Checking in on 1989 Mouton on Christmas Eve

[Comte Flaneur]

I popped and poured this, took a sample and let it stand in a cool place for a couple of hours. It started out slowly and awkwardly. My initial fear was that this may be drying out. But no, after a while it began to show its class. Some would argue that like the 1990 this is a Mouton without ambition, against some epic 1989s made at Haut Brion/LMHB, Lafite, Palmer, Petrus etc. Suckling famously rated it 99 (I think) and Parker 89 (I think). Both turned out to be wrong. Parker was more wrong than Suckling, imo. It is in interesting that in such a warm vintage this is barely more than medium-bodied. As if in the transition from the Baron’s passing the now also late Philippine deliberately went for a more elegant style at the risk of being condemned with a low Parker score. But with the passage of time this has evolved into a glorious wine. It does not have the power of Mouton 82, 86 and 96 but has so much class and finesse. It has a glorious red fruited compote (and appropriately for this time of year) Christmas spicy entry, with classic Pauillac cedar and lead pencil notes that is such a turn on. It is definitely on the lean side but arguably no worse for that; but, at the same time, it is effortlessly seamless, classy and harmonious, 95 pts.

[Nicklasss]

Nice! I think i never taste it. Nice label on that 1989 Mouton. Merry Christmas Comte.

[Blanquito]

Nice, Ian. Sounds like a bottle that deserves to be enjoyed all on its own. Beautiful color.

[Gerry M.]

Thank you for the insight, I have one bottle left and my previous notes agree with yours. It's an anniversary year so I'm curious your thoughts on how many more years of enjoyment it has left in it.

[Comte Flaneur]

I don’t think it will make old bones Gerry - in that sense I think this vintage of Mouton will turn out more like the 1985 than the 1986 or 1988. I wouldn’t say you need to rush to drink them but I don’t think there is a strong case to hold on to them in the hope they will improve significantly from here. When I decided to take these out of storage a week ago I thought there could be one of three outcomes, that I would decide 1/ to hold or 2/ to drink or 3/ to sell - based on this bottle definitely a case of 2/ - over the next 5-10 years - even though I could sell them for a lot of money.

[AKR]

What kind of stem did you serve it out of?

[Comte Flaneur]

Sensory Conterno Arv, there is a picture in the opening post

[William P]

Thanks for note Ian. Merry Christmas.

Bill

[JoelD]

Lovely. Glad it turned out well. I could see mouton doing good things in 1989. Is the sensory your go to for first growths? And how do you generally decide on that vs the grasl 1855?

[Comte Flaneur]

Lovely. Glad it turned out well. I could see mouton doing good things in 1989. Is the sensory your go to for first growths? And how do you generally decide on that vs the grasl 1855?

I was drinking it at the family (late mother’s) house where I don’t have any Grassl 1855s and only Conternos, and a few other things. If I was drinking at home the Grassl 1855 would be first choice. I tend to use the Conternos for younger more powerful first growths like Ch Margaux 2010, Grand Cru burgundy and Barolo/Barbaresco. My concern was that it might be too voluminous for the 1989 Mouton but I needn’t have worried, they married very well.