What the critics scored the 1989
2 critic scores from 2 reviewers, on the 100-point scale from 90/100 to 92/100. Score: 91.0 out of 100.
The dated reviews run from 1998 to 2005, young and mature bottles alike.
By score the 1989 ranks 15th of 16 (tied with 1988) scored Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame vintages, 2.9 points below their review-weighted 93.9.
The 1980s by score: 1985 95.0, 1988 91.0 and 1989 91.0. The 1989 shares the decade's lowest score.
| Score | Reviewed |
|---|---|
| 90/100 | December 2005 |
| 92/100 | November 1998 |
The richest and ripest of the 1988-1990 trilogy, with notes of brioche and berry flavors. Round and full in the mouth, but without the same degree of elegance exhibited by the other two years.
Yeasty, vinous, pinot driven aromas of red berries and earth. Large-scaled and mouthfilling, with excellent intensity and subtle notes of apple, lemon and toast. Has a perfumed quality in the mouth. Subtle and very long and nicely balanced for the vintage.
What drinkers rate it
93.3 out of 100 from 58 drinker ratings, the most recent in November 2024.
That is 2.3 points above the critics' score.
Drinker rank: 2nd of 22. The most-rated vintage has 270 ratings.
5 written notes, June 2022 to November 2024, rating it 93 to 96.
JD’s Birthday Celebration (George Trois): Magnum. Mature golden color with a short mousse. Apple, cashew, toffee and Bit-O-Honey aromas. Lovely. Flavors of apple, baked tangerine and candied walnuts. Mature, but lovely, and drinking well at this stage. 93-94 pts. (J&J)
Wonderful aged champagne. Good bubbles slight oxidative taste, good weight on the palate for its age. Long finish.
To Tony (La Grange Park, IL): You know what -- this was better than the Krug I had a few days ago. Shocker, I know. But this was everything the Krug was missing: more of a structure, more acidity, just more oomph overall. Chewy structure, mature fruit, but also holding so much minerality and balanced acidity. A real surprise of a bottle.
Drinking beautifully now. Light color belied the pleasing Lemon-pear, nutty taste.
WIML93Tasted non blind. Tasted from MAGNUM.Yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout with medium beading. Nose of sherry, brandied pers and caramel. Flavors of cherries, lemons and candied pears. Bright acidity, full bodied. Drink or hold. I'd lean towards drink.Jose Rodriguez Memorial Dinner
What it has traded at
| Month | Low | Median | High | Trades |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-04 | £125 | £125 | £125 | 1 |
| 2017-03 | £156 | £156 | £156 | 1 |
2 trade months, April 2016 to March 2017, 2 sales. Median £125 to £156, up 25 per cent.
Cheapest sale £125 (April 2016), dearest £156 (March 2017).
That last sale is 9 years old: history, not a quote.
2 other vintages also last traded in 2017: 2 cheaper, 0 dearer.
Where to buy the 1989
1 offer from 1 merchant, newest first.
| Merchant | Price | Seen |
|---|---|---|
| Hedonism Wines, London | £260 | August 2026 |
The 1989 against its neighbours
The 1989 beside its 4 nearest recorded years.
Here, by score, it places 4th of 5 (tied with 1988).
| Vintage | Score | Drinkers | Window | Last trade | Retail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 95.0 | 92.8 (22) | None | None | None |
| 1988 | 91.0 | 92.5 (31) | 1998 to 2010 | £210, February 2016 | None |
| 1989 | 91.0 | 93.3 (58) | None | £156, March 2017 | None |
| 1990 | 94.6 | 93.1 (176) | 2000 to 2034 | £149, September 2017 | None |
| 1993 | 92.0 | 92.2 (26) | None | None | None |