1989 Rioja & Spain Vintage

The 1989 growing season in Rioja was defined by extremes that tested producers at every stage. The preceding winter of 1988/89 was one of the driest and frostiest of the century, with severe November frosts causing irregular budding the following spring. Viura was most severely damaged, with Tempranillo suffering some harm and Garnacha least affected. Spring arrived warm and early, propelling vine development well ahead of schedule. Summer brought heat but also hailstorms over wide areas of Rioja Alta and parts of Rioja Alavesa. Despite these challenges, vines were estimated to be two weeks ahead of normal by late summer, and harvest proceeded early under generally sound conditions.

• Winter 1988/89 was one of the driest of the century, with heavy late-November frosts causing uneven budding across Rioja's white and red varieties
• Warm spring conditions accelerated vine development significantly, with flowering occurring in Rioja Baja in the first week of June and the rest of the region following within two weeks
• Summer hailstorms struck significant areas of Rioja Alta and localised parts of Rioja Alavesa, reducing yields and creating variability in quality across the region
• Harvest opened in Rioja Baja on 6 September and was completed across the region by 29 October, with vines running approximately two weeks ahead of a typical year

Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa produced the most compelling wines of the vintage, with traditional producers in Haro and its surroundings crafting wines that have aged gracefully over more than three decades. The warm, early season suited Tempranillo-dominant blends in the cooler, higher-elevation sites, where hailstorm damage was more localised. Rioja Baja, now officially known as Rioja Oriental following the April 2018 renaming, contributed richer, warmer-climate expressions with higher extract and alcohol. These generally peaked earlier than the more structured wines from the western sub-zones.

• Rioja Alta: Traditional bodegas around Haro achieved genuine depth and longevity; the elevated, clay-limestone sites tempered the heat and preserved freshness
• Rioja Alavesa: Localised hail created variability, but the best sites delivered wines of characteristic finesse and mineral precision that have evolved well
• Rioja Oriental (then Rioja Baja): The warmer, lower-altitude Mediterranean-influenced zone produced riper, broader-shouldered wines with higher alcohol, generally drinking best within 10 to 15 years
• Sub-zone character: The Atlantic and continental influence in Rioja Alta and Alavesa gave the vintage's best wines the structure needed for extended cellaring

Several producers crafted wines in 1989 that continue to draw attention from collectors and educators alike. Marqués de Murrieta's Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial is among the most celebrated, sourced exclusively from La Plana, a 40-hectare plot planted in 1950 at 485 metres altitude, and made only in selected vintages. CVNE's Imperial Gran Reserva, an iconic Rioja produced since the 1920s and released only in exceptional harvests, includes a 1989 bottling from estate vineyards in Villalba, Briones, and Torremontalvo in Rioja Alta. La Rioja Alta's Viña Ardanza Reserva 1989 has been praised at vertical tastings as a stunning wine still showing fragrant aromas, silky tannins, and fresh fruit at over 30 years of age.

• Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 1989: Sourced from La Plana vineyard at 485m altitude; tasting notes describe sweet black fruits, vanilla, woodsmoke, cigar box, and violets
• CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva 1989: One of Rioja's most historic labels, produced only in vintages classified as exceptional by the house; grapes from Rioja Alta estate vineyards
• La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva 1989: Verified at vertical tastings as showing beautifully fragrant aromas, silky tannins, tart acidity, and fresh fruit notes after more than three decades
• R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva 1989: From a bodega founded in 1877 that uses only estate fruit and ages its Reservas for six years in oak; a textbook expression of traditional Haro winemaking

The 1989 vintage has had a longer life than many observers initially expected from what was characterised at the time as a good rather than outstanding year. Wines from traditional producers with the structure and acid balance to age have continued to develop tertiary complexity well into the 2020s. Top expressions from Marqués de Murrieta, CVNE, La Rioja Alta, and López de Heredia remain in admirable condition, though perfectly cellared examples are essential. Wines stored poorly, or lighter Reservas from the eastern zones, will likely be past their best.

• Top traditional Reservas and Gran Reservas from Rioja Alta: Many are drinking well now through the late 2020s, with the very best examples continuing to develop
• Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial and equivalent top-tier bottles: Verified as still showing complexity and freshness after 35 years under ideal storage conditions
• Rioja Oriental expressions: These typically peaked earlier, within 10 to 15 years of the vintage, and should be approached with caution today without confirmed provenance
• Provenance is critical: The vintage's modest initial reputation means secondary market prices can be reasonable, but storage history must be verified before purchasing

In 1989, Rioja's traditional bodegas were still working within a framework of extended barrel aging in American oak, with Tempranillo forming the backbone of most Reserva and Gran Reserva blends. CVNE's Imperial Reserva was typically blended from approximately 80% Tempranillo with Graciano and Mazuelo, aged in American and French oak before extended bottle aging. López de Heredia aged its Tondonia Reserva for six years in barrel before release, using only estate fruit and natural yeasts. Castillo Ygay aged its Tempranillo component for 34 months in American oak barrels and Mazuelo in French oak. This era predated the widespread adoption of French oak and modernist extraction techniques that would reshape Rioja through the 1990s.

• American oak dominance: The characteristic vanilla and coconut notes in 1989 Riojas reflect the era's near-universal use of American oak barrels for aging
• Tempranillo-led blends: Most Reservas were anchored by Tempranillo, complemented by Graciano for freshness and structure, and Mazuelo for color and tannin
• Extended aging protocols: Traditional houses like López de Heredia aged Reservas for six or more years in oak before release, a practice that defined the regional style of the period
• Pre-DOCa context: The 1989 harvest preceded Rioja's elevation to DOCa status in April 1991 by just two years, representing the last chapter of the old regulatory era

The 1989 vintage sits at a pivotal moment in Rioja's history. The harvest came two years before the region became Spain's first Denominación de Origen Calificada in April 1991, a designation that codified higher standards for production, bottling, and quality control. The wines produced in 1989 by houses such as Marqués de Murrieta, CVNE, La Rioja Alta, and López de Heredia demonstrated that traditional methods, long barrel aging, and estate fruit could produce wines of genuine longevity. Their continued performance decades later helped validate the case for Rioja's elevation in the international collector community during the 1990s.

• DOCa context: Rioja became Spain's first DOCa in April 1991, making the 1989 harvest one of the final vintages produced under the previous DO framework
• Traditional house validation: The long-term evolution of wines from Murrieta, CVNE, López de Heredia, and La Rioja Alta confirmed that American oak aging and extended cellaring could deliver world-class complexity
• Collector awareness: The 1989s helped build international confidence in Rioja as a region capable of producing age-worthy wines alongside its established European peers
• Industry transition: The late 1980s marked the beginning of a generational shift in Rioja, as younger producers began questioning oak protocols and extraction methods; the 1989 wines represent the last fully traditional chapter of that era