The harvest in 1989 was the earliest since 1893, when it started on August 17th at Château Margaux… Merlot, Cabernets, and Petit Verdot reached an exceptional level of ripeness, which brought back memories of the legendary 1982. The sugar levels were even higher in 1989.
The development of the wine in bottle has confirmed the great expectations we immediately had at the harvest. Richness, complexity and opulence could be the key words to describe this outstanding wine. We felt it was a wine which was already nice to drink from the day it was made; it was actually the great ripeness of the grapes which gave the tannins that smoothness which is only normally acquired after a long period in bottle. A grand wine which you can start to open now, but don't feel the need to rush.
(October 2018)
Margaux
Climate
1989 will long be remembered as an exceptionally early vintage and a very easy one, from a vine-growing point of view. The flowering, then the colour-change and the ripening all took place in perfect weather, which was particularly hot and dry. Finally, there was not one single day of rain during the harvest. From beginning to end, then, 1989 was a dream year. (The picking began 11th September)