1988 Wine

One of the best bottles from Beychevelle in a long time. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and aromas of raspberry and mint with a hint of violet. Lead pencil and fruit appear on the long aftertaste.--1988 Bordeaux horizontal. Best... Read More

The 1988 reveals layer upon layer of honeyed pineapple-and orange-scented and -flavored fruit, vibrant acidity, high levels of botrytis, and a fabulously long, yet well-focused finish. It is a great wine. Anticipated maturity:... Read More

The 1988 has an intriguing bouquet of exotic spices and black fruits. Savagely tannic in its youth, the wine has softened and developed more charm and appeal. Still deep ruby/purple in color, with little signs of age, this medium-bodied,... Read More

Extraordinary complexity and finesse are the hallmarks of this earth-scented, butter-laced, honeyed, lemon-flavored gem. The finish seems to never end thanks to all that great acidity. Better after 1998. WS

The 1988 Ducru is a medium-bodied wine, without the profound depth and sheer intensity of fruit of the 1989. Possessing high tannins and good ripeness, with an overall sense of compactness and toughness, it recalls the style of... Read More

The 1988 is probably a 30-year wine. Extremely hard and backward, but concentrated, long, and full-bodied, it reminded me of the 1975, only less savage. Let's hope the fruit holds up. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2025.

The 1988 exhibits superb richness, plenty of botrytis, creamy, honeyed, tropical fruit (pineapples galore), wonderfully integrated, toasty oak, crisp acidity, and a rich, full-bodied, long finish. The wine is just beginning to... Read More

One of the big surprises is how delicious this wine has turned out. It is a beautiful, classic claret. Dark ruby-colored with purple hues, it reveals aromas of dried herbs, smoke, leather, grilled meats, and copious black cherry... Read More

Dark plum/garnet with a nose of sweet cherries intermixed with a hint of plum and vanilla, this stylish, very graceful as well as medium-bodied wine is best drunk over the next 4-5 years. This is a Bordeaux for those searching... Read More

(no tasting note available)

(no tasting note available)

The 1988 Mouton has an attractive aroma of exotic spices, minerals, coffee, black currants, and sweet oak. Much like the 1989, the bouquet is staggering, but the flavors are distinctly less profound. In the mouth, it is a much... Read More

Possessing the quintessential Graves elegance and perfume, the 1988 is impressively deep in color for a Graves, with a thrillingly fragrant nose of roasted chestnuts, tobacco, currants, and earthy stones. One notices that this... Read More

The hot summer with some rain in '88 made thick, full-bodied reds. This is no exception. Still young and closed, with tough and chewy tannins, with the terroir expressing a mineral, lead pencil and iron-tasting quality. Layered... Read More

The 1988 Pichon-Longueville promises to be one of the half-dozen superstars of this vintage. Surprisingly large-scaled for a 1988, with an oaky, cassis, and licorice-scented nose, it is deep in color, rich, softly tannic, medium... Read More

One of the stars of the vintage, the 1988 has evolved beautifully. Dark ruby, with a full-intensity bouquet of black plums, herbs, and currants, a silky smooth texture, and full body, it is one of the most highly extracted wines... Read More

One of the vintage's most impressive as well as backward wines, Rauzan-Segla's 1988 still exhibits a youthful, dark ruby/purple color, and a tight but promising nose of black fruits, minerals, and smoke. Full-bodied, powerful,... Read More

One of the vintage's most impressive as well as backward wines, Rauzan-Segla's 1988 still exhibits a youthful, dark ruby/purple color, and a tight but promising nose of black fruits, minerals, and smoke. Full-bodied, powerful,... Read More

This small estate continues to turn out remarkably rich, unctuously-textured, thick, powerful wines that brilliantly balance power and intensity with elegance and finesse. The 1988 offers the most refined aromatic profile and... Read More