By: Simon Roberts
I always wondered what it would be like tasting these two legends side by side so in true Graileys fashion we just went ahead and did it !
We have been tasting some absolute superstar wines lateley but few have lived up to this pair. Both wines were the epitomy of a great Bordeaux and for me there is very little between the two wines except price. The nose on the 90 spoke to me in a way great Bordeaux does, it seemed enough just to sniff away, sweet fruit, plain and simple- lush sweet fruit. I dove in, swirled it around my mouth and tasted the promised land….tabacco, hints of oak and cedar balanced perfectly against a wall of massive thick juicy fruit, can it get any better than this? The wines were tasted as usual in some great company, nothing beats sitting around this table with a good group, especially with these two monsters in the middle of the table!
Onwards and upwards, the 89….more of the same, just a journey in taste and aromatics. There is so much going on inside this glass, it builds and builds on the palate, it’s just pure class, velvety soft fruits but very defined and just profound, leaving a huge impression on the finish. We let both wines sit for an hour and revisted with sparing sips, both wines were superb . I can’t say they improved , how could they ? They were stupendous out of the gate. I imagined what it must be like buying a wine like this back in the day for the release price and sitting on a bunch right now, what a cool feeling that must be. I will give the slight edge to the 89, but it is a slight edge. Value wise the 90 makes sense but with these wines are only for the strong..but if you can, why the hell would’nt you?
