Chateau l´Evangile 1990

WINE SPECTATOR: "Big and ripe. Dark ruby-garnet color. Very ripe berry, chocolate and plum aromas. Full-bodied and chewy, with lots of tannins and a very ripe fruit finish. Tight, muscular and concentrated. Needs time.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2005. 4,500 cases made."

DECANTER: "1990 was a very good vintage, although a bit more difficult to manage than the 1989. Flowering was uneven and as crop thinning was not as widely used as today, there were some ripening difficulties. But the sharp edges of youth have softened now, leaving a rich, round sense of self, with cassis-rich fruit. Black truffle notes after five minutes in the glass. Many years of drinking pleasure still to be had. Drinking Window 2018 - 2028"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Mature, full bodied and richly textured, the concentrated wine delivers a blend of truffle, plum, black cherry and dark chocolate. Lush, opulent and with staying power, this is probably close to fully mature."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 1990 Château L'Evangile has not been as consistent as its 1989 counterpart (see Robert Parker's previous tasting note). Here it showed well, even if I maintain a preference for the 1989. The nose is sultry, broody and takes time to unfurl, almost reluctantly offering up sage and black truffle infused black fruit, developing a subtle aniseed-like aroma with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine but firm tannin. It is not as charming as the 1989, sweeter in the mouth, fleshier perhaps. That initial rush of black fruit is usurped by red fruit towards the finish, laced with bay leaf and a pinch of white pepper. While I would broach the 1989 now, I would be inclined to reach for the 1990 with another 3-4 years. Tasted January 2016."

FALSTAFF: "Mittleres Rubingranat, guter Farbkern, breitere Ockerreflexe, Wasserrand. In der Nase feine nussige Aromen, zarte Kräuterwürze, nach Waldbeeren, ein Hauch von Himbeermark, Nougat, zarte Röstaromen, lässt den Merlot erkennen. Am Gaumen elegant, frische Säurestruktur, präsente, aber zugleich etwas raue Tannine, die im ­Finish etwas austrocknen, ledrige Nuancen im Nachhall, legt insgesamt im Glas gut"