full-bodied, integrated and seamless Pomerol that has resolved tannin, perfect balance, an opulent mouthfeel, and a great finish. This is Pomerol in all its elegant, yet seductive glory and while I don’t see any upside, it’s going to continue drinking beautifully for another decade."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "At full peak, this bottle is rocking the house. The ostentatious, supple character is there. The juicy, ripe, silky plums wrapped in a cloak of truffle and dark chocolate hit the spot. Velvety on the palate, the finish is all about that sexy fruit. But I do not see this as a long term hold, drink it over the next 5 years for maximum pleasure."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The only problem that the 1990 Château La Conseillante has faced is that it had to follow up the brilliant 1989. Here, tasted directly against the previous vintage, it seems more youthful in color than the 1989. The nose races out of the blocks, more precocious than I remember and yet never losing focus, offering kirsch, crushed violets and still that subtle marine influence. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannin. It offers wonderful black truffle, morels and mulberry fruit, as powerful as the 1989, albeit not quite with the same precision on the finish. It is the purity of the La Conseillante that wins you over time and time again, and I would not hesitate in enjoying this Pomerol over the next decade. It will never quite match the 1989, but hey, don't hold that against this beauty. Tasted January 2016."

WINE SPECTATOR: "A bit funky but delicious now. Medium-red color with an amber edge. Aromas of ripe berries, earth and saddle leather. Medium-bodied, with spicy flavors, soft tannins and a ripe fruit finish.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now. 5,000 cases made."