Opinion Vintage 1988: Wine notes and guide by region

1988: a good vintage for French vineyards?

> Our 1988 vintage wines in stock

 

• Vintage 1988 in BORDEAUX

1988 was another complicated and stressful year for winegrowers. Memories of the previous year left the ghost of mildew haunting the nights of Bordeaux Châteaux. The start of the vegetative cycle went well, and the month of April produced some pretty flowers, suggesting that the vines were developing evenly. May and June were just as good, with no disease to speak of and veraison proceeding perfectly. The profile of a very good vintage was taking shape, until the rain came. It came rather late in the season, as the summer had got off to a good start, but the recurring rain took us by surprise.

And that's when all the hard work and decision-making of a winegrower comes into its own. The previous year, mildew had attacked the vines at the end of their ripening cycle, and chateau owners didn't want history to repeat itself. The most worried are going to start harvesting very early, at the risk of harvesting Cabernet Sauvignons that have not yet reached maturity. On the Left Bank, Graves wines are undoubtedly the best success story. These are the richest and most voluminous Bordeaux wines. Two other appellations will also do well. These are the wines of Margaux, which are the closest to the wines of Graves, with a little more finesse. And the wines of Pomerol on the right bank. Merlot, an earlier-ripening grape variety than Cabernet, will avoid the raindrops and harvest in good conditions. 

The 1988 vintage will be a Grand Millésime for two Bordeaux appellations. These are Sauternes and Barsac. Harvesting lasted until the end of November, with weather conditions perfect for the development of botrytis, the noble rot that is essential for the construction of a great sweet wine. 

It's a great vintage, because it's going to offer all the Sauternes estates some very fine wines. Complex, rich, with notes of exotic fruit, honey and orange. Complex wines to match. 

But the thing that makes 1988 such a great vintage is its freshness. A beautiful, nervous acidity on the finish, which balances with the sweetness of the wine to give it tremendous length on the palate. 

We have some fine bottles to offer you from this fine 1988 vintage. 

First, the Château L'église Clinet 1988 in the Pomerol appellationa master of velvety delicacy. On Saint-Julien, we have the mythical Château Beychevelle 1988which will surprise you with its finesse and precise evolutionary notes. Finally, we have wines from Château Climens in Sauternes. Liquorous, with notes of candied fruit, honeyed.

 

• Vintage 1988 in BOURGOGNE

The 1988 vintage was a very good one for Burgundy. Winemakers brought in grapes of excellent quality, and the less greedy among them even managed to extract a beautiful, deep, powerful color. We say the least greedy, because in addition to being a very good year in terms of quality, 1988 will also be a very abundant year. All the critics put the 1988 vintage well above 1987, in many respects, even if the price difference at the time was not always justified. In any case, thanks to a great summer, the wines of 1988 will be fuller-bodied and more robust than the previous year. 

The same was true of Burgundy whites, though with a little more restraint regarding their quality. Unfortunately, rain was not the winemaker's worst enemy in the 1988 vintage, but rather excessive yields, which diluted the wines and left them without much depth. There were no bad wines, or wines with defects, just juices that were too fluid and limpid. For Burgundy lovers, we still have Nuits-Saint-Georges du domaine Charles Viénot 1988. Evolving Pinot Noir aromas are present, with notes of undergrowth and hints of humus. 

 

• Vintage 1988 in VALLÉE DU RHÔNE

If there's one region not to be underestimated in the 1988 vintage, it's the Rhône. All the conditions are in place to produce wines of great quality, great ageing potential and superb depth. The young wines are very interesting to taste, but will acquire great aromatic complexity after a few years. On Côte Rôtie, the wines are fantastic, powerful and very rich. However, it will take a few years for the wines to open up. 

 

• Vintage 1987 in the REST OF FRANCE

The 1988 vintage will produce good vintages just about everywhere. Not everyone will be on the same level, but generally speaking, the wines are of good quality.
Visit ChampagneThe year was rather good, but was hit by disease and part of the harvest was lost. 

Visit Loire the year will be rather rainy. Red wines will fare better than whites this time. 

In Alsace, it's going to be a crazy year. Autumn will be the wettest month in over 150 years, followed by November, the sunniest month in 150 years. Perfect ingredients to produce a high-fashion sweet wine.

 

 

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The best wines of the 1988 vintage

 

Bordeaux wines of the 1988 vintage

Sweet white: 19/20

Dry white: 18/20

Red: 16/20

A superb vintage in the Bordeaux vineyards. A summer that was slightly cold at first, then became magnificent, dry and hot from mid-July to the end of August. Some had to bring forward the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest, which was a little early. The reason for this was the fear of late rain and the arrival of Botrytis Cinerea (noble rot). At the end of August, several much-appreciated showers arrived, followed by a sunny, warm September, which enabled the grapes to ripen in superb conditions.

Overall, wines from Bordeaux red in 1988 are powerful and tannic with great ageing potential. Well-structured and superbly structured. The dry white Bordeaux wines of 1988 are very successful, though not up to the level of the 1987s. As for the sweet wines, this is one of the vintages of the century! The Sauternes are powerful and elegant, with great aromatic intensity. What will also be remembered about the 1988 Bordeaux sweet whites is their sugar-acidity ratio, which was close to perfection that year.

Our references from Bordeaux 1988 : 

Château d'Yquem 1988  | 96/100 Robert Parker

Château Léoville Las Cases 1988  | 95/100 Wine Spectator

Château Lynch Bages 1988  | 95/100 Wine Spectator

Château La Mission Haut-Brion 1988  | 94/100 Wine Spectator

Château Mouton Rothschild 1988  | 92/100 Wine Spectator

Château Ducru Beaucaillou 1988  | 92/100 Wine Spectator

 

 

Burgundy: the 1988 vintage 

Bourgogne Rouge: 16/20

Bourgogne Blanc: 14/20

Thanks to ideal weather conditions, the winegrowers harvested grapes in superb health. The grapes had thick skins, little juice and excellent health. All these factors demonstrate the success of the grapes' concentration rate. Less grandiose than 1985, but still remarkable. Overall, these are great wines for laying down. As for the white wines of Burgundy in 1988, their acidity is high, but not excessive. In their early years, the white wines showed freshness and finesse. A fruity entry, followed by aromas that evolved towards smoky, toasty notes, leaning towards nutty flavors. Lucky owners of great Burgundy wines of this vintage should remember it for a long time!

 

 

Bourgogne Rouge in 1988

Weather conditions : Early spring was warm and mainly dry, leading to early budding. However, heavy rain and cool temperatures in May and June damaged flowering. Conditions were mixed for most of the summer, with heavy rain alternating with dry spells, but early September saw the weather change to sunny and warm, and the small crop ripened well. The late harvest took place in warm weather.

Best appellations: The vintage was much more abundant in Chardonnay than Pinot Noir, so better for reds than whites. These reds, while rather austere and taking longer than expected to finish, are generally proportionally better in Côte de Nuits than in Côte de Beaune.

 

Bourgogne Blanc in 1988

Weather conditions: An exceptional winter was followed by a mild but wet spring which continued into early summer. Despite the wet conditions, flowering was adequate. Temperatures rose in July and three months were ideally sunny and dry, with just the right amount of rain to prevent the crop drying out. Harvesting took place in ideal conditions in October. Growing conditions resulted in the production of a relatively large crop, both in terms of cluster size and the grapes themselves. As a result, there was a lack of concentration in the vintage.

Best appellations : Whites are proportionally better as you move up the hierarchy from village wine to grand cru. It was a good year for the remote villages, but these will now be largely overtaken. A good year for Corton-Charlemagne.

 

 

An exceptional 1988 vintage in the Rhône

Northern Rhône: 17/20

Rhône Sud: 15/20

A great vintage for Rhône winesparticularly in the Northern Rhône, with some outstanding wines. An unqualified success for Côte-Rôtie in 1988! The wines have great depth, well-balanced tannins, and without doubt, great ageing potential! Staying with the reds, the elite are Côte-Rôtie, as well as Hermitages, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. The white wines of Hermitage are highly complex and delicious, not to mention the Condrieu. The South was also a success, with succulent Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. Their structure, sparkling color and ageing potential are particularly noteworthy. Still in white, Gigondas wines also did well in this vintage, and are very rich. 

 

Rhône Rouge in 1988

Weather conditions: Flowering took place two weeks earlier than 1987 in the north, although hail and other problems reduced crop size, particularly in Côte Rotie. A hot summer brought wonderfully rich, ripe grapes with a firm tannic structure.

Best appellations : The best wines took time to develop and will last a long time. Despite a few outbreaks of mildew in the south, the wines were excellent, with good body and structure. (Powerful, exceptionally long-lasting Condrieu wines)

 

 

Rhône Blanc in 1988

Weather conditions: An exceptional winter was followed by a mild but wet spring which continued into early summer. Despite the wet conditions, flowering was adequate. Temperatures rose in July and three months were ideally sunny and dry, with just the right amount of rain to prevent the crop drying out. Harvesting took place in ideal conditions in October. Growing conditions resulted in the production of a relatively large crop, both in terms of cluster size and the grapes themselves. As a result, there was a lack of concentration in the vintage.

Best appellations : Whites are proportionally better as you move up the hierarchy from village wine to grand cru. It was a good year for the remote villages, but these will now be largely overtaken. A good year for Corton-Charlemagne.

 

 

Champagne and Alsace wines in 1988

Champagne: 18/20

Champagne: 17/20

Let's start with the Champagne ! Harvesting at the end of September with beautiful, healthy grapes, what else? As for acidity, it was more intense than in vintages such as 82, 83 or 85. All in all, the great Champagnes of 1988 are very successful, very good quality: lively, well rounded and succulent.

Concerning theAlsaceHere too, an overall success - this vintage is truly surprising... However, the grapes were harvested early. They have aged well, and even very well! Full-bodied, round 1988 Alsace wines. A remarkable aromatic basket, and ample fruit. An exceptional year, particularly for late harvest and noble grape selections. Superb and intensely aromatic, with the balance to last. The wines are concentrated, racy and elegant.

 

Ratings for other regions in 1988

Beaujolais: 15/20

Languedoc-Roussillon: 17/20

Provence red: 17/20

Sud-Ouest red: 18/20

Sud-Ouest sweet white: 18/20

Loire red: 16/20

Loire sweet white: 18/20

 

 

Buy 1988 vintage wines at the best price

 

Find a large collection of wines of the 1988 vintage on Comptoir des Millésimes. Your rare old wines from 1988 preserved in a superb underground cellar, ready to be tasted, immediately available for shipment in secure packaging.

Thank you for reading and enjoy your meal!