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D'Yquem 1989 (375ML)
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Critic Scores, Reviews & Descriptions
100 DE / 98 VM / 97 RP / 97 WS / 19 JR
This took home the audience award at the 67 Pall Mall tasting that I was hosting, with good reason. What a brilliant example of why Sauternes should be left to gather nuance and to shed its more exuberant, fattier early years before opening. This is just a masterclass in the layers and complexity that you find in fully mature Yquem; saffron, truffle, pineapple, quince, lime, apricots and lemon. Hugely persistent with a squeeze of scraping slate acidity through the final few minutes that gives a dry but mouthwatering finish. It is clearly in its tertiary phase in terms of the type of aromatics, and the beautiful amber, rose-gold colour, but there is no sense that it is beginning to run out of steam. A concentrated, gloriously balanced Yquem that has decades ahead of it, and fully justifies the reputation of the vintage. Count Alexandre Lur Saluces was heading up the estate at the time. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040 Jane Anson - Dacanter 01/21
The 1989 Yquem is probably the best and most consistent of the triumvirate at the end of the decade. Two bottles tasted at 30 years of age give me no reason to alter that opinion. Limpid gold in color, slightly lighter than the 1988, it has a vivacious bouquet of gorgeous orange blossom, tinned apricot, quince jelly and wild heather, all delivered with impressive clarity. The palate is cohesive, pure and exquisitely balanced, sporting just the right amount of viscosity (less than the 1990). It bursts with tangerine, white peach, saffron and fresh fig, flecks of Seville orange marmalade appearing on the finish. This is Yquem flirting with its very best, and you never know – it could get even better with age. Tasted at Hide restaurant in London. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
The favorite sweet wine of millionaires, Chateau d'Yquem has, not unexpectedly, turned in a brilliant effort with their newly released 1989. It is a large-scaled, massively rich, unctuously-textured wine that should evolve effortlessly for a half century or more. It does not reveal the compelling finesse and complexity of the 1988 or 1986, but it is a far heavier, richer wine than either of those vintages. It is reminiscent of the 1976, with additional fat and glycerin. The wine is extremely alcoholic and rich, with a huge nose of smoky, honey-covered coconuts and overripe pineapples and apricots. As with most young vintages of Yquem, the wine's structure is barely noticeable. These wines are so highly extracted and rich yet approachable young, it is difficult to believe they will last for 50 or more years. The 1989 is the richest Yquem made in the eighties, and it has an edge in complexity over the powerhouse 1983. It remains to be seen whether this wine will develop the extraordinary aromatic complexity possessed by the promising 1988 and 1986 Yquems. Last tasted 11/97. - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
Very classy and beautiful, packed with botrityzed flavors. Marvelous blend of vanilla, cream, tobacco-box notes, with a lot of oak on it for now but also loads of pure, clean and elegant fruit. An infant that will age for a long time.--Yquem vertical. Best after 2020. - Wine Spectator
Two halves tasted towards the end of the JancisRobinson.com Christmas dinner were surprisingly different. They were both deep golden amber hue but with different intensities. The paler one was definitely simpler than the darker one. The former had an intense impact of sweetness beautifully counterbalanced by just the right amount of acidity and the special depth of Yquem with glossy satin texture. Candied-lemon flavour. The darker one, on the other hand, was much more intense and savoury in flavour with more complexity. Really intense and long. The score applies to the darker example, which continued to reverberate on the palate for minutes. - Jancis Robinson
