1989 Chateau d’Yquem Premier Cru Superieur, Sauternes 1x375ml

Vinous 98

The 1989 Yquem is probably the best and most consistent of the triumvirate at the end of the decade. Two bottles tasted at 30 years of age give me no reason to alter that opinion. Limpid gold in color, slightly lighter than the 1988, it has a vivacious bouquet of gorgeous orange blossom, tinned apricot, quince jelly and wild heather, all delivered with impressive clarity. The palate is cohesive, pure and exquisitely balanced, sporting just the right amount of viscosity (less than the 1990). It bursts with tangerine, white peach, saffron and fresh fig, flecks of Seville orange marmalade appearing on the finish. This is Yquem flirting with its very best, and you never know – it could get even better with age. Tasted at Hide restaurant in London. [Neal Martin, 09/10/2019]

Anticipated maturity: 2019-2050

Robert Parker 97

Notable for being a very hot Bordeaux vintage, 1989 is also the year that the vines were hit by a violent hailstorm in July, which damaged the western half of the vineyard. Since the berries were still quite small and hard at that stage, the impact was minimized to about 20% crop loss overall. Thereafter, the vines soldiered on to produce a stunningly concentrated crop this year. Medium to deep gold colored, the 1989 d’Yquem is little closed to begin, slowly unfurling to give gorgeous dried mango, pineapple paste and candied peel scents with hints of praline, nutmeg, lemon butter and creme caramel plus a waft of crushed stones. The palate delivers powerful, wonderfully concentrated notes of dried stone fruits with provocative nutty nuances and a seamless acid backbone, packaged within a satiny texture and finishing on a lingering lemon tea and minerals note. The alcohol came in at 13.2% this year with a residual sugar of 126.5 grams per liter, and total acidity is 3.9 grams per liter H2SO4. [Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 08/05/2019]

Anticipated maturity: 2019-2040