1989 Latour
By Chateau Latour
The 1989 Latour from Chateau Latour, Pauillac, Bordeaux
The heralded 1989 vintage of Bordeaux remains a touchstone for investors and collectors, and nowhere is the transcendent quality of that year more palpable than in the bottles of the 1989 Latour from Chateau Latour. As an iconic Pauillac, this vintage articulates the harmony between patience and providence that only time can unveil.
A Vintage Blessed by the Elements
The conditions of that fateful year graced the vines with an ample flourish of ripeness and balance. A serene growing season, abiding by nature's rhythms without incident, led to grapes that were models of health and opulence. The craftsmanship at Chateau Latour converged with this climatic bounty to forge a wine that is a paragon of Pauillac virtue.
Setting Itself Apart
One does not merely taste the 1989 Latour; one experiences it. At its peak maturity, the wine exudes a complexity seldom rivalled. Its aromatic depth dances with scents of blackberry, cassis, tobacco, and the subtlest hints of truffle – an olfactory ballet set in a forest at dawn. Upon sipping, it unveils a rich tapestry of dark fruits entwined with earthy undertones and fine tannins. The finish? A reverberating echo through time that lingers as if unwilling to depart from one's memory.
The 1989 vintage stands apart in its integration of strength and elegance, hallmarks of an exceptional investment bottle. The tannic backbone once assertive in its youth now purrs with sophistication, promising further tales for those with the foresight to cellar it still longer.
For the erudite collector or the astute investor seeking provenance and performance in equal measure, this Pauillac from Chateau Latour distinguishes itself emphatically from other vintages. The alignment of vintage character with the enduring pedigree of Chateau Latour makes the 1989 Latour a fulcrum upon which portfolios may both pivot and soar.
In closing, reflective contemplation on this storied nectar underscores not just the allure of exceptional Bordeaux wines such as the 1989 Latour, but also their immutable place at the table where history meets artistry – an intersection well-traversed by connoisseurs who regard wine not merely as a beverage but as a living chronicle penned in vines.
Market price (HKD)
HK$50,430.00
12x75cl
Highest score
89
POP score
586.67
Scores and tasting notes
This wine was tasted at a vertical tasting held in Charlotte, North Carolina several days before the Christie tasting. The Latour staff spoke far more highly of the 1989 than my experience has shown. It possesses many characteristics that make great vintages of Bordeaux so alluring - softness, overripeness, and sweet fruit. The problem is that there are insufficient quantities of these components. An evolved dark ruby color reveals amber at the edge. The nose offers aromas of caramel, coffee, ripe black cherry and currant fruit, cedar, and spice box. Although medium-bodied, with low acidity, the wine lacks richness in the mid-palate, and is surprisingly abrupt in the finish. It is a very fine, delicious Latour, but it is hard to believe it will attain the weight and flavor dimensions its producers suggest. Anticipated maturity: now-2020.
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 25 June 2000