Coffee, cedar, spice and blackcurrant aromas. Fresh, nicely delineated fruit of good richness and depth. Lingering, moderately tannic finish. Quite refined alongside the more exotic '89, but this wine lacks the fat and concentration of the best '90s.

Even though this is usually a delicately-styled Pauillac, the 1990 appears to be less well-endowed than some of the other recent top vintages of Pichon-Lalande, such as 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, and 1989. It displays medium dark ruby color, an attractive bouquet of vanillin from new oak, ripe blackcurrants, and spices. It is not as concentrated as I would have hoped, but it does exhibit good body, glycerin, and ripeness, as well as an overall sense of beauty and grace. While stylish, it could have benefitted from more length and intensity. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2008 - 87-89pts Robert Parker (June 1992)

A noteworthy failure in this vintage, the 1990 Pichon Lalande is slightly green, but that’s not its biggest defect. An absence of concentration, a hollow mid-palate, and shallow currant and plum-like fruit go nowhere on the palate. As I indicated from the very beginning - caveat emptor! Release price: ($450.00/case)

Very dark blackish crimson. Notably aromatic, even a hint of herbaceousness on this bottle. Lovely balance and spread of mellow aromas. Tannins fully molten. Quite delicate for a 1990. Quite fresh enough on the finish. Subtle with a hint of tarmacadam. Lots of pleasure. Neat.