1990 Château Talbot - St Julien 4 Ième Grand Cru Classé

1990 Château Talbot has a similar color as the 1988, perhaps a tad more towards pomegranate. Despite being only 2 years younger, there is a lot more fruit and sweetness here : red berries, cherries and black currant jam. It’s more complex as well with lots of spices (white pepper and bay leaf) cedar and cigar box. It does have the same leathery odor as the 1988 but intermingled with a minty freshness keeping it light. On the palate more of that complexity : very nice balance, warm and full bodied with still a surprising bit of grip of tannins at the end. It’s not terribly long or deep and perhaps lacking a bit of acidity to make it really great. So what if it’s past its prime, for me this still is a very good classic Bordeaux, with the morepronounced character of the ripe merlot taking it close to a mature Pomerol rather than a typical Médoc.