1988 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echézeaux Grand Cru

I do not think I have ever tasted a better example of Echezeaux, a wine that is usually their lightest and quickest to mature. In 1988, it is bursting with rich, concentrated, berry fruit, has the exotic, oriental spice character that often marks the wines from this domaine, and is sensationally long and full. Even though it is the most forward wine from the domaine, I would wait at least 5 years before drinking this beauty. I feel it has the requisite depth, concentration, power, and tannin to last two decades. The prices for the wines of the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti may be exorbitant but the quality of the wines produced in the eighties is truly remarkable. The 1988s are celestial wines selling at stratospheric prices. The 1988 production was twice what it was in 1987, but the same as in 1985. The 1988s are fuller-bodied, deeper, more concentrated wines than the superb 1987s, and will need some time in the cellar to shed their generous amounts of tannin. The only vintage they can be favorably compared with is the 1985 vintage, and the 1985s were a great deal more forward and flattering to taste when young. There is more depth in the 1988s than in the 1986s or even the superb 1980s (which turned out to be the finest wines made in that underrated vintage).

I do not think I have ever tasted a better example of Echezeaux, a wine that is usually their lightest and quickest to mature. In 1988, it is bursting with rich, concentrated, berry fruit, has the exotic, oriental spice character that often marks the wines from this domaine, and is sensationally long and full. Even though it is the most forward wine from the domaine, I would wait at least 5 years before drinking this beauty. I feel it has the requisite depth, concentration, power, and tannin to last two decades. Jan 1990, www.robertparker.com