1989 Wine and Port Vintage
Bordeaux:
The 1989 vintage was the middle year of a successful run of three vintages from 1988 to 1990. The vintage is now regarded as an excellent vintage for Bordeaux. As with the other successful vintages the weather was kind with a long, hot, dry summer ripening the grapes. The conditions seemed to favour St Julien, Pauillac and Pomerol but not so much Margaux. The wines from this vintage are generally characterised by high tannin levels, low acidity and high alcohol levels due to the ripe grapes. Our recommendation would be a luscious sweet and long-lived 1989 Sauternes .
Champagne: The 2nd in a trio of great vintages. Spring was early and was followed by ideal growing conditions with a very hot summer leading to a large crop of very ripe and healthy grapes being harvested in September and October. The champagnes are rich, luscious and soft, being exceptionally appealing in youth but also possessing enough rip and acidity to reward extended cellaring. In style, and character, the champagnes are reminiscent of the glorious 1982 vintage.
Portugal: 1989 was a very hot year in Portugal. The summer was extremely warm which led to an early harvest under ideal climatic conditions. There are some some excellent dry wines produced from this harvest. Our recommendation is the 1989 Poco de Lobo Cabernet Sauvignon , fully mature and still drinking beautifully.
Portugal:
1989 was not a general declaration of Vintage for Ports. However this was a good year that produced some attractive, full bodied single quinta wines with plenty of appeal. A Port like our 1989 Messias Vintage Port , recommended by our wine buyer, makes an excellent 34 year old wine gift for a 34th birthday or anniversary.
Spain: The 1989 Wine vintage in Spain was above average and many fine wines were produced. The winter of 1988/9 was very cold, dry and frosty - one of the driest of the century. There were heavy frosts at the end of November which affected some of the vines, causing an irregular budding the following spring: Viura was worst hit, with some damage to Tempranillo and less to Garnacha vines. Spring, by contrast, was very warm with the vines developing early and setting taking place in Rioja Baja in the first week of June, with the rest of the region following suit in the next two weeks. The summer was hot but, as so often, afflicted by hailstorms over quite wide areas of Rioja Alta and more localised parts of Rioja Alavesa. However, by the end of summer the vines were estimated to be two weeks in front of a normal year in development terms. The vintage started in Rioja Baja on 6th September.
This Year in History: Fun Fact: Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist, invented the World Wide Web (WWW).
Eurovision Winner: Yugoslavia with the song "Rock Me" by Riva
Born in this Year: Rebecca Adlington, Swimmer, Olympic freestyle swimmer who won two gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, in the 400m and 800m events.
Top Grossing Movie: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
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19 products found.
Palmer Port, 1989
White Port
50cl Bottle
1989 White Colheita Port - 50cl Bottle. Exclusive to VWP.
This rare white port-wine has been stored in seasoned oak casks since the 1989 harvest until it was bottled this year. White ports are a true rarity and this 30 year old is an outstanding example.
Tasting Notes: The 1989 palmer has a golden amber colour. On the nose it has a very fine, elegant aroma of honey, and peach infused with a spicy redolence of citrus peel and cinnamon. There are layers of complexity here with mint and a touch of walnut. The palate is perfectly balanced with a fresh acidity and sweetness. It has an amazing rich mellow flavour and an elegant citrus finish that lasts for minutes. …
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Price: $76.87 USD
Stock: 38 in Stock
Ryst Dupeyron Armagnac, 1989
Ryst Dupeyron Reserve Joseph Millesime vintage Armagnac
50cl bottle
Includes original orange colour cardboard gift box
The 1989 Dupeyron Armagnac is the expression of a single year and has a unique character associated with the year and the cask in which it has been stored. These vintages are bottled at the alcohol level in which they naturally come out of the cask. There is a wonderful contrast between the sweet and sour flavours of wood, amplified by the strong alcoholic degree. Rich palate feeling the alcohol and the concentration of dry plums, spicy with persistent flavour of rancio and of spices, but round, soft and long in the finish. The tannins are very present, but full-bodied and round.
The Maison Ryst-Dupeyron was founded by Joseph Dupeyron in 1905. …
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Price: $101.29 USD
Stock: 12 in Stock
Bodegas Toro Albalá
POLEY AMONTILLADO EN RAMA 35 Year Old
92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
50cl Bottle
This extremely old wine proceeds from the winery’s foundational Solera, when José María Toro Albalá began to produce wines in Lagar del Carmen, in 1922. The wine is obtained in a subtle and slow way; it’s the time that induces its transformation. After an ageing of 10 years under a veil of flor in American oak butts, the veil begins to weaken and lose its protection, allowing the start of a long oxidative ageing. A unique wine acknowledged with 92 Robert Parker points.
TASTING NOTES
Sight: Amber and, when shaken, it tints the glass with a beautiful range of copper tones.
Aroma: Very intense, spicy and noble woods in still glass, leading to a glaze touch and fine pastry notes. …
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Price: $64.05 USD
Stock: 36 in Stock
Kopke, 1989
New
Vintage Port Presented in original Kopke Gift Box
A very rare bottle of Kopke VP. This is one of those noses where you can keep going back and finding things you think it smells like. I really like that. A bit punchy initially with it's alcohol, the finish is where this wine really shines. Starts off as fresh popcorn, turning hazelnuts and honey, then granola and brown sugar..... off into a 40-second long finish with various evolution in which I am sure different people would find different things. Truly delicious. This wine is very, very good. I love it when a wine forces you to think about it, and this does just that. Captivating, complex, intense and delicious. …
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Price: $166.62 USD
Stock: 24 in Stock
Bairrada, 1989
Quinta Poço do Lobo - MAGNUM ( 1,5 litre)
Caves S. Joao, established in 1920, became a dominant force in Portuguese wine making in the early 20th century with their houses Porta dos Cavaleiros in Dao and Frei Joao in Bairrada. Given the shifting trends in consumer preferences, Bairrada and Dao fell to obscurity in the 1990s when critical influence drove the demand for bigger, extracted, warmer climate wines. As in all things, however, what comes around goes around! Sure enough, 20 years later savvy consumers and food-conscious sommeliers are looking for finesse and freshness and heading back to Bairrada and Dao. Wines that when young had a vegetal character, …
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Price: $191.05 USD
Stock: 3 in Stock
Bairrada, 1989
Quinta Poço do Lobo - Cabernet Sauvignon
Caves S. Joao, established in 1920, became a dominant force in Portuguese wine making in the early 20th century with their houses Porta dos Cavaleiros in Dao and Frei Joao in Bairrada. Given the shifting trends in consumer preferences, Bairrada and Dao fell to obscurity in the 1990s when critical influence drove the demand for bigger, extracted, warmer climate wines. As in all things, however, what comes around goes around! Sure enough, 20 years later savvy consumers and food-conscious sommeliers are looking for finesse and freshness and heading back to Bairrada and Dao. Wines that when young had a vegetal character, …
more >>>
Price: $76.87 USD
Stock: 116 in Stock
Bairrada, 1989
Quinta Poço do Lobo
Caves S. Joao, established in 1920, became a dominant force in Portuguese wine making in the early 20th century with their houses Porta dos Cavaleiros in Dao and Frei Joao in Bairrada. Given the shifting trends in consumer preferences, Bairrada and Dao fell to obscurity in the 1990s when critical influence drove the demand for bigger, extracted, warmer climate wines. As in all things, however, what comes around goes around! Sure enough, 20 years later savvy consumers and food-conscious sommeliers are looking for finesse and freshness and heading back to Bairrada and Dao. Wines that when young had a vegetal character, …
more >>>
Price: $88.47 USD
Stock: 119 in Stock
Barbaresco, 1989
Serio & Battista Borgogno
Barbaresco is one of the great wines of Italy's north-western Piedmont region. This aristocratic red has its vineyards situated in the Langhe, on the right-hand side of the Tanaro river and extending from the area north-east of Alba to the communes of Barbaresco, Nieve and Treiso. The dominant variety grown is Nebbiolo, but Dolcetto and Barbera also play a part. The vines are generally grown on limestone-rich marl soils. similar to the Tortonium soils of the Barolo and La Morra areas in Barolo. Similar to its more famous sibling Barolo, Barbaresco is made from 100% Nebbiolo and shares its cult status as one of the finest wines in the world. …
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Price: $229.52 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Barbaresco, 1989
Musso - Bricco Rio Sordo
Barbaresco is one of the great wines of Italy's north-western Piedmont region. This aristocratic red has its vineyards situated in the Langhe, on the right-hand side of the Tanaro river and extending from the area north-east of Alba to the communes of Barbaresco, Nieve and Treiso. The dominant variety grown is Nebbiolo, but Dolcetto and Barbera also play a part. The vines are generally grown on limestone-rich marl soils. similar to the Tortonium soils of the Barolo and La Morra areas in Barolo. Similar to its more famous sibling Barolo, Barbaresco is made from 100% Nebbiolo and shares its cult status as one of the finest wines in the world. …
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Price: $242.34 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Barolo, 1989
Cantine Prandi, Piedmont - LAST LIBRARY STOCK
The 1989 Barolo Cantine Prandi have come from the producer's cellars where they laid undisturbed since bottling.
Cantine Prandi was established in the 1920s when grandfather Farinetti Majorino envisioned selling part of the wine produced for family use to the commercial market. In the 1960's his nephew Giovanni came to lend a hand and was instrumental in shaping the winery and its future development. Up to 2009, Giovanni's son Alessandro looked after the beautiful vineyards situated in the long hills surrounding Piemonte. In recent years, due to Alessandro's passing, the winery ceased production. …
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Price: $250.03 USD
Stock: 22 in Stock
Cabernet Sauvignon (I), 1989
Gaierhof
A classic red Italian wine made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. The wine has aged to produce a garnet core with a clear rim. Lots of oak, leather and soft tannins remain.
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Price: $101.29 USD
Stock: 9 in Stock
Chateau d'Yquem, 1989
Sauternes 1er Cru Classe
***98 points - Robert Parker***
Yquem is indisputedly the best wine in Sauternes and may well be the finest sweet wine in the world.
Meticulously made with incredible power, texture, complexity and ageing potential The 1989 is a powerful, intense, rich wine; astonishingly complex; perfectly balanced and a fine, persistent finish.
98 points
Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (4), January 2003
What a remarkable trilogy of vintages for Chateau d'Yquem (I am speaking of the 1990, 1989 and 1988). This vintage leans more toward the 1990 than 1988 in style. It is a very unctuously textured, medium gold-colored Yquem that is oozing with honey-soaked oranges, pineapples, apricots, and peaches. …
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Price: $634.69 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Musar, 1989
Bekaar Valley, Gaston Hochar
Magnum
The 1989 Musar is a blend of Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Carignan from this well-known and highly regarded Lebanese winery.
Chateau Musar is often referred to as the Lafite of the Lebanon. Wine maker Gaston Hochar defied the odds producing a string of great wines during the Lebanon War. Musar has assumed legendary status. Complex, long-lived and endlessly varied, in some vintages it seems more like a Burgundy, in others a Bordeaux, in still others a Hermitage. But it is always brilliantly, uniquely, Lebanese. Ages magnificently but good vintages are usually best at 10-20 years old. …
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Price: $493.65 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateauneuf du Pape, 1989
Chateau de Beaucastel Pierre Perrin
*** 97 Points Robert Parker ***
Château de Beaucastel has long been considered one of the great wines of France. It is unanimously renowned for its balance, elegance and ageing potential. Beaucastel has an extraordinary terroir at the Northern end of the appellation with heavy exposure to the Mistral. All 13 varieties of the appellation have been organically grown here since the sixties.
1989 was a good year for Rhone Wines and the Beaucastel has striking colour. The nose is profound and sweet, with black truffle, under-wood, and earthy notes. The mouth is fruity, fleshy and round, with soft tannins. …
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Price: $250.03 USD
Stock: 3 in Stock
Vieux Chateau Certan, 1989
Pomerol
***94 Points- Neal Martin for the Wine Advocate
***94 Points- Neal Martin for the Wine Advocate, tasted 2016***
"The 1989 Vieux Château Certan has long been one of my favorite wines of that decade. The bouquet shows no signs of relinquishing that title with gorgeous black truffle, bay leaf, warm gravel and briary scents that are simply beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine line of acidity, "warm earth" on the entry, leather and truffle, great depth here with sublime precision on the finish, which is bridled with hints of mushroom and cloves. Maybe this is reaching its peak? Then again, it shows absolutely no signs of reaching the end of its plateau. …
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Price: $332.09 USD
Stock: 4 in Stock
Vouvray, 1989
Domaine du Clos Naudin, Vouvray, Moelleux
Sweet Wine
Produced by Philippe Foreau who's grandfather started the Domaine in 1923. This was an outstanding vintage for these lush dessert wines.
100% Chenin Blanc. 75cl Bottle. Abv 13%.
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Price: $115.33 USD
Stock: 3 in Stock
Vouvray, 1989
Le Haut-Lieu, Moelleux, Premiere Trie, Domaine Huet, Loire, Domaine Gaston Huet
98 Points Robert Parker
Nobly elegant and perfectly balanced raisin fruit with precise aromas of dried apricots and ripe peaches intertwined with subtly spicy, mineral and chalky notes on the nose. Sweet and superbly harmonious on the highly elegant, silky textured and well concentrated palate, this full-bodied, gorgeously fruit-concentrated and animated Chenin from the first picking of dried berries has a perfect, sensual flow and reveals an incredible generosity, finesse and delicacy. This is a gorgeously balanced sweet wine with an intriguing concentration of fruit and finesse.
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Price: $152.58 USD
Stock: 2 in Stock
Chateau Margaux, 1989
Margaux, 1er Grand Cru Classe *** 92 Points - Neil Martin Wine Journal ***
Chateau Margaux is one of the grandest buildings amongst the Médoc châteaux. A chequered period of ownership in the 19th and early 20th century meant that the quality of some Margaux vintages was patchy, until a change in ownership in 1977 restored the property to its rightful status. Since then the Chateau has progressed to produce some legendary wines, as well as displaying consistency through the not-so-good years.
The estate has 82 hectares under vine, with Cabernet Sauvignon dominant (75%) with 20% Merlot making up most of the rest, along with a smattering of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. …
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Price: $762.92 USD
Stock: Out of Stock
Rioja, 1989
Remelluri Reserva, Rioja
In this wine from old vines on the Remelluri estate owned by Telmo Rodriguez & his sister Amaia, Tempranillo grape is blended with a little Graciano and Garnacha (Grenache); The wine from this vintage is still displaying lots of fruit. In addition the cooler climate has helped combine the earthy red fruit with spice and savouriness - and with amazing elegance. It's a complex Rioja Reserva and a refreshing acidity cuts through the richness making it very drinkable indeed
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Price: $102.51 USD
Stock: Out of Stock