1989 Château Le Bon Pasteur |
| Vintage | 1989 |  | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Château Le Bon Pasteur (web) | ||
| Variety | Red Bordeaux Blend | ||
| Designation | n/a | ||
| Vineyard | n/a | ||
| Country | France | ||
| Region | Bordeaux | ||
| SubRegion | Libournais | ||
| Appellation | Pomerol |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2004 and 2012 (based on 9 user opinions) | |
| Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Le Bon Pasteur on the Wine Market Journal. |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average and median of 91 pts. in 25 notes) | |
| Tasted by GrapeScott on 11/16/2022 & rated 90 points: This is not a very complex wine, but it is smooth, elegant, and still has a lot of life. Plum, currant, and a touch of cinnamon and cocoa. This took about 20 minutes to open up, but from that point onward (into day 2) was drinking quite well. Not a wine to contemplate, but certainly one to enjoy. (823 views) | |
| Tasted by VAGentleman on 10/23/2022 & rated 93 points: Drinking beautifully. Elegant but rich mouth of red currant, blackberry, fern, slightest hint of leather. No much decant needed. (734 views) | |
| Tasted by VAGentleman on 10/14/2022 & rated 91 points: Drinking well. Red fruit, herbs,leather, and bit of menthol. All well integrated into pleasantly but not complex mouth full. It works! (749 views) | |
| Tasted by RKatzDO on 4/2/2022: Bottle in mint condition, cork and fill were perfect. Very good after a couple of hours of air and fine filtration. Throws a lot of fine sediment, so make sure you stand it up for a few days and decant carefully or use cheesecloth. (996 views) | |
| Tasted by GrapeScott on 5/24/2020 & rated 91 points: Much better than the last bottle, which in all fairness, was consumed almost immediately after it was shipped, and suffered from a murky fine sediment that muddied some of the flavors. This bottle had a fill into the neck, with a pristine cork. Pours a deep purple without signs of bricking. Velvety smooth and quite subtle (and supple), with cedar, plum and underbrush on the nose. Gained intensity with air, but remained a rather understated wine, in stark contrast to the more modern vintages of LbP. Floral, with cherry, plum and loamy undertones, and the softest of tannins on the back end, nearly fully resolved. This was a very nice bottle, in a very good place right now. (1873 views) | |
| Tasted by DonWinspear on 4/11/2020 & rated 91 points: I am drinking this using Coravin. Full pours, not just tastes. The initial nose and taste are wrapped up in the earthiness one might expect with a 30-year old wine. Lots of forest floor, a bit of funk. However, all that's needed is a little time, say about 20 minutes, to awaken the fruit that exists. Cherry, raspberry along with cocoa. The earth remains, only it is no longer prominent. The tannins still provide a delicate structure. I love this. Is it my favorite, no. But it is a beautiful representation of how a moderately priced Merlot based Bordeaux can age 30 years and still be in the game. The price tag on this bottle is $30. The finish is moderate - in fact after drinking for about 15 minutes, the finish is split evenly between fruit and tannins. (1403 views) | |
| Tasted by GrapeScott on 3/25/2020 & rated 89 points: Much more evolved than the '89 Pibran I had earlier in the evening. Color of brick-tinged garnet; slightly hazy with a very fine sediment. Nose has some barnyard funk, earth, porcini, red current, plum, candied orange peel. A bit lean with a firm dry tannic finish. Fruit leans toward clementine, pomegranate and tart cherry up front, with lingering luxardo cherry and tar on the back end, finishing medium-long. This was fresh off the Fedex truck today; I coravin'ed this glass and will revisit in the coming days. Seems to be gaining weight and complexity with air. Update: I opened the remaining 1/3 of the bottle tonight and the cork was soft but with no sign of seepage. It’s possible that the state of the cork may explain its advanced evolution. The body is fuller today with plum and black fruit and some earthy mushroom undertones. Nice acidity here and lingering tannins. (1378 views) | |
| Tasted by Collector1855 on 8/15/2019 & rated 93 points: Lovely nose of ripe blue fruit, cake, licorice. Medium+ bodied palate, tannins present still but well carried by the fruit. (2162 views) | |
| Tasted by Jeff Leve on 11/17/2017 & rated 90 points: Still holding on, but clearly on the downward slope, the color and fruit have lightened. The earthy truffle, mocha and plum nose is still going strong. The softly textured wine leaves you with earthy, red and black plums with a bit of dark chocolate. Still, this is not a wine for decanting or for holding on for further development. If you have a bottle, drink up. (3138 views) | |
| Tasted by BernieMSY on 9/5/2016 & rated 90 points: May be past its prime. Lots of Brett, barnyard and forest floor (2367 views) | |
| Tasted by morpheusrising on 2/19/2016 & rated 91 points: Opened a bit too soon. This could have gone a few more years and probably improved. Nose is faint, but decent. Slight herb notes and a bit of pepper. Eucalyptus. Pallette of dried cherries and a little bright cherry as well. Still has a freshness that is dominate with gravel and forest floor notes. Really, everything is very subdued, but in a way that says this will develop well over time. (2823 views) | |
| Tasted by ScottPreston on 2/24/2013 & rated 86 points: Wine has started on its senior years. Bell pepper and more green flavors are started to dominate. (4834 views) | |
| Tasted by mlawren1 on 3/28/2012 & rated 92 points: Mature amazing wine. Stone fruits and berries with a bit of chocolate and smoke. (5314 views) | |
| Tasted by RussK on 1/22/2011 & rated 91 points: RUSSK WW KenT (5046 views) | |
| Tasted by mlawren1 on 10/31/2010 & rated 92 points: bit of funk up front gives way to plums and currants. Finishes with a bit of smoke. (4407 views) | |
| Tasted by mlawren1 on 9/7/2010 & rated 92 points: Very nice wine lots of stoned fruit with a bit of stewed cherries on the finish. Finishes with a bit of smoke and tobacco. (4134 views) | |
| Tasted by WG198 on 6/11/2010 & rated 90 points: Wine still showed lots of tannins when first opened. Aroma of berries, cassis, and some smokiness. Raspberries and some black cherry came through in the taste and the tannins mellowed out as the evening progresses. It was the perfect accompaniment to rack of lamb. Still good after 21 years of questionable storage. (2718 views) | |
| Tasted by BernieMSY on 11/27/2009 & rated 92 points: Well-balanced, deep color. (2692 views) | |
| Tasted by newbiewine on 1/12/2008 & rated 91 points: Not much bouquet, but it does have some fruit. Add some fruit , soy sauce, and oaky and smokey components, and you ahve this wine. not worth the 150USD. (3175 views) | |
| Tasted by Eric on 1/19/2006 & rated 92 points: St. Émilion (and Pomerol) offline at Kaspar's (Seattle, WA): Smoky and sultry, a little soy sauce. Clearly the best of the flight. (5335 views) | |
| Tasted by andrewstevenson.com on 10/5/2002 & rated 84 points: Looks older than its years. VG nose. Bit thin. Seems to lack elegance. OK, but wouldn't bother again. (3168 views) | |
| Tasted by bestdamncab on 2/12/1993 & rated 91 points: Nice, rich nose, beautifl, rich taste, hint of cranberry, long, long finish. (514 views) | |
| Tasted by MicklethePickle on 1/11/1992 & rated 91 points: At Singer & Foy survey of '89 Bordeaux. Dark cranberry color. Good nose. Hint of nutmeg. Flavor is really delicious. Good depth. Round and elegant. Excellent. 5-11-17-8: 91/100. (557 views) |
| CellarTracker Wiki Articles |
Château Le Bon PasteurProducer websiteRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico. FranceVins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings 2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest" 2019 vintage reports 2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage." 2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.com BordeauxBordeaux Wine GuideVins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) History of Bordeaux History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification "2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson "2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman "The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson "2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson "In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon Rimmerman LibournaisLibournais (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) - Read more about St. Emilion and its wines - Read more about Pomerol and its winesSaint Emilion Grat Classified Growth, Classified Growths, Grands Crus Classes, GCC In 1954, while the "Graves" growths had just published their own classification, the wine syndicate of Saint-Emilion, composed by wine growers, brokers and wine traders with the approval of the INAO - Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (A.O.C), decided to work on a classification for the wines of Saint Emilion. Initially, four grades were defined. These were reduced to two - First Great Classified Growth (A and B) and Great Classified Growth - in 1984. As of Medoc's 1855 historical grading, the Saint-Emilion Great Classified Growth classification is not only based on qualitative criteria by tasting the wines on a ten years period previous to the assessment, but also on commercial considerations such as: - sales price levels - national and international commercial distribution - the estate's reputation on the market Properties who don't manage to join the club of about sixty Classified Growths are given the denomination of Great Growth ("Grand Cru"), while the remaining wineries of the A.O.C are simply reported as "Saint-Emilion". It is to be noted that the owners must officially apply to appear in the official classification. Thus for example the famous Chateau Tertre-Roteboeuf, whose quality and reputation would easily justify to be listed among the First Great Classified Growths, does not appear here by the will of its owner, François Mitjaville. The Saint-Emilion Great Growth classification was revised in 1969, 1985, 1996 and 2006. The only two guaranteed vintage (A.O.C) who can apply to the classification are the "Saint-Emilion Grand Cru" and "Saint-Emilion" areas. By grading 61 properties, the 2006 revision confirmed many growths from the former classification, but also caused a number of surprises and a few inevitable disappointments. Many observers thought that the impressive progression of Perse's Chateau Pavie since 1998 would be rewarded by an upgrade into the First Great Classified Growths (A) category, but finally such was not the case. Among the estates promoted to the First Great Classified Growths B category are Chateau Troplong-Mondot and Pavie-Macquin, whose efforts made since the Nineties fully justify their new grade. It should be noted that no First Great Classified Growth was relegated to the lower Great Classified Growth class. Promoted growths from the status of Great Growth ("Grand Cru") to Great Classified Growth ("Grand Cru Classe") are: Chateaux Bellefont-Belcier, Destieux, Fleur Cardinale, Grand Corbin, Grand Corbin-Despagne and Monbousquet. The demoted growths from the status of Great Classified Growth to Great Growth are: Chateaux Bellevue, Cadet Bon, Faurie de Souchard, Guadet Saint-Julien, La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Belivier), La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Moueix), Lamarzelle, Petite Faurie de Soutard, Tertre Daugay, Villemaurine and Yon-Figeac. If the recent samples of some of the above mentioned properties may justify their current downgrade, there are great chances that estates like Bellevue, Tertre Daugay or Yon-Figeac will be upgraded to their previous rankings by the next revision in 2016 as the progresses noted after 2000, but not entering in the range of vintages (1993 - 2002) appointed for the criteria of selection for the 2006 classification, are noticable. The two following estates have completely disappeared from the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classification: Curé-Bon-la-Madeleine (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Canon) and La Clusière (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Pavie). Finally, no estate considered as "garagiste" has integrated the classification. Valandraud, Mondotte, Le Dome, Bellevue-Mondotte or Magrez-Fombrauge have, for the least, the potential to be ranked as Great Classified Growths. In sight of the very fine quality reached by the above mentioned estates in recent vintages as well as all the innovative wine making methods used by the "garagistes", it remains to be seen whether the authorities will dare to cross the line in 2016..? PomerolWikipedia | French wine guide - Read about Pomerol |