Last night there was another spectacular showing of Pichon Baron, this time coming from the 1990 vintage and it was divine. It was interesting to try this vintage as we had the 2000 the night before and it was still quite fresh in our minds. Both wines come from fantastic vintages, but when making the comparison, the 1990 Pichon Baron was massive! Last night’s bottle drank as a Pichon Baron could to the max nearly daunting with brooding strength, insane grip and weight. The fruit was perfectly preserved, dark and dense and the spices and minerals were beautifully deep. This was my perspective at an hour in the decanter. I could only imagine how intense the first blow was right upon opening. The ’90 and the ’00 from the night before are at two different stages in their lives, both of which are great expressions of each respecting vintage. The opulent ’00- alive, more giving and ready to roll and the powerful ’90- more intense and grave. There is no doubt that both wines will live on to have profound lives decades from now but it was truly extraordinary to have experienced these vintages so closely in tasting range. Will there be another Pichon Baron to dominate the tables tonight and take the week’s win…? Who knows what tonight will unfold, but within the Graileys’ walls I am sure the ’00 and 1990 Pichon Baron will have great challengers to face by the night’s end.