1988 Ruchottes Chambertin

The 1988 Ruchottes-Chambertin coincides with a traumatic year for the domaine, Dr. Georges Mugneret passing away just after the harvest, and perhaps extraneous circumstances compromises this vintage that I found a little disappointing. The nose feels a little “rigid”. It does not quite flow like the 1985, stilted even. The palate is better with a fresh entry of tart red fruit and a slight bitter edge. It boasts moderate depth and a crunchy, quite structured finish that feels masculine and a bit mean. Not a bad Ruchottes-Chambertin by any stretch, yet you feel that it does not reach for the stars. Tasted at the Ruchottes-Chambertin vertical in London.

The Ruchottes-Chambertin is consistently one of Mugneret's great wines. It is from an extraordinary Grand Cru vineyard that deserves a greater reputation than it has. The yields are kept conservatively low, 30-35 hectoliters per hectare, and the results are a compellingly concentrated, deep, rich, intense, full-bodied wine with a spicy, almost raunchy, game-like character, medium to full body, a lot of tannin, and layers of extract. The 1988 should ultimately rival the superb 1985 and 1978 Ruchottes-Chambertins. I would not drink it before the mid-nineties.