Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 1989

100 points Robert Parker: "Haut-Brion has been the most consistent first-growth over the last decade, producing top-notch wines, even in such tough years as 1987, 1993, and 1994. The 1989 is one of a handful of truly profound wines from a vintage that tends to be overrated, save for the Pomerols, a few St.-Emilions, and some overachievers in the Medoc. However, 1989 was an extraordinary success for Jean Delmas, the administrator of Haut-Brion and La Mission-Haut-Brion. The prodigious 1989 Haut-Brion is one of the greatest first-growths I have ever tasted. It has always reminded me of what the 1959 must have tasted like in its youth, but it is even richer and more compelling aromatically. The wine exhibits an opaque ruby/purple color, as well as a sweet nose of jammy fruit, tobacco, spicy oak, minerals, and smoke. Fabulously concentrated, with huge levels of fruit, extract, and glycerin, this wine is nearly viscous because of its thickness and richness. Low acidity gives the wine even more appeal and adds to its precociousness. The wine has not budged in development since it was first bottled, although it has always provided thrilling drinking because of its voluptuous texture. It needs another 5-6 years of bottle age before it will begin to develop Haut-Brion's fabulous fragrance. Expect it to hit its plateau of maturity around 2003-2005 and drink well for 15-25 years. (Feb 1997)"

100 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 1989 Haut-Brion remains one of the outstanding achievements of the decade, and it consistently flirts with perfection. I was fortunate to taste the wine three times over the space of six months, though this tasting note comes from a bottle poured at the château by Jean-Philippe Delmas – the first time I had ever tasted an ex-château bottle. It is a fabulous wine. Showing little maturity in terms of bricking, it has a fabulous bouquet of graphite, clove and tobacco aromas that burst from the glass, perhaps with a little more amplitude than others I have tasted. The palate is perfectly balanced, displaying amazing depth and perfect acidity, and (unsurprisingly, given its provenance) youthful and seemingly with many chapters to go. More floral elements emerge with time: violets on the nose and then later, a taste of eau-de-vie toward the finish. An astonishing wine that will give many more years of pleasure. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the estate. Drink: 2019-2070. (Sep 2019)"

100 points Wine Spectator: "Fabulous aromas of raspberries, minerals, tobaccco, chocolate. Complex. Full-bodied, with big velvety tannins but elegant and fabulous. Wonderful sweetness. Goes on and on. This has been 100 points since I first tasted it in barrel. It may age forever, but so good now. Love it. '89/'90 Bordeaux non-blind horizontal. Drink now. (2/28/05)"

100 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "It had been more than a decade since I last tasted a bottle of the 1989 Haut-Brion (having absolutely zero interest in opening any bottles out of my cellar before this wine has fully apogee), so I was very happy to see it on display at the Hart-Davis-Hart tasting. This is a brilliant wine that has not lost an iota of its luster as it has aged, soaring from the glass in a brilliantly pure and bottomless bouquet of cassis, dark berries, cigar smoke, a very complex base of dark soil tones, Cuban cigars, fresh herbs and a refined base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and stunningly plush on the attack, with a sappy core of pure fruit, stunning soil signature, ripe, firm tannins and simply brilliant length and grip on the still very young, seamless and boundless finish. This wine has often been compared to the 1959 Haut-Brion, but I have to believe that the 1989 will be even better when it reaches its peak of maturity! This is still a very young wine (far less evolved than the superb 1990) and I would not touch a bottle for at least another dozen years or more. It should last close to a century. 2025-2100. (Jul/Aug 2012)"

100 points and 'Top 10 Rare Collectible Wines of 2013,' James Suckling: "The 1982 First Growth is still the benchmark for great modern wines for many wine lovers around the world, especially in China. I have always debated whether the Mouton-Rothschild or the Latour is the best 1982, but I think my choice has to be the 1982 Mouton. I was lucky enough to drink it three or four times this year in Hong Kong, and I have never been disappointed. It is an incredible wine. It shows superb fruit character still with currants that turn to chocolate, nuts and mint. It's full-bodied enveloped by velvety soft tannins, and goes on for minutes. (12/9/13)"

100 points (20/20), Decanter: "This is, without question, the wine of the vintage. In my 11 tasting notes of this wine over the past 20 years, I have never noted a closed period. I often described it as majestic and profound. Still youthful, filled with layers of sweet cedar, tobacco and violets, this wine has a lingering, powerful finish that lasts for several minutes. A perfect Haut-Brion still in its youthful prime. Drink: 2013-2034. Alcohol 13%. (Dec 2013)"

100 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "(50% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc). Stacked up against the La Mission 1989, tasted alongisde, the Haut-Brion has more immediate punch, still swinging at the very top of its game, and where La Mission has a softer welcome, showing pure pleasure and finesse, the Haut-Brion remains muscular and dense, even a little closed still on first opening, almost impossible to believe at 35 years. A stunning wine, with spiced depths to the damson, roasted plum and cassis fruits. Expect saffron, tobacco and smoked earth notes, with cigar box, rose petal and liqourice aromatics. The texture remains muscular - more so than last time I drank it, but that was from a home cellar and this is ex-château - and it proves one more time that it deserves to be in the pantheon of 20th century wines. Jean-Bernard Delmas estate director, Jean-Philippe Masclef winemaker. Alcohol 14%. Drink: 2024-2044. (7/9/24)"

100 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "Perhaps all I need to say is, Heart-stopping! From start to finish, this is off the charts. Power, concentration, elegance, refinement, length and complexity is here in spades. If the nose doesn't steal the show, it is the more than 60-second finish that lingers, expands, builds and fleshes out. Give it an hour or so in the decanter or enjoy it over the next 3 decades or longer. (Apr 2022)"

100 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Medium crimson garnet, ochre reflections, broader brightening on the rim. Spicy nuances, fine nougat, ripe red jam, hints of blackberry and cherry. Powerful and complex, firm tannins, juicy and pronounced in fruit texture, chocolaty touch and fine minerality on the finish, shows great length and balance. Further ageing potential. One of the great wine monuments from Bordeaux. (Nov 2018)"

19.5/20 points Michael Schuster (The World of Fine Wine): "Dark, mature mahongany; initially warm and truffle-scented to smell, with forest-floor undergrowth maturity and the characteristic Haut-Brion 'brick-dust' aroma also very clear--a bouquet of great presence and complexity; on the palate this had wonderful overall richness, sweetness of fruit, velvety suppleness, and great length of flavor and aftertaste. A warm, gently spicy, most gratifying claret, almost Burgundian in texture and sweetness. Real glossiness still tocome, since there is still a very fine tannin, but this was an absolutely gorgeous glass of wine in glorious early maturity, and for the majority of guests the wine of the evening. Drink now to 2040+. (Issue #44; 2014)"