1989 Pape Clement

Neither the 1989 or 1990 performed as well as I might have hoped. The 1989 was tight, with a lean, austere personality, as well as astringent tannin. It exhibited medium-weight and ripe fruit, but the charm and suppleness this wine displayed the first several years after bottling appears to have gone into hiding, replaced by the wine's structure. This impenetrable 1989 requires 4-5 years of cellaring. Whether the tannin will melt away sufficiently for the wine to exhibit complete harmony is doubtful. Feb 1997, www.robertparker.com

Robert Parker    Score: 87/100