WTN: a look at 88 Bordeaux

Some very brief comments on a bunch of great wines I had the chance to taste this saturdy. I'm no Bdx expert. I like classic, maybe even old fashioned styles of Bdx over modern and hedonistic ones. The 88 vintage fits this preference very well. They are ready to drink, but many can go for mach longer, I'm sure, and may well improve further. I add + to some ratings when I feel a bit unsure about the upward potential.

Clinet 88 ** - good nose but soft and round, noticable wood and rather short
Trotanoy 88 ***(*)+ - propably should have been decanted earlier. real class & elegance, great wine.
Troplong Montot 88 *** - also a bit softish, nice hamony, fines and with good length
Angelus 88 **(*) - plummy woodsy dark fruity, wood tannin, modern style, concentrated & extracted, may improve
Ausone 88 ****(*) - should also have received more air, hesitant but undeniable greatness, true class here, supreme length and elegance
Leoville Barton 88 ***+ - may be underrated, everything in place, tannin still noticable, looks good but lackt excitement
Gruaud Larose 88 **** - some barn yard, tobacco, old school Bdx, mineral and aristocratic
Ducru Beaucaillou 88 ****+ the epitome of classic Bdx, classy, aristocratic, perhaps bordering to austere for some, great length
Clerc Millon 88 *** - prototypical Paulliac for me, but a bit simple compared to the best
Pichon Lalande 88 ****+ there is sweetness and generousity, but not at the expense of structure and elegance. may improve futher
Mouton 88 ****(*) a paradigmatic example of a great bordeaux. fabulous.
Cos d'Estournel ***(*) a bit unresolved, seems more modern and emotionally leaves me cold, but undeniably a very good wine
la Mission Haut Brion ***** I love this. Incredible depth an complexity. Drinks superbly, but who knows where it might go still...
Margeaux 88 ****+ probably should have been give more air. lovely nose but a bit dry and inexpressive on the palate compared to the best

la Mission was my and the groups No1, and confrims my adimration for the chateau. Ausone was my No2, but Mouton deserved that spot no less.

Peter

LMHB is my favorite '88 that I've tried too. Mouton is second. Although you might not like it, Pape Clement is very good if a bit modern.

Gruaud Larose 88 **** - some barn yard, tobacco, old school Bdx, mineral and aristocratic

The Gruaud is the only one I have tried but had it many times over the years and still have one or two in the cellar. The amount of barn yard has been variable from bottle to bottle. Some are too much but the ones for which it is restrainted are very nice.

[Jenise]

Lucky you; interesting lineup. I owned all the 88 Firsts at one point but drank the Mouton and Haut Brion about 8 years ago because the collective wisdom of the time suggested these were fairly weak and not worth saving. Your score on the Mouton suggests that wasn't correct--good ole Bordeaux, always dangerous to count one out.

[David M. Bueker]

I had the Lalande over the summer & thought it was a delicious wine, and in a great place.

Years and years ago when I barely knew red wine from white wine (some might say that has not changed) I had the '88 Lafite. It was one of those "oh my" moments. I still have the cork.

because the collective wisdom of the time suggested these were fairly weak and not worth saving.

I would not trust collective wisdom when it comes to wine, and 88 has been a sperb ageworthy vintage in my view, not just in Bordeaux, but also in Burgundy and Germany. I prefer it over 90 in those regions now and probably even more so in the future...

Peter

Years and years ago when I barely knew red wine from white wine (some might say that has not changed) I had the '88 Lafite. It was one of those "oh my" moments. I still have the cork.

I would have loved to try 88 Lafite (or Latour/HB/ChevalB) but we needed to control the costs. For such a big name tasting, the affair was very fairly priced. I'm still surprised that I could afford attending it

Peter

[Jenise]

I would not trust collective wisdom when it comes to wine, and 88 has been a sperb ageworthy vintage in my view, not just in Bordeaux, but also in Burgundy and Germany. I prefer it over 90 in those regions now and probably even more so in the future...

Peter

With every passing year I learn more, but thankfully collective wisdom of the time was also adamnant about the folly of touching the Margaux, Lafite and Latours of that vintage, so they remain untouched.