1988 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello

Antinori's Tignanello, one of the first proprietary red Tuscan table wines, is gorgeous in 1988. The color is deep ruby/purple and the nose offers up penetrating aromas of sweet red and black fruits and toasty new oak. In the mouth, this medium to full-bodied wine offers wonderfully precise flavors, excellent richness, good acidity, soft tannins, and a spicy, long, rich finish. Drinkable now, this wine should continue to evolve for at least 10-12 years. I would have to rank this vintage of Tignanello alongside the glorious 1985. The Antinori name on a bottle of Italian wine is about as close to a guarantee of quality as one is likely to find. Just about everything he does, in all prices ranges, is good. Even his white wines offer more pleasure than the run-of-the-mill, innocuous character most Italian whites seem to share. Importer: Remy Amerique, Inc., New York, NY.