WTN: slightly overachieving '88 Bordeaux

Last night we had my parents over for dinner before they flew back south this AM. Dry-aged NY strips, grilled sweet potatoes in a thyme vinaigrette, nnd salad. David took a break from graduation parties to join us, so I poured a wine from his birthyear, the 1988 Ch. Cantemerle (Haut-Medoc). More red than black fruit, mostly resolved tannins, moderate acidity. Sweet red plum fruit picks up weight. There's some cedar, but the dominant secondary aroma is tobacco (reminds me of a flue-curing barn). This isn't a heavyweight, and doesn't have the depth to be termed outstanding, but a nice mature Bordeaux that offers enough fruit to please those who view that as the primary attribute of wine, yet with some complex aromatics. B+/A-

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency

Sounds like a pretty nice wine, Dale. Congratulations to David. When does he take off for Scotland?

Nineteen-eighty-eight is yet another year that provides very good traditionally-styled clarets that, still, can be acquired on the secondary market for relatively good prices. Cantemerle underachieve from time to time, but judging from your note, Dale, have done rather well with this vintage.

[Jenise]

Sounds good. Btw, have you had an 86 lately? I've got one of those and am worried I've left it too long.

I know that talking about vintages rather than individual wines can cause huge generalisations, but I still have to say that within the paradigm of generalisations I am a huge fan of '88s. The '03 Cantemerle is the only one from the property I've had, but if even that was to my taste, I guess I must get my hands on some '88.

-O-(goes off to search for some)

I'm a fan of '88s, too.
Jenise, haven't had the '86 from memory. Don't know many '86s that are actually past it, the question is whether they had the fruit to stand up as the tannins get a chance to integrate. Doubt its dead, but be prepared for austere.
David doesn't leave for Scotland till late Sept, they start later than US.