1989

What we would buy, and why

Strong in almost every direction, so choose on the recipient's taste rather than the vintage chart. The Bordeaux are generous and drink well now with an hour in a decanter; the Barolo asks for more patience. Because 1989 sits between two famous years it is often better value than 1990 for a wine of the same quality. Check the fill and capsule, and buy from a merchant who will tell you where the bottle has been stored.

1989 in the world

The Berlin Wall came down on the evening of 9 November, live on television. Earlier that spring a young physicist at CERN circulated a memo proposing what became the World Wide Web; his boss wrote on it that it was vague but exciting.

Best bets for 1989

• Château Haut-Brion 1989, held by many to be one of the great wines of the century
• Barolo 1989 from Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa or Aldo Conterno
• Château Pape Clément or Domaine de Chevalier 1989 for the same Pessac character at a friendlier price
• Château Rieussec or Climens 1989 Sauternes for a sweeter finish

How we grade a bottle

Fill level, label, capsule and cork, then provenance. Every bottle is checked by hand by people who have handled thousands of old bottles, and we write down the flaws as well as the good news. What the fill levels mean · How to choose a birth-year wine