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Chainier Millésime 1989 Grande Champagne Cognac
Exceptional 91 /100
- Cognac age
- Vintage
- Growth area
- Grande Champagne
- Bottle size
- 700ml
- ABV
- 40%
Taylor C.
Reviews written: 41 (see reviews)
Average Score given: 86
Review Overview: Best & Most rated, All Reviewers & Reviews
Bio:
French wine, and the concept of terroir, captured my interest early on. Naturally, curiosity took me to spirits, in particular Cognac. Today I'm proud to be a member of the Cognac Expert team managing B2B projects, working on Cognac Expert Originals, and writing bottle reviews for the English Blog. I love to taste anything and everything - rum/rhum, whisky(ey), Armagnac, etc. - but no other spirit grabs my attention quite like Cognac, and all of its subtleties and nuance. Santé !
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Chainier Millesime 1989 Grande Champagne
Highly Recommended 88 /100
Nose: With time in the glass, the Cognac’s aromas waft from the glass. First, there’s ultra-fine fresh grated vanilla and tingly fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice. Lately I’ve been drinking a lot of Christmas Tea, which has loads of these soft warming spices. Then comes the fruit, but here the fruits are heading more towards stewed fruits, verging on jammy fruits. I imagine a pot in which apricots, peaches, quince and orange peel are all stewing away coated with a generous dusting of the above spices. This is an utterly lovely nose. It’s pure, elegant, and seductive and demands to be smelled over and over again. And this one must not be rushed. With each passing minute the nose evolves, so it would be a shame to miss out on all that it has to offer.
Palate: In the mouth, the Cognac is extremely balanced and has a rich texture that coats all corners of the mouth. The tug of war between the stewed fruits and the spice mix is perfect. And all of the above fruit and spice notes are present. Also, a very high quality fruit paste - apricot or quince - immediately comes to mind (Fruit pastes are a recent discovery of mine. Go to any fine epicerie here in France, and you’ll likely see a large offering of these artisanal fruit pastes. They’re not to be missed.). There is also an interesting mouthfeel sensation in that the overall feeling is of lightness and finesse, but swirling the Cognac around in the mouth a little confirms that there is in fact an elevated roundness and richness. These are seemingly contradictory descriptors, but I see it as a major positive when a Cognac that is inherently rich can deliver itself on the palate with this graceful feeling of lightness.
Finish: Solid finish. There is no disappearing act thankfully, nor do the Cognac’s flavors and sensations last an eternity either. Once the Cognac is swallowed, the flavors and sensations slowly fade out. No bitterness. No abrasive wood tannins. No tea astringency. No strong footprint from the oak. The fruit and spice flavors have a nice persistence. I found it extremely pleasant to finish a sip of this Cognac keeping my mouth closed and then simultaneously reach for the glass to continue to smell the wafty aromas.
Chainier has definitely selected something special with this 1989 vintage Cognac.
Tags
Flavour
Tasting
Nose
What aromas do you get when you sniff the Cognac? Do you get hints of fruits or flowers - perhaps it's sweet? Is it intense or rather flat - and most importantly, is the nose coherent to taste and finish? The nose is the most important part when tasting Cognac.
22/25
What aromas do you get when you sniff the Cognac? Do you get hints of fruits or flowers - perhaps it's sweet? Is it intense or rather flat - and most importantly, is the nose coherent to taste and finish? The nose is the most important part when tasting Cognac.
Mouth
A small sip: Allow your taste buds in the various areas of your mouth to distinguish the different flavours. This part of cognac tasting is described as ‘the palate’. Don’t just swallow it down; allow the liquid to touch all the regions of the mouth. Doing this is necessary as the taste buds pick up contrasting flavours in the different areas of the mouth; on the tip of your tongue to the sides, for example. Take a tiny sip to prep your palate for the sensory experience to come. Take a second larger sip, and gently roll the cognac around, etting it come into contact with every corner of your mouth. Focus on the perceived textural sensations. Are the sensations round and rich or fresh and elegant? Is the overall mouthfeel intense, balanced, disjointed, or lacking presence? In short, how does the cognac feel in your mouth?
18/20
A small sip: Allow your taste buds in the various areas of your mouth to distinguish the different flavours. This part of cognac tasting is described as ‘the palate’. Don’t just swallow it down; allow the liquid to touch all the regions of the mouth. Doing this is necessary as the taste buds pick up contrasting flavours in the different areas of the mouth; on the tip of your tongue to the sides, for example. Take a tiny sip to prep your palate for the sensory experience to come. Take a second larger sip, and gently roll the cognac around, etting it come into contact with every corner of your mouth. Focus on the perceived textural sensations. Are the sensations round and rich or fresh and elegant? Is the overall mouthfeel intense, balanced, disjointed, or lacking presence? In short, how does the cognac feel in your mouth?
Taste
Quite simply, what do you taste as you gently roll the cognac around in your mouth? Pay close attention to any flavors of fruits, flowers, oak, and spices - or a complex combination of those elements. Are the flavors cohesive with the Nose and the Mouth, giving a sense of balance and complexity?
22/25
Quite simply, what do you taste as you gently roll the cognac around in your mouth? Pay close attention to any flavors of fruits, flowers, oak, and spices - or a complex combination of those elements. Are the flavors cohesive with the Nose and the Mouth, giving a sense of balance and complexity?
Finish
The ‘finish’ is the experience you get after you’ve swallowed the cognac. What flavours can you detect? Is it a flat or rough finish and rather sharp, or is it a slight 'punch' you like? How long does the finish last? Also think about overall balance: How does the finish compare to nose and taste?
17/20
The ‘finish’ is the experience you get after you’ve swallowed the cognac. What flavours can you detect? Is it a flat or rough finish and rather sharp, or is it a slight 'punch' you like? How long does the finish last? Also think about overall balance: How does the finish compare to nose and taste?
Overall Impression
Consider the Nose, Mouth, Taste, and Finish simultaneously - the cognac as a whole. Is there cohesion between the four categories, or does the cognac shine in some areas and appear dull in others? Quite simply, is the memory from the tasting experience one that will last your lifetime; is the memory good but nothing extraordinary; or is the cognac’s impact entirely forgettable?
9/10
Consider the Nose, Mouth, Taste, and Finish simultaneously - the cognac as a whole. Is there cohesion between the four categories, or does the cognac shine in some areas and appear dull in others? Quite simply, is the memory from the tasting experience one that will last your lifetime; is the memory good but nothing extraordinary; or is the cognac’s impact entirely forgettable?
Total: 88/100
- 80-84: Recommended
- 85-89: Highly Recommended
- 90-95: Exceptional
- 96-100: Superlative