1990 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru
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Tasting notes
The 1990 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.-Jacques 1er Cru is magnificent. It displays stunning definition on the nose; there’s no messing about as it ladles out captivating raspberry, wild strawberry and light oyster shell notes. Though opulent and reflective of the growing season, the bouquet oozes class. The palate has a sorbet-like freshness and so much vitality after 31 years, building toward a perfectly symmetrical finish featuring vivacious morello cherries and raspberry coulis and hints of bay leaf. This is simply Rousseau in full flight. How do you follow that pair?
Critic scores
Allen Meadows, Burghound
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Rousseau’s 1990 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.-Jacques was gorgeous. Crushed flowers, leaves, dried cherries and a multitude of exotic spices all lifted from the glass. Lilting and soft on the palate, the 1990 is now close to fully mature, although it will likely keep for a number of years. Stylistically, the 1990 is quite delicate within the context of Clos St.-Jacques.
The outstanding Gevrey-Chambertin-Clos St.-Jacques possesses a saturated deep ruby color, and an explosive nose of black fruits, spicy new oak, flowers, and truffles. In the mouth, the wine is dense, seductive, and ripe, with low acidity, glycerin, and alcohol in the finish, making it a voluptuous, opulent mouthful of chewy Pinot Noir. Drink it over the next decade. 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, (he still believes 1983 is the finest vintage of the eighties), Rousseau is unpersuaded by the acclaim bestowed on 1990. Importer: Frederick Wildman, New York, NY.
About the producer
Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Armand Rousseau is one of Burgundy’s most famous estates. Revered for making unearthly expressions of Pinot Noir, the estate’s wines are some of the most collectable in the world.