Great, Powerful and Complex
Nearly perfect conditions: A warm, dry summer with sufficient rain in September. The grapes achieved full physiological ripeness while maintaining good acidity levels. The harvest was great — both quantitatively and qualitatively. All three grape varieties delivered outstanding material.
Character and Development
1990 is one of the undisputed vintages of the century in Champagne. Power, complexity and elegance unite in the best wines to create a total work of art. The vintage had everything: concentration without heaviness, ripeness without overripeness, structure without harshness.
Almost every great house produced a Prestige Cuvée in 1990, and almost every one is legendary: Dom Pérignon 1990 (one of the best DPs of all time), Krug 1990 (monumental), Salon 1990 (ice-cold perfection), Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1990 (silky elegance). But the grower champagnes from 1990 were also outstanding — concentrated, complex and long-lived.
The 1990 vintage has special significance: It marks the conclusion of the "trilogy" 1988-1989-1990 — three consecutive great vintages that are unique in the history of Champagne. Each had its own character (taut, charming, powerful), and together they covered the entire spectrum that champagne has to offer.
Anyone opening a 1990 today experiences a wine at the absolute peak of maturity: Golden, complex, with layers of honey, walnut, dried fruits, spices and a still vital acidity that holds everything together. These are champagnes you never forget.
No Personal Tastings Yet
From the 1990 vintage, I have not yet tasted any champagne. This is partly due to availability, partly because not every vintage comes to market as a Millésimé. Many producers use the base wines from 1990 primarily for their non-vintage assemblages — which doesn't mean the quality was poor. A vintage doesn't have to be declared as a Millésimé to be good.
Should the opportunity arise to open a 1990, this article will be supplemented with personal impressions.
| Vintage | 1990 |
| Character | Great, powerful and complex |
| Champagnes Tasted | 0 |