1990 Domaine Armand Rousseau Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru

At the top level, Rousseau consistently produces three profound wines - Gevrey-Chambertin-Clos St.-Jacques (as good as most producer's grands crus), Chambertin-Clos de Beze, and Chambertin. That being said, I remain perplexed as to why Rousseau's other wines are so surprisingly light and fluid. While good, sometimes very good, they are markedly inferior to his top three wines. Never one to jump on the bandwagon for forward, super-ripe vintages, (Rousseau still believes 1983 is the finest vintage of the eighties), he is unpersuaded by the acclaim bestowed on 1990. His medium ruby-colored Mazis-Chambertin reveals a rich, sweet nose of black fruits, ground beef, and sweet oak. Soft and round in the mouth, with low acidity and light tannins, it is an atypical Mazis given its precociousness and lack of ferociousness. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. Importer: Frederick Wildman, New York, NY.