A wine once described by Robert Parker as "spectacular" and awarded 99/100 points by the eminent wine critic starred in Edward Roberts International's latest Chicago fine wines sale, earlier this month (November 7).

The lot in question was a case of 12 bottles, each filled to the neck with the legendary Château La Mission Haut-Brion 1989. Originally estimated at $9,700, the case in the end sold for $12,019 (including Buyer's Premium, taxes and fees).

"I am certainly not going to argue with anyone who believes La Mission-Haut-Brion's 1989 is every bit as profound as the 1989 Haut-Brion," read Parker's tasting notes.

"It is a spectacular wine, and as it ages in the bottle, it is quickly becoming one of my all-time favourite La Mission-Haut-Brions, ranking alongside the 1982, 1975, 1961, 1959, and 1955."

According to Parker, the 1989 boasts "a dense, thick, purple color, followed by a sweet, roasted cassis, chocolatey-scented nose with whiffs of tobacco, tar, and minerals. The wine is extremely full-bodied, unctuously-textured, sweet, jammy, and rich."

"Although it is still a youthful, unformed wine, it is already delicious to drink. It should develop additional bottle bouquet by the turn of the century, after which it will drink well for 15-20 years."

Elsewhere, a lucky collector picked up four very top shoulder and two top shoulder bottles of the 1882 Château Mouton-Rothschild.

Parker once described this vintage as "a backward wine. Still tasting like a 4-5 year old Bordeaux, it will evolve for another half century... It was impossibly impenetrable and closed, although phenomenally dense and muscular."

Those comments were written ten years ago, giving this 100/100-rated wine case at least 40 more years of life - during which time it value should continue to grow as an alternative asset.

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