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The 1989 Montrose, from a very warm, dry year, is made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-brick in color (holding its color amazingly!) it sky-rockets from the glass with flamboyant notes of black cherry compote, blueberry pie, and blackcurrant jelly, followed by notes of star anise, peonies, crushed rocks, and tar, plus exotic hints of cardamom and cumin seed. The medium to full-bodied palate is rich, opulent, and well structured, delivering firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness to support the generous, wonderfully pure fruit, finishing long and earthy. This is textbook MontroseThe Wine Independent | 100 TWIThis was yet another wine I drunk with wine collector friends in Bangkok – the city is truly buzzing when it comes to wine and when you know where to look! On the nose, there were intense aromas of iron, pot iron and dried fruits, as well as hints of nuts and wet earth. On the palate, it showed a gorgeous texture of ripe tannins and lots of spicy and currant fruit character. A full-bodied, very soft and silky Bordeaux with lots of flavors and a superb finish. Just right now – indeed it seems to be getting younger with age, not older! Decant an hour before. I think it’s better than the legendary 1990. It’s certainly cleaner and more consistent quality.James Suckling | 99 JSThis was not in the tasting at the chateau, but I opened two bottles on my return home, because this is another near-perfect wine from Montrose. It is an unusual two-grade blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. The wine emerged from another very hot, sunny, dry growing season, with early, generous flowering. Harvest in Montrose took place between September 11 and 28. The wine has never had any issues with brett, making it a somewhat safer selection than the more irregular 1990. Like a tortoise, the 1989 has finally begun to rival and possibly eclipse its long-time younger sibling, the 1990. The wine is absolutely spectacular and in auction sells for a much lower premium than the 1990. That should change. This is a magnificent Montrose, showing notes of loamy soil undertones, intermixed with forest floor, blueberry and blackberry liqueur and spring flowers. It has a full-bodied, intense, concentrated mouthfeel that is every bit as majestic as the 1990, but possibly slightly fresher and more delineated. This great wine should drink well for another 40-50 years.Robert Parker | 98+ RPThe 1989 Montrose is a magnificent wine and this represents one of the best bottles I have encountered – one that was purchased on release and not moved from Berry Brothers’ cellar since. I have encountered perfect bottles of the 1989, and this flirts with that magic figure. It is blessed with a captivating bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, sous-bois and black truffle, the veins of blue fruit just toned down a little compared to previous bottles. The palate is supremely well balanced with those filigreed tannins that in some ways are atypical of Montrose. It delivers silky-smooth texture and an intense finish that glides across the senses. I cannot give a perfect score on this occasion, but without question, this is one of the great Montrose releases. Tasted at the 1989 Bordeaux dinner at Hatched in London.Vinous Media | 98 VMIntense aromas of crushed blackberry and mineral turn to dried flowers and dried fruits, staying fresh on the nose. Full-bodied, offering big, round tannins and loads of ripe, seductive fruit. This is decadent and wild, turning nutty and fruity. A beautiful bottle. This is very close in quality to the legendary 1990.--’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now. 22,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS(Château Montrose) The 1989 Montrose may not be quite as deep as the 1990, but it is a purer wine of precise definition and classic proportions. The superb nose offers up a refined mélange of cassis, dark berries, cigar ash, gravelly soil tones, espresso, fresh herbs and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and shows off excellent mid-palate depth, with ripe, beautifully-integrated tannins, tangy acids and outstanding focus and grip on the youthful, pristine and old school finish. Some may prefer the more overtly powerful style of the 1990 Montrose, but for me, though the two vintages are qualitatively equivalent, I prefer the superior transparency and more elegant profile of the 1989. The wine is certainly approachable today, but I would still give it another five or six years’ worth of bottle age to really allow it to fully blossom (Drink between 2019-2070)John Gilman | 94 JG

A wonderful wine, although I would pip the 1986 as just a touch more reflective of the estate. Lovely touches of iron on the attack lead into the most beautiful explosion of black fruits. It blossoms in the glass, showing more concentrated spice than many vintages, with liquorice and earthy, peaty flavours abounding through the palate. It has more stuffing and a little less elegance than the 1986, which gives it a definite appeal. Still extremely young. Served from magnum.Drinking Window 2018 - 2030Decanter | 92 DEC

(Château Trotanoy) It had been many, many years since I last tasted the 1989 Château Trotanoy, and the wine has evolved beautifully from those youthful days and the last two bottles that I have drunk have been really quite lovely. The bouquet is deep, complex and just beginning to blossom at age twenty-four, as it offers up a lovely blend of red plums, a touch of blood orange, tobacco smoke, incipient notes of Pomerol nuttiness, mocha, and a stylish base of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and still fairly primary, with a velvety core of fruit, lovely focus, a fair bit of ripe tannin still to resolve, tangy acids and excellent length and grip on the complex finish. I would still give this vintage of Trotanoy at least another five or six years in the cellar to really open up (though it is certainly quite approachable already), and in reality, this wine is going to be decidedly better to drink ten or twelve years further down the road. A lovely vintage of Trotanoy that still deserves a bit of extended cellaring- it is not quite as big and plush as some ’89 Pomerols, but it is a superb wine that is still climbing in quality. (Drink between 2016-2060).John Gilman | 93 JG All in elegance and finesse. Medium-ruby color at the center; a brick-red edge. Aromas of berries, raisins and sliced mushrooms. Full-bodied and chewy, with lots of round tannins and a tobacco, berry aftertaste.--1989 Bordeaux horizontal. Best after 2001.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA very delicate, elegant wine that has reached full maturity, again the notes of baked herbs, even tapenade are intermixed with sweet and sour cherries. Medium-bodied, soft, and easy to drink, this rather lightweight Trotanoy need to be consumed over the next decade. Last tasted, 2/02.Robert Parker | 90 RPThe 1989 Trotanoy can be variable from bottle to bottle. This one is similar to the one I tasted a couple of years ago. It has a slightly diffuse, quintessential nose of black truffle and hot gravel on a summer day. (The 1990 has a little more oomph.) The palate is mellow and well balanced but lacks the grip of succeeding vintages. It does build with that trait of black pepper toward the finish, although in this vintage it is dwarfed by its peers in Pomerol. Ready to drink now, but I suspect it will last another decade. Tasted at a private dinner in Bordeaux.Vinous Media | 90 VMA bubbling vat of cream here, with complexity coming from the notes of dried wild mushroom and wild flowers, too. The central palate is long, sweet, rich and graceful, drying just a little towards the finish. Drinking Window 2015 - 2029.Decanter | 90 DEC

One of the most singular Bordeaux I have ever tasted, it verges on being port-like, but it pulls back because of the extraordinary minerality and laser-like focus. The wine is massively concentrated, still black/purple-hued to the rim, and offers a nose of incense, blackberries, blueberry liqueur, acacia flowers, and forest floor. It reveals low acidity and high tannins, which are largely concealed by the sheer concentration and lavish glycerin the wine possesses. Aging at a glacial pace, it is approachable, but it will not hit its peak until 2020; it should last for twenty years thereafter. Release price: ($1200.00/case)Robert Parker | 100 RPLiquid cashmere. Stupendous St.-Emilion. Dark ruby color. Wonderful aromas of blackberries, preserved cherries, Indian spices and violets. Full-bodied, with fabulously polished tannins and a long, long finish.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2006. 3,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSParker made this wine a legend when he gave it 100 points on release. And I have had perfect bottles in my life of it. BTW, the 1989 is almost as good. This bottle that I had this week in Hong Kong was very, very closed and not giving the opulent character that I have encountered in this wine. It had been decanted three hours in advance and I still triple decanted it after tasting it because it was so shy on the palate. The 1990 Beausejour Duffau-Lagarosse seems to be going through a dumb period right now but it shows some fascinating dried fruit, mushroom and earth character. It’s full and chewy. I would leave it for a year or so and come back. A living, sort of bitchy wine at the moment.James Suckling | 96 JSDeep ruby to the rim. Extravagant aromas of black fruits, violets, and toffee. Voluptuous and sweet; this has outstanding concentration but with so much baby fat there’s little delineation on the palate. Finishes with a kick of alcohol and substantial ripe tannins. Very dense, but while a flight of other top right-bank wines were sending off fireworks in the glass, this chunky wine sat like a lump of coal.Vinous Media | 91 VM

This is dreamy and fully mature, with incense, black tea and a very fine chalky thread weaving through the silky core of raspberry and damson plum coulis. Long and beguiling through the finish. This drinks almost like a Rayas.—Non-blind Canon vertical (December 2016). Drink now through 2025. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château Canon (St. Émilion)) When I wrote my feature on Château Canon a few years back, I had not tasted the 1990 vintage here for many, many years and the wine did not feature in that report. Consequently, I was very curious to see how the wine was evolving when I heard it would be part of our tasting lineup at the end of December. The wine is very good, but shows some of the roasted character of the vintage in its bouquet of black cherries, a touch of menthol, chalky soil, roasted game elements and a topnote of cigar smoke. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and wide open structurally, with a good core, melted tannins and good length and grip, but without some of the customary Canon elegance that one enjoys here in most top vintages. This is a very good wine, but not a great Canon. (Drink between 2018-2030)John Gilman | 90 JG

The 1990 Le Pavilion is as compelling as the 1989. It exhibits slightly less opulence, but more power and weight. Black colored, with an extraordinary perfume of licorice, sweet blackcurrants, smoke, and minerals, it coats the palate with layer upon layer of decadently rich, superconcentrated, nearly viscous Syrah flavors. There is amazing glycerin, a chewy, unctuous texture, and phenomenal length. The tannins, which are considerable when analyzed, are virtually obscured by the massive quantities of fruit. I hope I live to see the day when Chapoutier's 1990 Ermitage Le Pavilion, Chave's 1990 Hermitage, and Jaboulet's 1990 Hermitage La Chapelle are fully mature! What a trio of wines these three producers have produced from this historic appellation! My best guess for the aging potential of the Ermitage Le Pavilion is that it is more forward than both the Chave and Jaboulet Hermitages, but should you have the good fortune to find a bottle or two, do not open it for at least 7-10 years. It should last for 30-40 years. Last tasted 12/95.Robert Parker | 100 RP

A sensational effort, and one of the two finest Clinets made before the 2008, this prodigious wine made by the late Jean-Michel Arcaute has always been a sprinter out of the gate. Even at age 19, it continues to strut its stuff. A dense blue/garnet/purple hue exhibits slight lightening at the edge, and the gorgeous nose offers up aromas of sweet blueberries, licorice, smoke, acacia flowers, and camphor. Full-bodied with silky tannins, low acidity, and terrific purity, this 1990 has hit its plateau of full maturity where it should remain for another decade.Robert Parker | 97 RPMy previous encounter with the 1990 Clinet was out of magnum, circa the release of my Pomerol tome around a decade ago. It was impressive. However, this bottle suggests that this lauded Pomerol is beginning to stumble after 30 years. Rather volatile on the nose, the 1990 offers smudged black cherries, kirsch, green olives and dates, heady and ostentatious, though missing a bit of refinement. The palate is quite hedonistic, loaded with glycerine, a core of sweet black fruit with touches of fresh date and camphor, some VA just evident on the finish. Highly enjoyable for sure, though I would not leave bottles too long to drink. It is a Pomerol rather emblematic of the time.Vinous Media | 92 VMBeautifully crafted red. Brilliant ruby color. Aromas of fresh berries, blackberries and chocolate jump from the glass. Full-bodied and chewy, but velvety and caressing. Lots of ripe fruit.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2002.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

A benchmark wine for Burgundy. Defines harmony and class, with layer upon layer of ripe earth and raspberry flavors and a great deal of refined new oak. Has a deep, complex, velvety finish. Best from 1998 through 2000. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 100 WSThis wine demands another 6-7 years of cellaring. Oddly, about three years ago it was giving signs of maturing quickly, but it has now completely shut down. The Bordeaux-like, saturated dense ruby/purple color is followed by a tight-fisted nose and flavors of black fruits, underbrush, minerals, smoke, and new oak. Although extremely concentrated, the wine is broodingly backward, and not fun to drink ... yet. This loaded effort should prove to be one of the longest-lived red Burgundies made in the last twenty years. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.Robert Parker | 96 RP

1990: An extraordinary effort, Yquem’s 1990 is a rich and fabulously superb, sweet wine. This wine also possesses lots of elegance and finesse. The wine’s medium gold color is accompanied by an exceptionally sweet nose of honeyed tropical fruits, peaches, coconut, and apricots. High quality, subtle toasty oak is well-integrated. The wine is massive on the palate, with layers of intensely ripe botrytis-tinged, exceptionally sweet fruit. Surprisingly well-integrated acidity, and a seamless, full-bodied power and richness have created a wine of remarkable harmony and purity. Certainly it is one of the richest Yquems I have ever tasted, with 50-100 years of potential longevity. An awesome Yquem! Anticipated maturity: 2003-2050+.Robert Parker | 99 RPHard to contain this wine within the contours of the glass - this is exuberant, concentrated and luscious. Full of blood orange, nectarine, saffron, touches of caramelised ginger, truffle and crème brûlée. A see-saw of zesty acidity and luscious sweetness, this is a beautiful wine that still has decades ahead of it. Owned by the Lur Saluces family at the time, clearly showing why Yquem stands in its own category in the appellation. Drinking Window 2021 - 2050.Decanter | 98 DECTruly superb. Yellow with a gold hue. Intense spice, honey and dried orange peel aromas.Full-bodied, very sweet and very alive. Vibrant Sauternes that goes on and on on the palate. Doesn’t get much better than this. Beautiful now,but wait.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 18,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSFull-blown aromas of caramel, toffee, honey, white chocolate and damp earth; slightly Tokaj-like. Hugely concentrated and layered in the mouth; extraordinary sweetness cut by harmonious acidity. As with the best vintages of Yquem, the finish goes on for a minute or more. Stains, and stuns, the palate. A huge wine, surprisingly extravagant on the nose (earlier bottles have been far more restrained) but completely unevolved and a bit musclebound on the palate. May ultimately merit a higher score.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

One-third each of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, 100% new oak, with a harvest that lasted from 17 September to 6 October. Still deep in colour, and is given a huge boost by the Cabernets. The high sugar and low acidity comes through to give some ripe, almost overripe character with figs and rich berry jam notes. Gentle cold ash and menthol freshness work wonders at the close of play, giving a real boost to the length of the wine on the finish.Decanter | 96 DECOne of Bordeaux’s most schizophrenic properties, as disappointing as Figeac’s 1989 has turned out, the 1990 is fabulous. This property has not made a wine as rich as the 1990 since 1982. In contrast to the 1989, the 1990 is a great Figeac, potentially a richer, more complete and complex wine than the 1982. The 1990 exhibits a saturated dark purple color (somewhat atypical for Figeac), and a gorgeous nose of olives, fruitcake, jammy black fruits, minerals, and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, with gobs of glycerin-imbued, sweet, jammy fruit, this wine is nicely buttressed by moderate tannin and adequate acidity. Fleshy and rich, as well as elegant and complex, it is approachable because of the wine’s sweet fruit, but it promises even more pleasure with 2-4 more years of bottle age; it will last for 20 years. I predict the 1990 Figeac will have one of the most exotic and compelling aromatic profiles of the 1990s. It is a terrific wine!Robert Parker | 94 RPThe 1990 Figeac has been variable over the years, perhaps some bottles showing some brettanomyces? My last bottle was definitely one of the best. Deep in colour, it has a very expressive Cabernet component. Black truffle, Earl grey and cigar humidor scents gain momentum in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, a little leathery on the entry with loose-knit, maybe even slightly rustic red fruit. This is not a finely-tuned Figeac, yet it is full of charm. There is just a mote of dryness on the finish, suggesting that it might well be reaching the end of its drinking plateau. Tasted at a private dinner in Bordeaux.Vinous Media | 93 VMRuby color. Interesting aromas of plums, leaves and berries. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a ripe fruit and chocolate aftertaste. Rich and chunky Figeac.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now. 12,500 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Along with the 1982, 2000, and 2005, the 1990 is one of those monumental Grand Puy Lacostes that you can’t have enough of. Still inky/blue/purple-colored to the rim, it boasts a gorgeously sweet, pure nose of creme de cassis, spring flowers, and a hint of wet rocks. The wine is full-bodied, plush, and expansive with impressive levels of glycerin and purity as well as an endearing texture. This 1990 is evolving at a glacial pace, but the sweetness of the tannins and low acidity ensure a delicious treat whenever a bottle is opened. It should evolve for another 20-25 years. Robert Parker | 96 RPBig and juicy red. Dark color, with coffee bean and chocolate aromas. Full-bodied and velvety, with loads of ripe fruit and a long, flavorful finish.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now through 2010. 27,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

This wine continues to get better and better and is certainly one of the great successes in what is a profound vintage for Bordeaux. While the wine still tastes young, it is already complex, with so much sweet tannin and lavish fruit that it is impossible to resist, even though it probably will not hit its plateau of maturity for another 5-6 years. A stunning nose of licorice, earth, cedar, Provencal herbs, black currants, asphalt, and cherries soars from the glass. Full-bodied, opulent, with fabulous concentration, a seamless texture, and remarkable stuffing and power, this low-acid, thick, almost viscous wine can be drunk now or cellared for at least another two decades. For trivia buffs, this was the wine President Chirac served former President Clinton when he hosted Clinton in Paris at the famous Parisian bistro L’Ami Louis in June, 1999. I know, because several days later President Chirac gave me the Legion of Honor. In his speech, he acknowledged the fact that President Clinton only wanted to “drink a wine rated highly by Robert Parker.” Anticipated maturity: Now-2020. Last tasted, 9/02.Robert Parker | 96 RPAn estate known for its long ageing, and here it has softened at 31 years old, but still offering silky tannins and autumnal fruits with cedar smoked oak, marzipan, dried leather and gentle truffled spice. A thoroughly enjoyable Gruaud Larose showcasing old-school St-Julien balance. Clear crushed mint leaf on the finish, utterly moreish. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend; 33% new oak. (Drink between 2021-2035)Decanter | 94 DECBright medium red with a reddish-amber rim. Pungent notes of cinnamon, quinine and rosemary complicate red cherry on the enticing, aromatic nose. Juicy and fresh on the palate, showing good density to the red fruit, peppery plum and herb flavors. Offers very good texture and chewy but noble tannins, with precise mineral-tinged fruit flavors lingering nicely on the peppery, flinty finish. A real step up in concentration from the 1989, and unlike that vintage this will still improve with further bottle age, though it’s drinking well now. Very well done.Vinous Media | 92 VM