1988 Beau-Sejour Becot

Fabulous nose, with crushed berries, licorice and fresh mushroom. Full-bodied, with soft, succulent tannins and a velvety texture. Lots of fruit still, with an underlying complexity from long bottle-age. This will improve for many years to come. A generous and well-crafted wine. Much better than I remember.¿'88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now. 6,500 cases made. James Sucklinng, Wine Spectator 2009

This wine has turned out better than I initially thought. The wine has reached full maturity, with notes of licorice, dried herbs, and sweet red and black currants intermixed with some pain grille and earth. The aggressive tannins of its youth have melted away, yet the fruit has held. The wine is medium-bodied, quite classic in its proportions, and dense. It is somewhat monolithic compared to more recent vintages, but it is a nice chunky, muscular style of St.-Emilion. Anticipated maturity: Now-2009. Last tasted, 11/01. Jan 2003, www.robertparker.com