1989 Lafite Rothschild
By Chateau Lafite Rothschild
1989 Lafite Rothschild from Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux
Steeped in as much history as it is in its gravel terroir, the 1989 Lafite Rothschild from Chateau Lafite Rothschild signifies a chapter in Bordeaux that adept collectors and investors cherish. In that year, the estate captured the essence of Pauillac's distinct climatic conditions, bestowing upon us a legacy in a bottle that has matured with grace and complexity.
A Harmonious Symphony of Nature and Nurture
The 1989 vintage in Bordeaux enjoyed a favourable confluence of weather patterns, resulting in wines defined by their balance, depth, and structure. It was this distinguished year when the Chateau Lafite Rothschild mastered the art of extracting Pauillac’s virtues into their Cabernet Sauvignon-led orchestra. Notes that sing of dark berries, nuanced by tertiary whispers of cigar box and leather, encapsulate an exquisite performance on the palate, conducted by time itself.
Elegance Woven into Investment
The elegance of the 1989 Lafite Rothschild is married to its investment-worthy pedigree. It is a vintage that continues to entice fine wine investors for its consistency in market performance and the promise it offers in the expanse of a cellar collection. Its impressive longevity attests not only to the consummate skills of those at Chateau Lafite Rothschild but also to the potential gains inherent in acquisitions of such stature.
As it graces the glass today, the 1989 Lafite Rothschild is replete with a concentrated garnet hue, while its aromatic profile showcases an alluring decay - like autumn leaves mingling with forest floor - enchanting one with mementos of its storied past. On the palate, the wine reveals layers that divulge mature fruit evolved into an intricate tangency with earthy and savoury characters; all held together by a backbone of refined tannins that speak volumes of its superb lineage.
For those privileged to taste or invest in the 1989 Lafite Rothschild from Chateau Lafite Rothschild, understand you are engaging with one page of an epic tome—one where every sip recounts a season within Bordeaux's hallowed vines. A wine thus endowed is more than a mere consumable; it is an heirloom—with each decanting, gifting beneficiaries a brush with vinous aristocracy.
Market price (CAD)
$11,100.00
12x75cl
Highest score
96
POP score
416.88
Scores and tasting notes
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.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Mar 2013
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.
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 27 February 1997