1989 Cos d'Estournel
By Chateau Cos d'Estournel
1989 Cos d'Estournel from Chateau Cos d'Estournel, St-Estephe, Bordeaux
In the world of fine claret, the 1989 Cos d'Estournel from Château Cos d'Estournel is an exemplar of the vintage's depth and grace. With four decades steeped in the art of vinous critique, certain vintages stand out in my memory like beacons against a stormy sea of lesser years. The 1989 vintage, which favoured much of Bordeaux with a benevolent growing season, crafted wines that have beckoned collectors and investors alike to their opulent embrace.
Provenance Par Excellence: A Vintage to Savour
St-Estephe, often undervalued when juxtaposed with its glitzy neighbours, has here presented an offering that embodies the best of what a vintage and a venerable estate can provide. The 1989 Cos d'Estournel strides into the panorama with assured presence, showcasing a mature complexity borne of excellent provenance and impeccable care throughout its slumber in cellar.
Describing Decades in a Glass
The pivotal characteristic of this wine lies not merely in its seductive bouquet or the harmonious interplay between cassis and truffle on the palate; it is the way in which time has woven narratives of terroir and climate into each sip. This is a wine that speaks, quite eloquently, of its birthright: a warm spring ushering an early budbreak was followed by an equally generous summer, culminating in a harvest that was as uninterrupted as it was bountiful. The result is a tapestry rich with ripe fruit notes framed by an alluring tertiary patina—a symphony in which every note is both distinct and part of a grander whole.
For those considering an addition to their collection or seeking out investment-grade wines, 1989 Cos d'Estournel presents not just an enological joy but also tangible value appreciation potential. Its rarity only intensifies as time marches inexorably onward.
In Summary: The Investment Merits of Maturation
To grasp a bottle of 1989 Cos d'Estournel is to hold history; to taste it is to understand the collusion of man, vine, and environment at its most triumphant. This St-Estephe marvel provides connoisseurs and investors alike with the impetus for acquisition—its narrative woven through decades requires no further embellishment than what your own senses will provide.
Market price (SGD)
$2,980.00
12x75cl
Highest score
95
POP score
118.67
Scores and tasting notes
Tasted at Robersons' 1989 Bordeaux horizontal. The Cos d'Estournel 1989 has a dense, broody bouquet with typical Saint Estephe earthiness complemented by hints of seaweed and a touch of ox blood. The palate is medium-bodied with firm but rounded tannins, very good weight and concentration here, fine acidity and harmony with a nice build so that its finishes with a peacocks tails of mulberry, cedar and leather. This is maturing beautifully, lovely talcum finish. Drink now-2025. Tasted June 2010.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Nov 2010
The 1989 Cos d'Estournel is very good, but uninspiring. The 1989, although good, does not live up to expectations given the terroir and the vintage. Its deep ruby color is followed by a spicy vanillin, curranty nose, medium body, excellent depth, but a monolithic personality. It possesses neither the concentration nor dimension of the exceptional 1990. The 1989 possesses some hard tannin in the finish, but it is well-integrated with the wine's ripe fruit. Look for this wine to drink well for the next 15+ years.
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 27 February 1997