Answer: Cassis is an appropriate descriptor for many red wines that show concentrated creme de cassis liqueur of black currants fruit – or even perhaps like ripe blackberries. You usually can find good examples showing that unique intense “cassis” character in top wines of best vintages from St. Julien and Pauillac. You will find cassis prominently displayed in 2010 Chateau Leoville Poyferre among others.

Answer: Yes there is only one DOCG wine in Sardinia the vibrant acid and citric flavours white Vermentino di Gallura. There many other DOC & IGT as well that include the main grape varieties of Vermentino and red Cannonau di Sardegna.

Your scribe has been closely monitoring the 1989 Bordeaux wines since the early days in barrel. Always enjoyed their rich opulent character with higher pHs but lower acidities and silky tannins that made them accessible right out of the gate. Fortunate to have purchased bottles of a couple of the great aging superstars from Pessac-Leognan being Haut-Brion & La Mission Haut-Brion. The 1989s generally have developed well in bottle and have been written up on this Blog several times before on February 24, 2014 at 25 here, February 22, 2016 compared to 1990 here, and September 30, 2019 at 30 here.

On September 24, 2024 the Vancouver Branch of Commanderie de Bordeaux held a dinner-tasting at Blue Water Cafe of some 1989 Bordeaux at 35 years of age. Unfortunately, your scribe missed the event being at some conflicting wine & food events in Nantucket and Boston. However, several members of our Group of Eight (Ian Mottershead, David Kester, Nick Wright, Larry Burr, and Alvin Nirenberg) attended and kindly sent me emails on their impressions so I have inserted some quotes from them in this update.

Started with two aged white Bordeaux:

2014 CHATEAU LA GARDE BLANC: Old Eschenauer exclusive and since 1990 with Dourthe of mostly 85% Sauvignon Blanc floral and 15% Semillon roundness combining for light refreshing flavours at 13 abv

2015 CHATEAU DE FIEUZAL BLANC: Richer more concentrated vintage than 2014 plus more complexity from higher blend of Semillon at 45% with SB 55% but also at 13 abv. Written up on August 8, 2022 here.

First flight of reds:

1989 CHATEAU L’ARROSEE: Old fav of your scribe referred to in Ask Sid feature on April 10, 2024 here. David Kester held a blind tasting vertical of this St. Emilion property in 2011. Nick Wright found “Punching well above its weight class, superb value, with higher Cab content giving it a slightly leaner/tighter style, a lovely mix of Right & Left Bank characteristics.”

1989 CHATEAU LA CONSEILLANTE: Pomerol 80 Merlot & 20 Cab Franc full bodied concentration in this 1989 vintage. Divided opinions as some loved it while others didn’t. Larry Burr thought “Opening beautifully into ripe dark fruits, a bit of coffee, and Best of the Flight.” Nick said: “Unique intensity of black fruits, cedar, and tobacco on the nose with a superb long finish, very captivating and his Wine Of The Night!” The 1982 tasted recently is also outstanding (as is 1990).

1989 CHATEAU LA FLEUR DE GAY: Another Pomerol of 100% old vines Merlot. Highly rated early on by Parker but found one dimensional by me back in 2014 tasting referred to above and this time shows “stewed” by Ian Mottershead and “slightly muddy, ordinary, undistinguised” by Larry. Lowest rated of the nine 1989 wines.

1989 CHATEAU CHEVAL BLANC: Top St. Emilion property with unique blend of about 60 Cab Franc & 40 Merlot. Disappointing again with “bottle variation rampant” by David and Larry “old muted no complexity”, Ian had to “coax a modest nose” and Nick “not as intense as La Conseillante”. Our outstanding CBx Cellarmaster Alvin Nirenberg has organized a tasting for next year of 1990s at 35 and this twin vintage to 1989 should be singing brilliantly for Cheval Blanc.

Second flight: All agreed that this was a better wonderful flight.

1989 CHATEAU PALMER: Glorious Margaux. One bottle was corked but others showed delicious and seductive as usual. Tried 1989 & 1983 together last year and both were outstanding. Nick said: “Very classy classic beautifully crafted of medium body stylish lovely balance.” Ian found “in good shape” and David’s “favourite bouquet of all”.

1989 CHATEAU LEOVILLE LAS CASES: St. Julien star but stylish lighter elegance – not the depth of 1990 and other top vintages. Both Alvin & Larry found an “iron” element more like “Leoville Barton”. Still has a lot of grace but 3 great wines in second flight outshone this vintage.

1989 CHATEAU LYNCH-BAGES: First of two finishing Pauillacs. “Great year for L-B” says Ian. Round powerful minty sweet cedary young fruit with finesse on previous tries. Shows that terroir of “intense black currants, long complex finish still with good acidity and balance” says Nick. Larry found “dense entry full body long finish – rich and young.” Probably continue to develop greatness.

1989 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD: First Growth is better than in 1990 and has been surprising with improvement in bottle. Blend of 78CS/14CF/8M using heavily toasted barrels and artsy label of Georg Baselitz. Nick’s second wine of the night “intense bouquet of cassis and mint”. Both David “superior” and Alvin “favourite” preferred. Ian thought “a step up from L-B with a little more finesse, exoticism, and something special – no rush.” Larry said “lighter, mature, elegant compared to bigger young rich L-B.”

1989 CHATEAU D’YQUEM: Classy Sauternes in middle of the trilogy of acidity balance 1988 and powerful 1990. Rich and complex. Larry “mid-gold colour and lucious”. Ian: “excellent but not WOTN in tough competition but the creme brulee is very much to my taste.”

What an enchanting evening with an interesting 1989 horizontal.  Everyone over the moon about Blue Water’s quality menu and perfect wine matching.

Wish I had been there!

Answer: An important grape (along with Furmint) with a long history used in the Tokaj region of Hungary mostly for prized sweet wines but they are slower selling. More recently we are seeing a pivot for use also in quality terroir driven (on volcanic soils) drier style wines some blended with Furmint. Check out the old vines of Attila Homonna and other top producers for their emerging special balanced dry wines.