Chateau Larose Trintaudon Haut Medoc 1989
We have 4 in stock (Inventory is live and accurate)
The Land
Saint-Laurent-Médoc has no appellation of its own, which is why so few people know it sits right against Pauillac and Saint-Julien, sharing their gravel and their weather. Larose-Trintaudon is planted on that border. The vineyard name comes from the Trintaudon gravel mound, first planted in 1838 by Henry Delaroze, mayor of Saint-Laurent. The soil is one of the oldest gravel layers in the Médoc, the "nappe pyrénéenne," made of fine gravels and gravelly sands washed down from the Pyrenees, over a clay-limestone subsoil. This is one of the largest single vineyards in the Médoc, and it is planted to the same gravel story as its classed-growth neighbors.
The Wine
Château Larose-Trintaudon is a blend of roughly 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 40 percent Merlot. 1989 was a hot, dry year and one of the earliest harvests on record. The summer was the hottest since 1947, and picking began on August 31. The crop was large. Merlot reached record ripeness, while many Left Bank estates picked Cabernet before it fully matured, so the vintage leans toward round, ripe wines with soft acidity. This bottle comes from a private cellar, and its storage history and fill are unknown. Expect garnet with a bricking rim, then dried black cherry, cassis, cedar, cigar box, leather and a little dried herb, a medium body with soft, fully resolved tannin, and a savory, earthy finish. Stand it upright for a day or two, and decant gently off the sediment.
The People
Larose-Trintaudon's modern history is a story of scale and rescue. The estate traces back to 1719, and by 1870 Comte Ernest de Lahens had built it to 345 hectares. Mildew and phylloxera then wiped out most of the vines. In 1963 the Forner family, who later founded Marqués de Cáceres in Rioja, bought the run-down property, renovated the château and replanted the vineyard on the advice of Professor Émile Peynaud. In 1986 the insurance group Assurances Générales de France, now part of Allianz, acquired the estate, so this 1989 is one of the early vintages under that ownership. Today the estate holds ISO 14001 environmental certification and was an early adopter of sustainable farming in the Médoc, from 1999.
Food Pairing
Haut-Médoc red wine at this age is all about savory detail, so keep the plate simple. Roast a rack of lamb with a Dijon and herb crust; the wine's remaining Cabernet structure meets the fat, and the herbs echo its dried-herb edge. Steak frites with a pan sauce of shallots and red wine works because the wine still has enough acidity to cut the beef. Try roast duck breast with cherries for the dried-fruit side of the 1989. This is a bottle for a Sunday roast with people who will appreciate a wine older than some of them.
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The Bordeaux wine region, an emblem of vinicultural prestige, is bisected by the Gironde Estuary into the Left and Right Banks, each celebrated for distinct styles shaped by their unique terroirs. The Left Bank is renowned for its structured, Cabernet Sauvignon-led blends, while the Right Bank favors the softer, Merlot-dominated wines. This region is also the birthplace of the luscious, sweet wines of Sauternes. Bordeaux's time-honored blend and winemaking techniques have inspired countless wine regions around the globe, setting a benchmark for the wine world.
Bordeaux
Cabernet Sauvignon, originally hailing from Bordeaux, France, has triumphantly spread to become a cornerstone of vineyards worldwide, achieving particular renown in Napa Valley. This versatile grape variety adapts to a broad spectrum of climates, producing full-bodied wines that are rich in black cherry and blackcurrant flavors, with layered complexities of oak and spice. The grape's success in regions like Napa Valley is a testament to its global adaptability, where it benefits from the optimal blend of warm days and cool nights, coupled with diverse soil types, to express a unique balance of power and elegance that pays homage to its Bordeaux origins.
Cabernet Sauvignon
"Unknown" farming method indicates that the specific vineyard practices used to produce the wine have not yet been clearly identified or verified. Due to limited publicly available information, complexity of research, or lack of transparency from certain wineries, it can sometimes be challenging to accurately categorize each vineyard's farming practices. Our team is actively working to research and update our records to provide the most accurate information on every wine we offer. We understand the importance of transparency and sustainability and strive to categorize and communicate farming methods as quickly and comprehensively as possible.
