1989 Chateau d’Yquem Premier Cru Superieur, Sauternes 1x750ml

Vinous 97

To finish, back on home turf with the 1989 Yquem. It is a vintage I have drunk many times in recent years: quince, apricots, honey and saffron burst forth on the nose with brilliant delineation. The palate is a little tauter than in previous bottles, with marmalade and quince to the fore and an energetic, poised, intense finish that lingers in the mouth. It's not the best bottle I ve had, but it's not far off! [Neal Martin, 01/09/2024]

Anticipated maturity: 2024-2060

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, 05/08/2019]

Anticipated maturity: 2019-2040