1996 Meursault 1er Cru Charmes
By Domaine des Comtes Lafon
1990 Montrachet from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Burgundy, France
In the grand tapestry of Burgundian legend, the 1990 Montrachet from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti holds a square that radiates a golden glow, a testament to the harmonious season of 1990 that bestowed its grace upon this vineyard. The year was marked by consistent weather patterns which culminated in exemplary ripening conditions; it all contributed to a vintage that commands the attention of enthusiasts and collectors alike.
A Vintage Speaks: The Narrative of 1990's Excellence
The 1990 growing season was quintessentially idyllic, sprinting towards perfection with little of the unpredictability that often besets Burgundy. This provided the canvas for the Montrachet vines to express themselves with an almost luxurious abandon. The ripened fruit at harvest was not merely raw material but the foundation of a masterpiece in waiting.
Assured Elegance in Balance
Sipping the 1990 Montrachet from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti reveals a wine still pulsing with vitality. It enlivens the senses with an aromatic complexity where hints of toasted hazelnuts interplay with seductive butterscotch notes. Upon the palate, each sip feels like orchestral movements—effortlessly flowing into one another—full-bodied yet retaining an incredible precision which evokes the silhouette of the Côte de Beaune hills in autumnal light.
As an investment piece, this vintage holds a particular allure; for many are enthralled not simply by its current majestic performance but by its potential longevity. A careful custodian will find this vintage maturing with a marvelous flourish that is coveted globally.
Connoisseur's Conclusion
The narrative of the 1990 Montrachet from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti is written through its sensual bouquet, its poised attack on the palate, and its lingering finish – nuances eliciting the vivid story of its superb set vintage conditions. As it stands proudly among its peers, this wine is not just an oenological delight but a blue-chip treasure for serious investors – exemplifying how nature’s munificence artfully captured by human hands can yield dividends beyond the visceral experience, making it an embodiment of viticultural art and investment intellect fused together.
Market price (HKD)
HK$32,510.00
12x75cl
Highest score
92
POP score
283.33
Scores and tasting notes
Lafon segregates the grapes from his Meursault Charmes' youngest vines, blending them with his village Meursault cuvee. The most intense and concentrated berries are ear-marked for his premier cru bottling. His dedication to quality is evidenced by the 1996s tantalizing floral, white peach and toast aromas. Medium-to-full-bodied, thick, and yet feminine and gracious, this superb offering combines power with lace-like definition. Ripe white peaches, flower blossoms, and traces of anise are found in this precise, pure, and ageworthy beauty. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2010. The rating, with the range of scores in parentheses, indicates the wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Dominique Lafon performed more batonnage than usual on his 1996s, "to give them more richness," he said. However, unlike some other vignerons, Lafon abandons the practice when the malos start because he wants his wines to be protected by the carbon dioxide gas that is a by product of a wine's malo-lactic fermentation. Lafon's yields were between 35 and 45 hectoliters/hectare, demonstrating his dedication to quality in this potentially high-yielding vintage. Importer: Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel (617) 731-6644.
Pierre Rovani - The Wine Advocate, 22 February 1998