1989 Pavie Macquin

The 1989 Pavie-Macquin is a vintage that I have not tasted previously. The bouquet has held up well, retaining blackberry, melted tar, mint and sage aromas, just a little rustic in style but still fresh. The palate is well balanced with sappy red fruit on the entry. It feels fleshy in the mouth and lacks some precision on the leathery, truffle-tinged finish, though there is decent length. Drink now and over the next decade. Tasted from an ex-cellar bottle at the château .

I have been extolling the virtues of these wines since the late eighties. Extremely old vines, organic farming, and some of the lowest yields in Bordeaux produce densely-colored, highly-extracted, exceptionally pure and elegant wines that possess a Burgundian-like texture and complexity. The 1989 continues to be one of that vintages "sleepers." The color remains a youthful ruby/purple. The bouquet offers copious quantities of black-raspberry and cassis fruit nicely touched by stony/mineral and floral scents. The spicy, vanillin component is subtle. This full-bodied, highly-extracted, elegant wine should reach full maturity in 2-3 years; it will last through the first 15 years of the next century.

I have been extolling the virtues of these wines since the late eighties. Extremely old vines, organic farming, and some of the lowest yields in Bordeaux produce densely-colored, highly-extracted, exceptionally pure and elegant wines that possess a Burgundian-like texture and complexity. The 1989 continues to be one of that vintages "sleepers." The color remains a youthful ruby/purple. The bouquet offers copious quantities of black-raspberry and cassis fruit nicely touched by stony/mineral and floral scents. The spicy, vanillin component is subtle. This full-bodied, highly-extracted, elegant wine should reach full maturity in 2-3 years; it will last through the first 15 years of the next century. Feb 1997, www.robertparker.com