Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1989

Suckling: Freshly picked blackberries turn into minty dark chocolate and oozing caramel with domineering eucalyptus on the nose. It becomes yet more complex on the palate thanks to layers upon layers of spices and sage plus fat and rounded tannins. There's a long finish with a bitter aftertaste, suggesting this could do with another 10 years or more of bottle aging. This is a Mouton I found massive at the time, then elegant and slightly austere years later, but today true to its former glory. Like the amazing 1947, it should not be forgotten.

Parker: Tasted at Handford’s 21st anniversary tasting. The Mouton ’89 is a lovely Pauillac that has reached its plateau of maturity. It has an engaging cedar-scented bouquet touches of cigar box, mint and a touch of Italian cooked meats. Very well defined, very “old school”. The palate is medium-bodied and very harmonious with grainy tannins. It continues the aromatic theme of cedar and tobacco, relatively foursquare compared to Pichon-Baron of Lynch Bages, with a slightly leafy finish that demonstrates great persistency. It is very “classic” in style, restrained, elegant and bearing similarities to Lafite.