Wine Advocate
par Robert Parker le 01/04/1992
Palmer has done a magnificent job with their 1989. It remains a wine of immense seduction, but, as Palmer so often does, it continues to put on considerable weight and now also reveals wonderful structure. The bouquet roars from the glass, offering aromas of black fruit, spring flowers, licorice, and sweet oak. The expansive, rich, fat texture owes its opulence to the high percentage of Merlot used by this property. Opaque deep ruby/purple, this full-bodied, satiny wine has considerable alcoholic clout, is low in acidity, but splendidly concentrated and abundantly full of velvety tannins. It will be fascinating to see if this wine ultimately rivals the great Palmers made in 1983, 1970, 1966, and 1961. This is a thrilling 1989! Anticipated maturity: 1994-2012. Tasted seven times. Inconsistent notes during its first year in cask, it has performed splendidly in the bottle.