Latour 1988

The 1988 Latour has a slightly more powerful nose than the Lafite-Rothschild, with hints of black olive, sage and sous-bois infusing the black fruit. But it doesn't fully reach the complexity of the best vintages of Latour. The palate has a wonderful backbone and grip, with hints of cooked meat. It sedately shimmies into its secondary phase, easing off the gas towards the finish with more density than its peers. This is the best bottle of the 1988 that I have tasted. Excellent. Tasted at the 1988 Bordeaux dinner at Noble Rot Mayfair. (Drink between 2024-2048)

The best showing yet for a wine from this underrated vintage, the dark garnet-coloured 1988 Latour reveals slight amber at the edge. A bouquet of melted tar, plums, black currants, cedar, and underbush is followed by a sweet entry with medium to full body, excellent ripeness, and mature tannin. It is a classic, elegant Latour with more meaty , vegetable -like flavours than are found in a riper year, such as 1990 and 1989. The 1988 has just begun to enter its plateau of maturity, where it should remain for 25 years. Anticipated maturity: now-2025.

A good deep colour with some fade but looks youger than it really is. Classic cigar box nose. On the palate it is a bit tight and seems closed. There are some classic Pauillac notes but (like the 1994) it is a bit too lean and maybe lacks the flesh of a really good vintage. A dry wine for lovers of old fashioned claret.

The 1988 Latour is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. It has quite a deep colour considering that it is now 30 years old with little maturation on its rim. I appreciate the nose here: quite dense at first and yet well-defined, plenty of fruit extant that is now laced with sandalwood, sous-bois, sage and just a hint of liquorish. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannin. This Latour is quite savory in style with touches of allspice, meat juices infusing the black fruit that dovetail into a tarry, graphite finish. It is less austere than I was expecting and the substance and freshness suggests that it will continue to drink well for a number of years. Tasted at the château. 2018 - 2035