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Montrachet 1990

Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Burgundy, France

Domaine des Comtes Lafon
Burgundy France
  • 98
    Points
  • The 627 best
    of 3 290 954
    wines globally
  • 4 Pros of
    4 recommend
    this wine
98 98
  • Taste
  • Moment

  • Country ranking ?

    530

  • Producer ranking ?

    14

  • Decanting time

    1h30min

  • When to drink

    now to 2035

  • Food Pairing

    Salads

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The whites are difficult to assess at this stage. The degrees are around 13.5 pH, and a 3.20 pH before malo with a total acidity of 4.90. When malo ends the wines should be around 3.30 pH with an acidity of 4.00g, which is better than in 1989. The wines have a lovely density and one would assess that 1990 will be somewhere between 1988 and 1999.

 

A great vintage for red Burgundy. 

The mild winter caused the vines’ vegetation to sprin...

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The Story

The vines were planted in two stages by Auguste and Pierre Morey. They are old, weak vines producing little (between 20 and 35 hl/ha). Badly affected by fan-leaf degeneration, they have improved considerably since the application of biodynamic preparations. The parcel is situated at the far south of Montrachet also facing south. The soil is fairly dark, quite deep and stony. It consistently produces wines rich in alcohol, balanced out by their...

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Wine Information

Lafon Le Montrachet 1990

In November 14, 1918 a large parcel of Le Montrachet belonging to Charles Draper of Puligny was sold at auction. The nearly hectare of vines was divided up equally amongst three bidders, one of them was Jules Lafon. The estate is known today as the Domaine des Comtes Lafon, still retains this plot (0.32 ha). The vines were planted in two stages by Auguste and Pierre Morey. They are old, weak vines producing little (...

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Vintage 1990

1990 VINTAGE in Burgundy

This is probably the vintage of reference for many people in Burgundy. Exceptional climatic conditions allowed an abundant crop to mature perfectly and yield some most sensational wines in both red and white. The white wines have maintained their elegant aromas and freshness which has made them even more appealing, whilst the reds are concentrated and well built with tannins which remain firm but smooth. To be enjoy...

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Tasting note

color

Full and Gold

ending

Long and Extensive

flavors

Waxy, Mineral, Oily and Spice

nose

Intense

recommend

Yes

taste

Warming, Medium tannin, Multi-dimensional, Complex, Full-bodied, Firm, Rich, Vigor and Dry

Written Notes

In 1990 winter was very mild, vegetation started very early (March) followed by cold weather in April which slowed down growth. There was a risk of frost in the spring but there were no problems after all. Fruit set was very heavy, which forced Lafon to remove part of the crop in the spring. Flowering went reasonably well and Lafon discovered a lot of millerandage when it came to harvest-time. Summer was very dry, probably the driest over the last three years: no rain from 15/07 to 30/08. Botrytis presented no problem. At the end of August the excessive drought blocked ripening. Fortunately, three consecutive days of rain, followed by continuous sunshine up until the harvest started vegetation up again. Grapes were healthy on the eve of the harvest. Harvest started on September 21st for the whites. The entire period was sunny and the harvest lasted quite a long time (until September 28th). Despite the presence of millerandage and the fact that Lafon had reduced the number of grapes, yield was extremely high: Montrachet 30 hl/ha Noble looking bottle. Decanted two hours. Splendid full, glowing yellow colour. Very intense, toasty, buttery and perfumed nose.The palate is well structured, firm and smooth. Full-bodied, concentrated and has a complete sense of balance. A combination of power, ripeness, life and definition, which is incomparable. Great Montrachet with superb, long and passionate aftertaste. Almost perfect now, but with at least another 10-15 years to go.
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  • 96p
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Information

Origin

Beaune, Burgundy

Vintage Quality

Outstanding

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Very Good

Fake factory

None

Glass time

1h

Drinking temperature

11

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Inside Information

The Weather
A very mild winter, vegetation started very early (March) followed by cold weather in April which slowed down growth . There was a risk of frost in the spring but there were no problems after all. Fruit set was very heavy, which forced us to remove part of the crop in the spring. Flowering went reasonably well and we discovered a lot of millerandage when it came to harvest-time, (Perrières, Genevrières, Charmes, Montrachet, Santenots, Santenots, Champans). No sanitary problems throughout the entire period. Summer was very dry, probably the driest over the last three years: no rain from 15/07 to 30/08. Botrytis presented no problem. At the end of August the excessive drought blocked ripening. Fortunately, 3 consecutive days of rain, followed by continuous sunshine up until the harvest started vegetation up again. Grapes were healthy on the eve of the harvest

The Harvest
It started on September 18th for the reds and September 21st for the whites. The entire period was sunny and the harvest lasted quite a long time (until September 28th). Despite the presence of millerandage and the fact that we had reduced the number of grapes, yield was extremely high:

  • 50 to 55 hl/ha for whites (except Montrachet 30 hl/ha)
  • 40 to 45 hl/ha for reds

The analyses were superb, 13° to a potential 13.7° for both reds and whites with acidities even better than in 1989.

Vinification
Presented no problems in particular. Fermentation was regular but not too fast (temperature controlled). No chaptalization was necessary.

The Wines
The reds are superb, the colour intense and true, the degrees around 13.5, the pH before malo around 3.30, the total acidity 4.90 which should bring us up to a pH of around 3.45 and to a total acidity of 3.80 to 4.00g at the end of malo. The tannins are high in quantity but very fine. They seem to be very balanced with a lovely density, definitely destined to be another great vintage, a little softer than in 1988 and 1989.
The whites are difficult to assess at this stage. The degrees are around 13.5 pH, and a 3.20 pH before malo with a total acidity of 4.90. When malo ends the wines should be around 3.30 pH with an acidity of 4.00g, which is better than in 1989. The wines have a lovely density and one would assess that 1990 will be somewhere between 1988 and 1999.

Text written 21th July, 1992
 

MEURSAULT PERRIERES 1990 From 40 year old vines, an exceptionally high but regular yield this year: i.e.: all the vines had grapes and these lovely clusters were constituted of small, very ripe and very healthy, golden berries, with a good acidity. This, therefore, explains the very high quality of this vintage in spite of the high yield. Ageing in new barrels until the first racking (April 1991), returned to older barrels, a second racking in April 1992 followed by fining and bottling without filtering (July 1992).At present this wine is a superb golden colour and the nose is typical of a Meursault which has reached maturity (toasted bread and hazelnut). On the palate it provides great power and fleshiness sustained by good acidity. Perfect to accompany some shellfish or white meat flavoured with truffles!

  

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