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Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018

Decanter 100 Points | Nicolas Thienpont has been director here for 10 years now, and the changes that he has brought have had a stunning and important effect, firmly placing this as one of the best estates in the appellation. Everything feels a little deeper and darker than its sibling Pavie Macquin in this vintage: the tannins are a little less pliant and a little more serious. This is clearly going to age well - you can feel the scrape of the limestone, the concentration of the cassis and tight tobacco flavours, the lift of the spices through the finish, and the tannic mass that's undeniable. 2018 saw half the normal yield, down in the mid-20hl/ha, and you can't miss the concentration it lends to the wine. The vines come from the slopes with clay over limestone, and with such natural power allied to these low yields I am sure this will take a full 10 years to become drinkable, but watch it really come into its own in 40 or 50 years! 98-100 points. Drinking Window 2028 - 2042.

The Wine Advocate 97 Points | Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Beausejour Heritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse comes prancing out of the glass with the most gorgeous perfume of plum preserves, kirsch, redcurrant jelly and red roses, followed by suggestions of molten licorice, raspberry leaves, oolong tea and iron ore, with a waft of forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate is laden with black and red berry preserves layers, framed by fantastically plush tannins and a seamless backbone, finishing long and earthy. A wine of impeccable poise and polish, it is delicious now, but allow it 3-4 years in bottle to really fan its feathers and drink it over the next 20 years or more.

James Suckling 97 Points | Aromas of blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, black olive, oyster shell and black tea. Some ash and dried flowers, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Sleek and compact with a savory, mineral finish. Great length and depth. Wonderful texture. Such precision. Try from 2026.

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points | Aromas of blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, black olive, oyster shell and black tea. Some ash and dried flowers, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Sleek and compact with a savory, mineral finish. Great length and depth. Wonderful texture. Such precision. Try from 2026.

Wine Enthusiast 96 Points | Barrel Sample. This is a perfumed wine, with delicious spice, tannins and acidity all coming together well. Its black plum flavor is well integrated with the structure of this fine, fruity wine that has a bright future.

Wine Spectator 95 Points | A head-turner, with velvety-textured cassis, plum sauce and cherry reduction flavors gliding through with a bit of panache thanks to bittersweet cocoa, black tea and dried anise notes. Chalky minerality extends the finish and leaves a mouthwatering echo. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2038. 1,165 cases made.

Critic Notes

Georgina Hindle of Decanter writes 93 Points | A nuanced nose, lots going on, sweet spice, perfume and bramble fruits. Chewy, this is round and plump - opulent but then so precise on the palate with real tension. Cooling blue fruits and liquorice, it's the cool freshness that really gives this life. Yes, the tannins are abundant and mouth coating but they're soft and fine and this has great execution. You can feel the intensity but it's carried very well. A blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc.  Drinking 2023 - 2035. (2019). 

Antonio Galloni of Vinous writes 90 Points | The 2019 Bel-Air Jean & Gabriel is impeccable. Soft, creamy and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2019 is especially fine for Lussac, where the wines are rarely this polished. Black cherry, chocolate, licorice and dark spice build over time. There is a bit of grip on the finish, but also more than enough fruit to make it all work. (2019). 

Jane Anson writes:  Firm berry fruits, clear austerity on the tannins, set against highly charged smoked oak notes. An enjoyable wine from Lussac, well made and carefully handled.  Drinking 2022 - 2032  - Decanter

Winemaker Description

Château Blaignan’s vineyard is planted of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc. The wine matures for 18 months in vats and in oak barrels. The wine is of an intense colour. The nose is fruity with pronounced notes of blackcurrant, black cherries and a hint of spice. Full bodied, Château Blaignan shows structure and velvet tannins on the palate, that make it a wine to drink young or to keep a few years in cellar (to be kept between 3 to 12 years). 

Expert Ratings

James Suckling 90 Points | Ripe cherries, stewed strawberries and berry jam on the nose with some chocolate. It’s medium-bodied with soft, sleek tannins. Fruity. Drink after 2022. (2018).

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

Roger Voss of the Wine Enthsusiast 90 Points | This wine comes from the family home of the Lurton family, one of the largest estates in Entre- deux-Mers. With a crisp aroma and a fresh, herbal Sauvignon Blanc-dominated character, the wine is classic white Bordeaux, fresh and fruity, ready to drink now.

Winemaker Description 

Limpid, pale yellow colour, with light silver reflections. A beautiful intensity, nose is marked by a tasty mix of exotic fruit notes (mango, passion fruit) and citrus (grapefruit). After a frank attack, there is a nice intensity in the mouth. The balance is good between roundness and freshness. We find again notes of exotic fruits (mango, candied orange) and citrus fruits (lemon, grapefruit). The whole is very gourmet. Nice finish.

This wine will be enjoyed as an aperitif, but also with a seafood platter, an avocado with shrimp, or grilled fish. 

Winemaker Description

Rich, intense color. An expressive nose, a sophisticated combination of pure black and red fruits. The palate is wonderfully smooth with powerful intensity, maintaining its fineness and elegance. A beautiful acidity, propelling the wine on a long finish. 

Expert Ratings

96 Points Jeb Dunnuck | Beautiful blue fruits, tobacco, damp earth, and floral notes all emerge from the 2019 Château Branaire-Ducru. It's medium to full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, has silky tannins, and shows the quality of the vintage perfectly. A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise for two decades or more. It reminds me of the 2009. Barrel Sample | 94-96

96 Points Wine Enthusiast | This is a richly perfumed wine that has bold tannins and dense black fruits. There is a fine line of juicy acidity cutting through all the richness to lend freshness against all the concentration. This is for long-term aging. Barrel Sample | 94-96.

95 Points Robert Parker | The 2019 Branaire-Ducru unwinds in the glass with aromas of raspberries, blackcurrants, sweet soil tones and hints of cigar wrapper, rose petals and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's youthfully tightly wound, with terrific concentration, tangy acids, powdery tannins and a long, saline finish. While this is a little reserved out of the gates, its energy and classical proportions will richly reward bottle age. Best after 2029.

95 Points James Suckling | Very clear fruit character of blackcurrants, orange peel and spices. Some walnut, too. It’s full-bodied with integrated, polished tannins and shows finesse and focus. Love the focused fruit at the end of this. Strength with finesse. Give it four to five years of bottle age. Try after 2024.

94 Points Wine Spectator | Leads with vivid violet and cassis, while dark plum, blackberry and boysenberry reduction notes follow quickly. Racy, structured and well-built, with graphite and apple wood driving through the finish. Very pure and aromatic, featuring a nice sanguine echo that lingers at the very end. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025.

93 Points Decanter | Floral-studded nose along with cassis fruits, this is an enjoyable Branaire Ducru that is easy to recommend. Lighter-framed than some in the appellation with its characteristic fine tannins making this a medium-term drinker within the St Julien context. Plenty of juice running through the palate, enjoyable baked earth and menthol notes and a kick of salinity on the finish. Barrel Sample | 93.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Lisa Perotti-Brown of the Wine Advocate 95-97 Points | Displaying a very deep purple-black color, the 2019 Calon-Ségur strides confidently out of the glass with classic notes of warm cassis, blackberry preserves, pencil shavings and clove oil plus nuances of lilacs, cinnamon stick, chocolate box and menthol. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with tightly wound, muscular black fruits and loads of bright floral accents, framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and graceful.

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points | As to the Grand Vin, the 2019 Château Calon Ségur checks in as 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, brought up in new barrels. This full-bodied, spicy, complex, decadent beauty has building, polished tannins, terrific overall balance, and incredible aromatics of spiced red and black currants, lead pencil, cedary herbs, smoked tobacco, and flowery incense. Complex, ripe, and even sexy, it will need just 4-6 years to hit the early stages of its drink window and is going to cruise for 30 years if properly stored. It's another brilliant wine from this estate.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018

Vinous 97 Points | The 2018 Canon La Gaffelière is bright, punchy and full of character, just as it was from barrel. Sage, blood orange, mocha and spice add pretty aromatic top notes to a core of inky red/purplish berry fruit. All the elements are so well balanced in this super-expressive Saint-Émilion. Bright floral and savory Franc notes punctuate the salivating finish, mineral-drenched finish. The 2018 needs a lot of air to open, but when it does, it is dynamite.

Wine Spectator 96 Points | This has a lovely core of mulled cassis, damson plum and raspberry reduction notes, framed with an applewood note that integrates nicely while red tea, savory and chalky mineral notes develop through the finish. Restrained style, precise and very long. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2038. 5,833 cases made.

James Suckling 96 Points | Fantastic depth and richness to the nose with plums, mushrooms, bark and some mahogany. Full-bodied, tight and focused with very fine tannins and a long, creamy finish. Lovely polish, balance and clarity. Drink after 2025.

Wine Advocate 95 Points | Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Canon la Gaffeliere out of the gate delivers a seductive nose of plum preserves, kirsch and Black Forest cake with nuances of lilacs, underbrush, Indian spices and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is filled with black fruit preserves and loads of spicy accents, supported by chewy tannins and well-balanced freshness, finishing long and savory.

Wine Enthusiast 94-96 Points Barrel Sample | This already shows sophistication in a stream of black currant fruit set alongside the firm tannins that are still developing. Its structure and juicy berry fruits give richness and freshness at the end while also promising aging.

Decanter 95 Points | This has the clear edge over La Mondotte for me because it combines the polish and glamour of a St-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé with the salt taffy tang of limestone. Still a silky texture but a more attractive slate edge coming in on the finish to temper the sweet fruit and slow things down. A highly impressive wine. The harvest ran from 19 September to 4 October, with a yield of 35hl/ha. 50% new oak. Certified organic.

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points | This has the clear edge over La Mondotte for me because it combines the polish and glamour of a St-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé with the salt taffy tang of limestone. Still a silky texture but a more attractive slate edge coming in on the finish to temper the sweet fruit and slow things down. A highly impressive wine. The harvest ran from 19 September to 4 October, with a yield of 35hl/ha. 50% new oak. Certified organic.

Expert Reviews - Vintager 2019

Antonio Galloni of Vinous 91-93 Points writes | The 2019 Cantemerle is fabulous. Deep, inky and super expressive, Cantemerle is a real standout in 2019. Dark red and purplish berry fruit, grilled herbs, rose petal, spice, sweet pipe tobacco and mint are some of the many notes that develop here with a bit of coaxing. More than anything else, it is the wine's extraordinary balance and sense of harmony that stand out here. Don't miss this! Drinking 2024 - 2050. 

Jeb Dunnuck 91 Points | An incredibly consistent estate that always delivers a quality wine, the 2019 Château Cantemerle checks in as 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Classic Médoc notes of red and black currants, cedar pencil, sappy herbs, and tobacco give way to a medium-bodied 2019 with terrific balance, ripe, polished tannins, good acidity, and outstanding length. This terrific wine will benefit from just short-term cellaring and keep for 15+ in cold cellars. Drinking 2023 - 2039.

James Molesworth of the Wine Spectator 90 Points writes: Very direct in feel, offering plum and cherry puree notes gilded with violet and anise hints. Shows a graphite accent on the finish, which adds depth as the fruit blossoms around it. Solid. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2030.

Richard Hemming MW of Jancis Robinson 16/20 Points writes: Old-fashioned savoury black fruit with tannins that grip without asphyxiating. Savoury tart finish with lots of classic cassis. Ready to drink now (with food). Drinking 2023 - 2029.

Neal Martin of Vinous 93 Points writes: The 2019 Cantemerle has a fruit-driven bouquet with opulent blackberry and blueberry fruit, certainly one of the most floral in the flight with pressed violets developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannins, fleshy and rounded, though I am looking for more tension and precision on the finish. This is a really fabulous Cantemerle that surely represents outstanding value. No excuse not to have this in your cellar. Drinking 2025 -2050.

William Kelley of the Wine Advocate 92 Points writes | Opening in the glass with notions of rich berry fruit, licorice, cedar, violets and loamy soil, the 2019 Cantemerle is medium to full-bodied, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and powdery tannins that gently assert themselves on the finish. This shut down a little after bottling (some 11 months ago at the time of writing), but it is beginning to bounce back to reveal a wine of real charm and character. Drinking 2025 - 2045 

James Suckling 95 Points | A red with lots of currant, blackberry, fresh-herb and tobacco character. Hint of mushroom, too. It’s full and layered with polished, chewy tannins and a bright and fresh finish. Very long and focused. Give it time to come together. Very classic character here. Best after 2026. - James Suckling 95

Georgina Hindle of Decanter 94 Points writes: Green pepper and herbaceous notes on the nose with minty eucalyptus alongside ripe cherry and blackcurrant aromas - so classic. A lovely mouthfeel here, smooth, well defined and preise. Quite direct, serious and darkly fruited - such a concentrated core - but with smooth tannins, a soft sweetness and freshness that lifts the overall frame. Balanced with succulence. Makes a lasting impact and impression. A great value pick. Drinking 2025 - 2045.

Jane Anson 92 Points writes |  Plenty of smoked cedar oak on the opening beats, this is full-throated in its extraction but comes across as confident rather than too much, and as it softens the damson and black cherry fruits are attractive. 40% new oak. Drinking 2026 - 2040.

Winemaker Description

Chocolate profile with cherries and plum hints.  The wine is large to medium bodied but yet soft at the back end.  

A grand cru with great concentration and keeping freshness. Matter and elegance. 

Winemaker Description

The weather in 1953 was very favourable to vine growth and the crop was both plentiful and of excellent quality.

The growing season began with a warm, wet April, followed by a very warm, but dry month of May.  June and July were cool and rainy, whereas August and September were dry and slightly warmer than average.

Flowering went very well in May because it did not rain very much. Even though June and July were cool, which slowed down the growth cycle somewhat, the harvest was able to begin on the 21st of September. The grapes were excellent because August and September we very dry and hot.  Yields were high, but 1953 Cheval Blanc shows that quantity and quality are not incompatible.
Degree of alcohol: 12°.

This is a great vintage for Cheval Blanc. The wine is very well-balanced and still elicits enormous praise.

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Loads of licorice and currants follow through to a full-bodied palate, with lots of refined tannins and a long, long finish. This is very structured and layered. Beauty. Better than the 2000.

Wine Advocate 91 Points | The dense ruby/purple-colored 2003 is surprisingly fresh and crisp, displaying no signs of the vintage’s extreme heat. This full-bodied, powerful, rich, backward, dense, tannic effort reveals notes of Chinese black tea, creme de cassis, licorice, and melted chocolate. Give it 4-5 years of cellaring, and drink it over the next two decades.

James Suckling 93 Points | Slightly cooked fruit on the nose, with a toasted oak and meaty character. Full bodied, with round and chewy tannins and loads of fruit. Big and burly, I like it. 

Producer Description 

The wine is a crimson-hued garnet red. Elegant and refined, the nose exudes floral aromas, going on with airing to develop notes of blackcurrant and licorice root. The full and smooth attack reveals an alluring and complex array of flavors in which ripe fruit is magnificently set off by notes of toasted cereals and violet. The mid-palate is underpinned by high-quality close-knit and creamy tannins, leading into a saline and slightly minty finish which lingers on hints of chocolates.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 96 Points | Aromas of crushed stone, blackcurrants and blackberries. Full-bodied with extremely well-crafted tannins that are chewy and layered, yet polished and fantastic. Love the finish. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 25% petit verdot, 22% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. (v.2019).

Wine Enthusiast 94-96 Points | Dense and rich, with a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, this is another great vintage from the estate. Its black fruits ooze concentration alongside firm tannins that promise a potential for long aging. The aftertaste has opulent black currant richness. (v.2019). 

The Wine Advocate 95 Points | The 2019 Clerc Milon is a real success. At more than 70%, this blend contains one of the highest proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon in the property's recent history, and the result is a wine of real nobility. Offering up aromas of violets, wild berries, licorice, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with notable depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. From clay-limestone soils rather than the sandy gravels that characterize d'Armailhac, this is by some margin the more structured and serious of Mouton-Rothschild's two Pauillac stablemates.(v.2019).

Decanter 95 Points | The wine has the highest levels of Cabernet Sauvignon since the 1980s, and even on the nose you can feel its impact in terms of the depth of tight black fruit. Extremely good quality with fine tannins that build, build, build over the palate, and grip on, forcing you to slow down and pay attention. Beautiful spice with menthol, slate, pencil lead, blackberry and blackcurrant. An exciting wine with real energy and forward motion, helped to withstand the summer heat by its position by the river, and the fact that the average age of the vines at Clerc Milon is almost 50 years. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Jean Emmanuel Danjoy's last outing doing the full vintage at Clerc Milon before he heads over to Mouton as technical director. (v.2019).

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Presents a very fresh core of cassis, red cherry and damson plum fruit flavors that meld nicely with a racy iron streak, while light savory and floral details run along the edges. A very pure and bright version that should age well. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. (v.2019).

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | Another beautiful effort from this team, the 2019 Château Clerc Milon is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, from vines just across the street from Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild. Brought up in a mix of new and used barrels, it has a healthy ruby/plum color to go with a great nose of ripe red and black fruits supported by some classic Pauillac lead pencil, tobacco, and spice box notes. I love its overall balance, it's medium-bodied, has silky tannins, and the fresher, elegant style of the vintage. I wouldn't call it mid-weight, but I compared this to the 2014 on release, and I still think that comparison holds, although there's a touch more length and intensity in the 2019. This will drink well today with a decant (I followed this bottle for two days) and will shine for a good two decades.(v.2019).

Expert Reviews

Expert Ratings - Vintage 2020

Jane Anson writes 94 Points |  They do such a good job of enrobing the limestone austerity enough to give a whiff of gunsmoke and toasted oak, without obscuring the blueberry and raspberry fruits, along with salinity and a tingle of minerality. Mathieu Cuvlier director, consultant Julien Viaud.  Drinking 2025 - 2040.  

Jeb Dunnuck writes 94 Points | Another killer wine in the vintage is the 2020 Château Côte De Baleau, which comes from a cooler, north-facing vineyard on the eastern side of the appellation. Almost all Merlot, it offers a medium to full-bodied, mouth-filling, layered style that carries plenty of ripe tannins, terrific mid-palate depth, and textbook Right Bank Merlot notes of red and black cherries, leather, dried flowers, and chalky minerality. It picks up more and more minerality with time in the glass and is a bonafide mineral bomb. Give it just a few years in the cellar and enjoy it over the coming 15-20 years. 

Georgina Hindle of Decanter writes 90 Points | Lashings of liquorice and dark chocolate combine with ripe blackcurrant and plums, giving a serious tone to this wine. It's well built, with good support from gently chewy and present tannins, with a long, minty, salty finish. There are touches of dried fruits to this, raisins and prunes, but the acidity is well balanced and this has a nice weight in the mouth. A little drying by the finish. Heft and power, but not brutish.  Drinking 2024 - 2034.

James Suckling writes 93 Points | Aromas of currants and blackberries with spiced chocolate, dried herbs and wet stones. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins and vivid acidity. Structured and meaty. Shows freshness and juiciness to its deep, dark-fruited character. Toned, firm finish. Drink from 2025.  -

Julia Harding MW of Jancis Robinson writes 16+ Points | Tasted blind. Dark crimson. Dark-fruited and a little closed on the nose. On the palate, firm, chewy but balanced. Lots of dark, not-overworked, fresh fruit. Straightforward with smooth tannic finish and enough freshness thanks to both acid and tannins. Not overdone.  Drinking 2026 -2036. 

Lisa Perrotti-Brown of the Wine Advocate | The 2020 Cote de Baleau is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 15th to 30th September and weighing in with an alcohol of 14.2%. It is being aged for 16-18 months in 20% new oak barrels, 60% second-fill barrels and 20% in vats. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a little swirling to coax out youthful notions of crushed blackberries, mulberries and kirsch, plus hints of tar and dried Mediterranean herbs. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with crunchy red and black fruits with a chewy texture and lively backbone lifting the finish.  Drinking 2023 - 2032 

Expert Reviews- Vintage 2020 

94 Points Decanter | Really starting to get into its stride under the new direction of Jacques Lurton. I have always enjoyed this wine and long found it to be the one of all the Andre Lurton wines to live up to the potential of the terroir. This is full of flesh, lemongrass, lime, slate minerality, the most beautifully judged rich white peaches and powerful dried herbs. Rice and powerful, good stuff. 

94 Points Jeb Dunnuck | Bright pink grapefruit, honeyed citrus, and a touch of chalky minerality all emerge from the 2020 Château Couhins-Lurton Blanc, another vibrant, clean, medium-bodied 2020 white that brings both richness and freshness. I like it today but see no reason why it shouldn't evolve for over a decade.

93 Points Wine Enthusiast | Subtly wood aged, this ripe wine is tight with some spice as well as lemon and tropical fruits. The wine has weight and a beautiful texture. Drink from 2025. (Editors’ Choice)

93 Points James Suckling | Attractive and complex nose of fennel, grapefruit pith, green papaya, cloves, green apples and lime curd. Beautifully textured and phenolic, with a medium to full body and bright acidity. Layered. Excellent focus. Drink or hold.

92 Points Wine Advocate | The 2020 Couhins-Lurton Blanc has turned out very well, offering up aromas of pink grapefruit, white flowers, Sauvignon botanicals, pastry cream and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and incise, with a satiny attack that segues into a bright, electric palate, it's more vibrant and electric than the ampler, fleshier 2019. It was bottled under Diam 30. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 91 Points | A silky, seductive and saline Côtes de Provence rosé with aromas of small berries, red currants and salt. It’s medium-bodied, succulent, fresh and playful, with a caressing texture and a vivid, saline finish. Drink now.

Winemaker Description 

Whispering Angel is a blend of Grenache, Rolle, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvedre grapes. Strikingly pale pink in color, the aromas are fresh and fruity. On the palate, it is bone dry through the finish. The name really suits the delicate nature of this wine.

Winemaker Description 

Expert Review

91 Points James Suckling | Pale apricot color with aromas of pomegranates, grapefruit, rosemary, lavender and peaches. Fresh and delicate, yet fragrant and flavorful, with a medium body and bright acidity. Lovely fresh pink fruit.

Wine Advocate 97 Points | 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.