Wine Advisor
Clinet 1989
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The black/purple-colored 1989 is one of the blockbusters of the vintage. The bouquet has closed down since I first tasted the wine in the spring of 1990, when it was gushing with aromas of black-raspberries, licorice, chocolate and minerals. The weight, concentration, and highly extracted style have resulted in a massive wine with layers of velvety-textured, highly concentrated fruit supported by an extraordinary tannin level. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2015. Last tasted, 6/93.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
For readers who prefer young wine (I'm a sucker for these exuberant, grapy, unevolved wines), this was an exciting comparative flight. As great a Petrus as the 1989 is, I think the 1989 Clinet is slightly superior, as it boasts prodigious extract and intensity. This compelling wine revealed a marvelous bouquet of black-raspberries, cassis, and toasty new oak. Opulent and powerful, with more tannin and concentration than the 1989 Petrus, this enormously-endowed, super-rich, concentrated Clinet can be drunk now (because of its velvety texture and low acidity), but will not hit its prime for another 10-12 years. It will keep for 35-40 years. The notes for this wine are taken from the description of Series IV - Flight C of the 1995 tasting conducted in Munich by Helga and Hardy Rodenstock. Many years after the tasting from which this note derives allegations were made concerning the authenticity of old and rare bottles of wine sold by Hardy Rodenstock to collectors around the world. The matter has been the subject of numerous articles, litigation and at least one book. Mr. Parker believes that the wines served to him at this tasting were authentic so this note and the others from that specific tasting continue to be posted on eRobertParker.com.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Clinet 1989 has a perfumed nose with intense violet aromas that explode from the glass, followed by macerated dark cherries, incense and creme de cassis. The palate is full-bodied with a velvety texture. It has an intensity that is second to none, a penetration that gives the senses no option but to heed its complexity and generosity. Compared to the magnum served last year, this bottle example is a little further down its evolutionary path with hints of molasses and mushroom on the finish. It is a great Clinet with doubt, although large formats will now be the real deal. Tasted December 2013.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The black/purple-colored 1989 is one of the blockbusters of the vintage. The bouquet gushes with aromas of black-raspberries, licorice, chocolate and minerals. In the mouth, the weight, concentration, and highly extracted style have resulted in a massive wine with a whopping finish. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2015.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A very deep colour. The nose is backward and reticent at first, the bottle just opened (I bet it flowered after 2-3 hours.) Very intense animally, meaty nose with liquorice notes developing with time. The palate is full-bodied, very rich with layers of blackberry, tar, smoke and cooked meats. Very complex. A Pomerol with great power rather than elegance or finesse. Certainly stubbornly backward, more muscular than say Petrus 1989. A hedonistic wine. Tasted April 2006.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1989's aroma (believe it or not, the first bottle in the blind tasting was badly corked) jumps from the glass, offering up pure scents of flowers, black-raspberries, currants, vanillin, and truffles. Full-bodied, with a seamless texture, fabulous concentration, a massive degree of richness, but no heaviness or awkwardness, this remains one of the most profound young wines I have ever tasted. Its sweetness of fruit and layers of flavor, combined with its remarkable texture are the stuff of legends. Both of these wines are approachable (their high Merlot content ensures them softness), yet they remain largely unevolved. If readers like them young, do not hesitate to drink a bottle or two. Ideally, both the 1989 and 1990 vintages will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring. Given the 1989's additional flavor extraction and length, it is a 25-30-year wine. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2030.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Neither the talented Michel Rolland, who directs the winemaking and upbringing, nor the proprietor, Jean-Michel Arcaute, who is committed to doing whatever he has to in order to resurrect the image of Clinet, could have asked for a better vintage to showcase the philosophy of late picking and long maceration periods that Rolland counsels. Here is a black/purple-colored wine that is one of the few blockbusters of the vintage. The bouquet has closed down since I first tasted the wine in the spring of 1990, when it was gushing with aromas of black-raspberries, licorice, chocolate and minerals. In the mouth, the weight, concentration, and highly extracted style have resulted in a massive wine with extraordinary tannin levels, and a whopping finish. Again, critics will no doubt say it is a bit heavy-handed, too powerful, and too rich, but were not the greatest 1945s, 1947s, 1949s, 1959s, 1961s, and 1982s this concentrated as well? Moreover, this wine is one of those rare Bordeaux that is bottled without filtration. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2015. Tasted five times. Consistent notes.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Tasted 5 Times Since Bottling With Consistently Exceptional Notes The black/purple-colored 1989 Clinet is one of the blockbusters of the vintage. The bouquet gushes with aromas of black-raspberries, licorice, chocolate and minerals. In the mouth, the weight, concentration, and highly extracted style have resulted in a massive wine with a whopping finish. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2015.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
One of the great modern-day Bordeaux, the 1989 Clinet still has a saturated purple color and a sweet nose of creme de cassis intermixed with incense, licorice, smoke, and mineral. As the wine sits in the glass, more blueberry and blackberry notes emerge, intermixed with some toasty oak, earth, and spice. This spectacularly concentrated, full-bodied, multi-dimensional wine is the stuff of dreams. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025. Last tasted, 10/02.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Served from perfectly stored magnum, this compensate for two previous showing where the wine displayed “issues”. None here. It is blessed with a bouquet that rivets you to the spot, not a million miles away from Lafleur ‘89 with mulberries, cough candy, Italian cooked delicatessen and exotic yellow plums. It is beautifully balanced on the palate, full-bodied and very concentrated, though the passing years have worn its precocity down. What is interesting to see a sense of linearity and focus here that might not be so evident on bottle formats. So it achieves this wonderful juxtaposition of opulence and classicism to render a quite fabulous, multi-dimensional Pomerol that you just lose yourself in. It has divine clarity on the finish with black plum, liquorices and anis lingering long in the mouth. Finally, I get to experience this legendary wine. Is it perfect? Not quite. But I can understand the fuss. Tasted March 2013.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1989's aroma (believe it or not, the first bottle in the blind tasting was badly corked) jumps from the glass, offering up pure scents of flowers, black-raspberries, currants, vanillin, and truffles. Full-bodied, with a seamless texture, fabulous concentration, a massive degree of richness, but no heaviness or awkwardness, this remains one of the most profound young wines I have ever tasted. Its sweetness of fruit and layers of flavor, combined with its remarkable texture are the stuff of legends. Both of these wines are approachable (their high Merlot content ensures them softness), yet they remain largely unevolved. If readers like them young, do not hesitate to drink a bottle or two. Ideally, both the 1989 and 1990 vintages will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring. Given the 1989's additional flavor extraction and length, it is a 25-30-year wine. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2030.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 1989 Clinet is the vintage that put this Pomerol estate on the map thanks to a perfect score from you-know-who. While I have never encountered a perfect bottle myself, a magnum hinted that it was not beyond the realm of possibility, though I have found bottles to be a bit hit-or-miss. This bottle is one of the better examples. It features kirsch, cassis and crushed violets on the nose, like a Margaux with the dial turned up to eleven (and I mean that in a positive way.) There is some VA here, but it merely gives kick to the aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied with a rich, precocious entry and generous sloe and brown sugar notes, very deep and rounded. A slightly volatile finish offers marvelous length. I suspect that to really experience the 1989 Clinet at its peak, you need to find perfectly cellared larger formats, although clearly bottles can be a thrill. Tasted blind at lunch in London.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This wine has such balance and harmony. I remember when it was young and how the new wood and intense fruit came out, but they have finally come together in such a beautiful way. It shows subtle and complex character of plums, cedar, dried flowers, and earth. The texture or mouthfeel is beautiful as you taste it.
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