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95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
One of the superstars of the vintage, Palmer’s 1989 retains a dark plum/purple color with some pink and a hint of amber creeping in at the rim. A big nose of charcoal, white flowers (acacia?), licorice, plums, and black currants comes from the glass of this elegant, medium to full-bodied, very concentrated, seamlessly made wine. Gorgeous and seemingly fully mature yet brilliantly balanced, this wine may well turn out to be a modern-day clone of the glorious 1953
Wine Description
The Story
Vintage after vintage, the wines of Château Palmer express our vision of an exceptional wine. We believe that it is born of the mysterious trilogy – terroir, history, memory – and all of our efforts are concentrated on bringing it into the world. Distinction, high standards and commitment are the values that guide every choice we make from the vineyard to the table where the wine is served.
Knowing
Knowing your terroir, your grapes, and your wines – this is a threefold enterprise of patient observation. What seems to be a given is in fact a matter of exacting standards at every moment. To know the terroir you have to become intimately familiar with it. We strive to know the grape variety, subsoil, and exposure of each and every plot but also of each and every row within the plot, as we regard every vine as a unique individual. To know our grapes well, we closely monitor their development until maturity. To know our wines, we taste the batches, the vats, the barrels, and the bottles again and again.
Understanding
Progress in œnology has provided us with insight into the development of wines. Progress in agronomy has given us a better understanding of the life of our vineyards. This makes for more precision in our interventions as much in the winery as in the vineyards. Applying the best technical innovations in a spirit of reconciliation between science and craftsmanship, we use all relevant means to reveal the unique character of the Palmer terroir with each new vintage.
Creating
With the grapes that nature offers us, our job is to create the best possible wine. Is this craftsmanship or artistry? No doubt both. Like skilled craftspeople that love their trade, we select and blend the batches with meticulous care. And like artists, we let ourselves be swept away by the work that is born, as it imposes itself upon our will, surprises, amazes and transcends us.
Kindling desire
Ultimately our goal is to make Château Palmer wines as desirable as can be. To achieve this, everything we do, whether we work in the vineyard, the winery, or in the offices, is informed by high standards and a sense of detail Nothing is left to chance, not the choice of paper for a label, or that of an etching for the wood crates, or of a theme for a reception.
Wine Information
Characteristics of the vintage
1989 was hot year that produced the earliest vintage of the century. The wines were of exceptional quality, similar, if not superior to the 1982s.
Flowering took place in May, when the warm weather encouraged vine growth. Temperatures soared in June and the heatwave continued throughout July and August. The little rain that did fall was welcome to alleviate vine stress and allow the ripening process to continue.
At the beginning of September, more rain made the choice of a picking date difficult. In terms of the Cabernet Sauvignon, the situation was complicated still further by the fact that although sugar levels were high, the polyphenols were not as ripe as they might be.
Alcohol and tannin levels were high and the tannins were of excellent quality, soft and ripe. Acidity was naturally low. The 1989s were powerful, rich and full-bodied yet supple.
Harvest dates: from 09/06/1989 to 09/23/1989
Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon: 52%
Merlot: 41%
Petit Verdot: 6%
Cabernet Franc: 1%
Tasting
Tasting notes from Enrico Bernardo, 12/01/2011:
Limpid, ruby-red colour.
Rather closed-in on the nose with nuances of cherry jam, pepper, and mushrooms.
Broad-based, smooth, very round, elegant, and intense on the palate. However lacking somewhat in length and complexity.
Tasting notes from Georges Lepré, 02/04/2012:
The dark ruby color shows some garnet nuances.
The bouquet explodes with jammy black fruits, woody notes, mild spices, violets, camphor, tobacco, toast, leather and truffle.
The attack confirms this rich fruit, with distinguished tannins and an exemplary freshness. Although full-bodied, it also shows excellent harmony and incomparable grace. It seduces our senses right down to the straightforward finish and extraordinary flavors.
This Palmer is a truly great wine.
It can be held until the 30s.
Vintage 1989
Bordeaux: The 2nd in a trio of great vintages and which produced a large harvest of ripe, rich and fleshy wines which generally possess soft, silky tannins, accompanied by a high alcohol level. It was the hottest summer since 1949 and the harvest began on August 28, the earliest since 1893. The grapes were harvested in dry conditions, the only concern being that some acidity levels were low, which which has led to suggestions that some wines would not be suitable for long-term aging. Ten years later, these fears have proven to be largely unfounded, as the best wines are now showing extremely well, showing concentration and great complexity.