1990 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The 1990 red Chateauneuf du Pape should prove to have 15 or more years of longevity. It is a highly concentrated, backstrapping, muscular, big wine. The color is a dark ruby/purple. With swirling, a spicy, peppery nose of cassis fruit and herbs is apparent. Full-bodied and impressively endowed, this large-scaled wine requires some cellaring to shed its cloak of tannin. The key to buying Clos du Mont Olivet is to buy the newest vintage as soon as it is released in the marketplace. The 1990 cuvees are arriving this fall and early next year. The quality of the 1990s merits serious consideration, but move quickly; do not wait for the second and third bottlings to appear in subsequent years. These later bottlings are significantly more austere and less fresh as their fruit tends to dry out while aging in the old foudres utilized by Clos du Mont Olivet. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC.