Notation RobertParker.com
The best showing yet for a wine from this under-rated vintage, the dark garnet-colored 1988 Latour reveals slight amber at the edge. A bouquet of melted tar, plums, black currants, cedar, and underbrush 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 flavors than are found in a riper year, such as 1989 and 1990. The 1988 has just begun to enter its plateau of maturity, where it should remain for 25 years. Anticipated maturity: now-2025
Notation Wine Spectator
So minty, with loads of subtle ripe fruit and eucalyptus undertones. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. Caresses every inch of the palate. It's the quality of the tannins that's impressive here. What a great and beautiful wine. Should improve for many years to come.--'88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now.
Notation Quarin
Rouge. Pourpre. Intense. Sombre. Trs brillante. Belle. Noire. Net. Intense. Fin et subtil. Note de cachou. Touche frache de fleur, de framboise et cassis. Beau. Pur. Net. Plus intense. Moins fin. Puissant. Avec une note sous-bois classique. Attaque nette et ample, se dveloppant sur une structure puissante, volumineuse, grasse, trs fruite et juteuse, qui volue intense sur des tanins remarquablement quilibrs, qui laissent une persistance trs frache, cachoute, fruite et animale, fume et austre ! Du grand vin !
Notation Jancis Robinson
Deep crimson. Looks more youthful than the 1994. Fireworks fragrance. A little gentler and suppler than the 1998. Softening. Very correct and very typical.
Notation RVF
Nous conseillons qui ignore la puissance du cabernet-sauvignon sur graves (77 % de l'assemblage) de dguster ce vin. Le temps n'a fait que l'arrondir, le dompter un peu, l'harmoniser beaucoup. C'est un vin sanguin, muscl et serr, plein de fougue. Le caractre mdocain domine avec les fameuses notes de menthol en finale. Elles impriment la finale une race et une subtilit rare. A boire et garder.
(La Revue du Vin de France, nov 2009)
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