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Chambertin 1989 L. Jadot

1/97. Acquired in New York Oct-96 for $69 (brought over by a friend, so no overhead).
Chambertin or 'Le Chambertin' (to tell it apart from its many lesser "relatives" that hyphened its name to theirs) is perhaps the most illustrious name in the realm of red (B). The grandest of Grand Cru vineyards. Unfortunately, the reputation of the vineyard is frequently abused by sloppy winemakers to produce a wine that is a far cry from its true potential.
We opened this Jadot rendition from the good and fruity '89 vintage with some friends celebrating the New Year's Eve.
COLOR: As dark red as a (B) wine can get. Hardly any clearing towards the rim. Very noticeable 'legs' on the glass attest to the fatness of this wine.
NOSE: Immense! One sniff is enough to let you know you have a little monster in the glass. Relatively developed nose, myriads of complex nuances. One word that comes to mind is depth. Sure, there are red-fruit aromas, leathery meaty tones and a majestic 'Bourgogne Nose' as a backdrop, but the overall sensation is purely that of unfathomable depth.
TASTE: Again, 'grand' is the term that best describes the feel of this wine on the palate. A bit less developed and 'open' than the nose, the still somewhat reserved in-the-mouth feel is that of a huge multi-flavored wine, packed with fruit and 'flesh', but not altogether yielding. Tannins were still hard at first though after two hours they receded enough to allow the more subtle elements to come forward and add to the harmonious celebration in the mouth.
LENGTH: One of the longest and most impressive aftertastes I remember of any wine. The tiniest of sips was enough to create a reverberating echo that lasted for a whole minute or so!
TEXTURE & BALANCE: If the term blockbuster should ever be applied to a (B) wine, this Chambertin would surely deserve it. Yet, with all its majestic grand-scale, there is a distinct delicacy and elegance underlying the powerful stuff. While the nose approaches that of a mature Grand Vin, the taste has not yet harmonized all its ingredients. Ample fruit with plenty of winyness, good acidity but discernible tannins that still give the wine a closely knit feel.
OVERALL: Extraordinary in every respect. 3-4 more years is all that stands between this wine and perfection.
MARK: 19/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.


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Jacob "Yak" Shaya.