Chateau Pape Clement 1990

WEINWISSER: "Sanft aufhellendes Weinrot, Purpur in der Mitte. Nussiges, pflaumiges Bouquet mit Zedern- und Tabaktouch, kein bulliges Nasenbild, sondern hochfein und delikat. Genau gleiches, Chambertin-mässiges Spiel im Gaumen. Ein Weintraum sondergleichen."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Smoke, tobacco and smoked dark, red fruits sums this up nicely. Tasting and smelling like a cigar, burning cedar wood, smoked meats, earth dark, red fruits also made an appearance. The texture has started taking on the patina of age, but be forewarned, the cigar and smoke elements carry through from the nose and the palate. So, you have to like that character. The table was mixed on the wine. But I liked it. Fully mature, popped and poured, decanting was not needed here."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Very dark ruby color. Raspberry, floral and mineral jump out of the glass on the nose. Full-bodied, with firm tannins, serious fruit and a medium finish. Muscular Pape. Drinkable now.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2005. 11,000 cases made."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "This complex, dark garnet/plum-tinged wine reveals some bricking at the edge, and its beautiful, smoky, meaty nose exhibits notions of sweet currants, black cherries, and licorice. Medium to full-bodied and fleshy with low acidity, sweet tannin, and an expansive mouthfeel with no hard edges, it is a fully mature 1990 that should drink well for another decade. In my opinion, the Pape Clement vintages from 1998 onward are even more impressive and deeper. Moreover, they possess greater longevity."