×
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle: $146.95
A big Bordeaux, with great presence on the palate and a stylish character of black pepper, raisin, earth, game and...
WS
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 3
Bottle: $482.28
Delivers fabulous aromas of crushed red fruits, with leather, tar, tobacco and mint. Full-bodied, offering supersoft...
WS
94
WA
92
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $185.14
Delivers fabulous aromas of crushed red fruits, with leather, tar, tobacco and mint. Full-bodied, offering supersoft...
WS
94
WA
92
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $164.87
Delivers fabulous aromas of crushed red fruits, with leather, tar, tobacco and mint. Full-bodied, offering supersoft...
WS
94
WA
92
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $447.91
Utterly gorgeous, wonderful white truffle notes coming through the fruit, alongside leather, liquorice and tobacco...
DC
98
WA
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $411.21
Utterly gorgeous, wonderful white truffle notes coming through the fruit, alongside leather, liquorice and tobacco...
DC
98
WA
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $399.95
Utterly gorgeous, wonderful white truffle notes coming through the fruit, alongside leather, liquorice and tobacco...
DC
98
WA
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $187.62
Tasted from a 3-liter, the 1989 La Lagune was just singing! Still lively ruby colored with beautiful, classic notes...
JD
92
WA
90
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $2140.10
The 1989 La Mission Haut-Brion is hands-down the greatest of this era, and if one takes consistency into account, it...
WA
100
VM
100
Sale
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $3667.18 $3901.26
Château Lafite-Rothschild Pauillac 1989: I have never been a huge fan of this Lafite but it seems to be coming into...
JS
97
WS
93
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $866.13
This is so decadent and exciting on the nose, with very ripe fruit, tobacco, meat and cedar. Full-bodied, offering...
WS
94
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 3
Bottle: $770.93
1989 was an early year, with flowering three weeks ahead of usual. Now at 30 years old, a floral aspect curls out of...
DC
98
WS
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $294.61
1989 was an early year, with flowering three weeks ahead of usual. Now at 30 years old, a floral aspect curls out of...
DC
98
WS
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $335.78
1989 was an early year, with flowering three weeks ahead of usual. Now at 30 years old, a floral aspect curls out of...
DC
98
WS
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $311.56
1989 was an early year, with flowering three weeks ahead of usual. Now at 30 years old, a floral aspect curls out of...
DC
98
WS
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $299.17
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $720.30
The 1989 Palmer has vied with the 1983 as the highlight of the decade, so it is fascinating to revisit it at 30 years...
VM
97
WA
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $135.95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $111.95
Delivers a lovely, fresh nose of dark fruits, smoky nuts and flowers, as well as some iodine and shell. Full-bodied,...
WS
94

Carignan Red Bordeaux Syrah Zinfandel 1989 Pre-Arrival Wine

Carignan is an ancient blue-skinned grape varietal, thought to be indigenous to the Aragon region of Spain. However, today it is most commonly associated with the fine wines of southern France, and has been grown in many countries around the world which have the warm and dry conditions it requires to thrive. Carignan is recognized as being quite a sensitive vine, highly susceptible to all kinds of rot and mildew, although producing excellent results when given the right conditions and handled correctly. Its high tannin levels and acidity make the Carignan grapes very astringent, and as such, they are often used as a blending grape to give body to other, lesser bodied varietals. Despite this, with careful treatment, Carignan can produce superb single varietal wines packed full of character and unique attributes.

There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world's finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six 'official' Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act – the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.

Known as Syrah in most countries around the world, and Shiraz in Australia and certain other regions of the New World, this grape varietal has proven over the centuries to be one of the most powerful and flavorful red wine grapes there is. It is now one of the planet's most widely grown grapes, and is a favorite with wineries as a result of its robustness and versatility. It isn't easy to identify many characteristics of this particular varietal, due to the fact that it is highly versatile and shows significant differences in flavor and character depending on the terroir it is grown in, and the climatic conditions of the region. However, Syrah is most widely associated with full bodied, strong and loud red wines, packed full of fruity and spicy flavors, held in a beautifully deep red liquid.

The precise origins of what became known as the Zinfandel grape variety are uncertain, although it has clear genetic equivalents in both Puglia and Croatia. However, when it was brought to the New World in the mid 19th century, it became known as the Zinfandel, and has been consistently popular and widely grown ever since. These very dark and very round grapes have a remarkably high sugar content, resulting in relatively high levels of alcohol in the wines they are made into, with bottles often displaying as much as fifteen percent. What makes the Zinfandel such an interesting grape, though, is the fact that the flavors produced by this varietal vary considerably depending on the climate they are grown in. In cooler valley regions, the Zinfandel grapes result in wines which hold strong flavors of tart and sweet fruits; raspberry, redcurrant and sweet cherry, held in a very smooth and silky liquid. Conversely, warmer regions result in more complex and spicy notes, including anise, pepper and hedgerow berries.