Wine Advisor
Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1989
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Description
Within the five rarefied first growths, Lafite is perhaps the wine with the best reputation for quality and longevity, commanding correspondingly high prices. It is considered by some to be the best wine to come out of Bordeaux. In 1815, Guillaume Lawton said of Château Lafite, “I consider it to be the the most elegant and delicate, with the finest substance of the three (Premier Crus). The location of its vines is one of the finest in the Médoc”. In 1855 the Château was ranked as a Premier Grand Cru in the famous classification that was prepared for the Universal Exhibition of that year. Lafite is also known as the ‘King’s wine’, after being introduced to the Court at Versailles by Maréchal Richelieu.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s Christmas lunch. At 21-years of age, the Lafite-Rothschild ’89 has a lovely bouquet, quintessential Pauillac with cedar, pencil shavings, bay leaf and tar. The aromatics are very well-defined and melt nicely with aeration though all the time remaining well-knit. The palate is medium-bodied with a svelte, quite seductive entry with hints of blackcurrant wine gums, wild strawberry, cedar and graphite. It has impressive weight in the mouth with a strident, graphite and dried herb finish that lingers wonderful. Simply a wonderful Pauillac at the peak of its powers. Drink now-2025. Tasted December 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The medium to dark ruby-colored 1989 is forward, with the tell-tale fragrance of lead pencils, cedar, and curranty fruit. Its high glycerin and abundant alcohol content reveal the vintage character. The wine has firmed up since bottling and is much less flattering to taste. It is medium-bodied and expansive, with rich fruit, considerable elegance and focus, and a long, full finish loaded with sweet tannin. Anticipated maturity: 1997-2020. Last tasted, 6/93.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The forward 1989 offers the tell-tale fragrance of lead pencils, cedar, and curranty fruit, and, for Lafite, unusually high glycerin and alcohol. The wine is easy to taste and appreciate, as it is rich, medium-bodied, expansive, and more supple and obvious than usual. Speculating when it might be in full blossom is no easy chore given its sexy, sensual yet light style. It is somewhere between the 1953 and 1976 in stylistic terms. Anticipated maturity: 1997-2020.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
This particular vintage has cropped up several times in 2012. Here, served in Bordeaux, it has a leafy bouquet with graphite infused blackberry and briary aromas that build beautifully in the glass. It is quintessential Lafite - elegant and refined, with no desire to impress by its power. The palate is supremely well balanced with fine tannins that frame the undergrowth and cedar-tinged black fruit. It is wonderfully composed, a stately Lafite-Rothschild that is at its peak. Beautiful. Drink now. Tasted November 2012.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted from magnum at Bordeaux Index, this is another confirmation that the 1989 is the Lafite to go for if choosing between 1988, 1989 and 1990. Here it has a typical Lafite nose with cedar, graphite and not so much menthol this time, but traces of wild mint. It blossoms with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a sense of solidity that I find missing in the 1988 or 1990. It has a sense of femininity and grace: an undercurrent of sous-bois, bay leaf and a touch of sandalwood. Harmonious with good length, I feel that the 1989 is at its peak right at this very moment. Tasted December 2012.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the IMW Lafite seminar in London. Without question, the bouquet on the 1989 is much fresher and livelier than the 1990. It offers similar aromas to the bottle broached at the end of 2010 with blackberry, dried herbs, a touch of menthol developing. The palate is medium-bodied with great tension and finesse on the entry. Notes of dusky black fruit, sage, a touch of spice and balsamic. It has a fine backbone and superb focus, the finish very elegant and composed with lovely decayed red fruit and a hint of cloves towards. Superb. A point. Tasted February 2012.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted on three occasions. "Top class" at the 1990 horizontal for Tommy's charity dinner. A second appearance at the Farr horizontal. A very fine fresh nose of cedar, graphite and tar. Superb definition though less involving aromatically than Mouton-Rothschild 1989. The palate is very harmonious, with well knit tannins. Wild strawberry (from the 33% merlot) tobacco and cedar. Unmistakably Pauillac. Overall, showing more sophistication and focus than Mouton - the balance is finer although Mouton has more power and perhaps longevity. Wait another 5 years. Then at the FWE Lafite vertical in December 2005. Slightly more opaque than the Lafite 1990. This is much mellower on the nose, minerally, graphite, cedar and some black pepper. The palate has less richness and alcohol than the 1990, superb balance and more clarity and balance. Very minerally, cedary and burnt toast. This shows lovely restraint. A lovely Lafite, one that begs to accompany some Pauillac lamb.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Even if the 1989 is not as perfect as the 1982, or as potentially long-lived as the 1986 and 1988, it is still a top Lafite. The wine is forward, with the tell-tale fragrance of lead pencils, cedar, and curranty fruit. Because of its high glycerin and abundant alcohol content, the hot, early harvest has clearly stamped its imprint. The wine is almost too easy to taste and appreciate, as it is rich, medium-bodied, expansive, and more supple and obvious than usual. However, given past performances, I suspect this wine will close up soon. Speculating when it might be in full blossom is no easy chore given its sexy, sensual yet light style. It is somewhere between the 1953 and 1976 in stylistic terms, but clearly less concentrated than either of these wines. Anticipated maturity: 1997-2020. Tasted nine times. NOTE: Several bottles tasted in March, 1992, had a disturbing cardboard (filter pad?) smell. Inconsistent notes.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A Possible Legend Candidate The 1989 is an interesting prospect.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
As I suspected, the 1989 and 1990 vintages of Lafite-Rothschild have gone dormant. Both wines were among the more closed, backward examples in my blind tasting. The 1989 Lafite is also outstanding, but closed, with the tannin more elevated, and the wine so stubbornly reticent as to make evaluation almost impossible. Lafite's 1989 was far more easy to taste and understand several years ago. It appears to have gone completely to sleep. This medium ruby-colored, medium-bodied wine reveals new oak in the nose, and a spicy finish. It is a quintessentially elegant, restrained, understated style of Lafite. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025.
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