Wine Advisor
Chateau Margaux 1988
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1988 offers a classic bouquet of violets and blackcurrants intertwined with lavish quantities of toasty new oak. Medium-bodied, concentrated, but extremely hard and tannic, this elegantly wrought, slightly herbaceous wine possesses a tougher texture and more astringent tannins than usual. It has begun to reveal more sweetness of fruit, but the wine is slightly compact and angular. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2015. Last tasted, 6/93.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1988 Margaux has a classic bouquet of violets and blackcurrants intertwined with the vanillin scents of new oak. Medium-bodied, decently concentrated, but extremely hard and tannic, this surprisingly tough-textured, stern wine should out-live the 1989, but will it ever provide as much charm and pleasure? The astringent nature of the tannins in the finish gives me cause for concern. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2015.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 1988 Chateau Margaux is a wine that was always overshadowed by the succeeding pair of vintages and like many 1988s, appeared rather conservative and lacked flair. However, I was gobsmacked by the performance of this wine at 28 years of age. Deep and clean in color, the bouquet is quintessentially Chateau Margaux with blackberry, potpourri, cedar and violets. It has wonderful clarity. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh as a daisy on the entry with a killer line of acidity that offsets those vibrant black and red fruits. There is energy here, vivacity, as if this Château Margaux suddenly realized its true potential after all these years. While it does not possess the length of the 1989 or 1990, there is such pleasure bound into this wine that you care little about that. Maybe I underestimated this wine for many years or perhaps it is a simple case of a "late bloomer." While the 1988 might not belong in the top echelons of releases from this First Growth, it might be considered the undiscovered gem of that prosperous decade for the chateau. Tasted May 2016.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Nose refused to blossom even with constant aeration. Palate is very well-balanced: pure cassis and cedar, but this has little charm. A tannic, structured broody Margaux. Needs time for it is not drinking well now and fingers crossed, will improve. Tasted July 2002.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
In a somewhat chunky, full-bodied, rather muscular style, with a dark, almost opaque garnet color and a big, smoky, earthy nose, with hints of compost, melted asphalt, black fruits, mushrooms, and new oak, this wine lacks the elegance one expects from Chateau Margaux, but does have plenty of tough-textured tannin and an almost rustic, corpulent style to it. The wine is mouth-staining as well as mouth-filling, but in a relatively chunky style. Anticipated maturity: Now-2018. Last tasted, 3/02.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1988 has a classic bouquet of violets and black currants intertwined with the vanillin scents of new oak. It is medium bodied and concentrated, but extremely hard and tannic. This elegantly wrought, yet surprisingly tough-textured wine should outlive the 1989. But will it ever provide as much pleasure? Anticipated maturity: 2000-2015. Last tasted, 4/91.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the “First Growth” lunch in London. A dark garnet core. It has a rather austere, reticent nose; well-defined but reluctant to give anything to the imbiber. Blackberry leaf, cassis, cedar and just a touch of black truffle, all the time remaining pinched and a little mean. The palate is medium-bodied with moderate weight, lacking the panache of a great Chateau Margaux but well balanced and focused. Foursquare and linear and yet that fruit on the finish is so pure with a sense of mineralite. The kind of wine you want to kick up the arse, because although it is attractive, it refuses to impart the pleasure you know it could give. Drink now-2015+ Tasted October 2008.
About the Producer
Chateau Margaux is located in the village of Margaux, in the Medoc appellation on the left bank of Bordeaux, and was awarded a First Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Medoc classification, alongside Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour and Château Haut-Brion. It is also known as Chateau Haut-Brion. Château Margaux currently covers a total of 262 hectares, including 99 hectares of vineyards. The red vineyard has an appellation of 87 hectares, of which 82 hectares are planted, while the white vineyard is planted with 12 hectares. The red varieties are mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc; the white varieties are Sauvignon Blanc and the vines are on average 45 years old. Since the end of the 1990s, the estate has refused to use pesticides in the vineyards. In addition, only organic fertilisers are used in the vineyard, and deep fertilisation is carried out at regular intervals to improve the soil structure and rejuvenate the soil. During the harvest season, the winery team selects the right time to harvest the grapes by testing and analysing all the indicators and by tasting the grapes themselves. Once the grapes have reached their ideal state of ripeness, they are harvested by a team of over 200 trained harvesters. Once in the winery, the grapes undergo a rigorous selection process before being de-stemmed. Both oak barrels and stainless steel tanks are used to ferment the red grapes, while the white grapes are fermented entirely in oak barrels. After the alcoholic fermentation, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation. The red wines are then left to mature in oak barrels for 18-24 months and the whites for 6-8 months. The main wine of the estate, Château Margaux's red wine, is rich and complex, with an elegant and powerful ballet on the tongue, rich and smooth tannins, good balance and a long, fresh finish with excellent ageing potential. It successfully conquered Napoleon Bonaparte, the founder of the First French Empire, and won the hearts of Thomas Jefferson, the founding father of the United States, and Margaret Thatcher, the "Iron Lady" of England. In the world of wine criticism, Château Margaux's red wines have also been recognised, with four perfect scores from Robert Parker and many more from other critics with 95 points or more. In recent years, the quality of Château Margaux's red wines has been steady and has maintained a high level of interest in the market.
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