1988 Clos de la Roche
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Tasting notes
The 1988 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru has an engaging earthy bouquet. The wine is a little funkier than I would like, but calming down and developing attractive cedar and dark chocolate notes. The palate is dominated by dark berry fruit, firm tannins, touches of stewed black tea and spicebox. It just falls towards the finish that requires a little more grip and depth, but otherwise this is drinking well.
Critic scores
Neal Martin
Allen Meadows, Burghound
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Sadly, the 1988 Clos de la Roche is the victim of a flawed cork. Even so, the wine appears to have aged quite well and is still intact, with terrific persistence and lovely purity in its fruit.
Smoky black fruit nose that remains quite primary in character though notes of secondary aromas are now in evidence. The big, robust, intense and quite powerful flavors are underpinned by prominent though ripe tannins and the finish offers stunning complexity and outstanding persistence. There is still enough tannin to resolve that I would hold this for several more years and based on its lazy evolution, it wouldn't surprise me if this was a wine that saw its 30th birthday in fine shape.