1988 Chateauneuf du Pape Clos des Papes

From a lighter, difficult year that was just the second vintage for Paul-Vincent, the 1988 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape offers up a fully mature bouquet of spice-box, leather, dusty mineral, garrigue, and licorice that glides to a medium-bodied, supple, and lightly textured wine that has completely integrated tannin, and now hard edges. Still alive and well, with noteworthy balance and length, this regal, elegant old beauty could be enjoyed on its own, or with a classy meal.

Only Paul-Vincent's second vintage, and the last vintage where Paul Avril was fully in charge, the 1988 Chateauneuf du Pape is fully mature and medium-bodied, with perfumed and evolved notes of dried garrigue, cedar, peppery herbs and sweet Grenache fruit. Showing how well these wines can hold once they reach maturity, it has no upside, but is an elegant, charming, classy effort I'd happily drink any day. Sep 2015, www.robertparker.com