Ten Years On: The 1990 Vintage
The 1990 vintage was a success for many regions of Europe and further afield. It was certainly one of the greater vintages of the 1990s for Bordeaux, and thought of by many as the greater of the 1988 – 1989 – 1990 triumvirate. Read more of which communes saw success in my Bordeaux 1990 blind tasting. In Burgundy there was also success, for both red and white wines.
Despite some initial difficulties with flowering, a hot and dry summer – drought-like in fact – resulted in ripe healthy grapes of a deep colour. The Rhone, Champagne, Alsace and the Loire all saw success, as did Germany. Only Spain and Portugal faltered a little, although even here the vintage may be rated as good to very good – as opposed to excellent everywhere else – so there are still many wines from these countries worth drinking.
It was a similar story further afield. Good wines from California, much of Australia and New Zealand too. (4/12/00)
