Tasting Notes
Vinous 88+
Modestly saturated medium color. Minerally. blackcurrant aromas with notes or brick, leather and cigar ash. Lovely, subtle flavor, but wrapped tight by sound acids; not yet showing its richness. Finishes quite firm. This would appear to have good aging potential and may be a sleeper.
Wine Advocate 88
The 1990 Haut Bailly has always been a good rather than great wine for the vintage, this predating the acquisition by Bob Wilmers, which was eight years later. It has a fully mature bouquet with smudged earthy, smoky aromas, maybe with just a slight greenness in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with rustic tannins, a little chunky in the mouth, animally with a slightly animally/Rhone-like finish that just fades a little too quickly. It’s a rough sketch compared to the detailed portraits drawn by the estate these days, and as such, I would drink this now rather than later. Tasted March 2017.
Anticipated maturity: 2017-2022
JancisRobinson.com 18
Much fresher than many 1990s with polish and a minerally edge. Racy and very fresh. Refined. A really good 1990! Long and complex.
Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020
