December 20, 2023 - Directly i taste that this bottle has crossed its peak. Its a heavy flavour of lemon, and almost lemon only. Also little bitter.
In my opinion the 1989 was way better and passed the years in a more delicate way than the 1988.
If you have bottles left its time to really open them up! Maybe if you have Magnum size it should be fine until this day.
December 3, 2022 - Caramel and peach in this slight rose colored bottle. Still expressed some citrus and well rounded.
Stored well and it came through.
November 19, 2022 - blind, side by side with 85
Not a perfect bootle. Too aged for this vintage, colour looked like a Rose. Nougat, so "easy" detect as a Cristal, fried fruits but still some perlage and good acidity structure. But the 88 is normally close to perfection. No chance against the sublime 85. 92
August 29, 2022 - 2nd bottle tried and still advanced or ox
August 29, 2022 - Color was worryingly orange, yet we've had such bottles come thru before. This felt tired and oxidized to my friends, but for whatever reason I didn't mind the strongly vinous feel with some salinity.
April 24, 2022 - quite dark in color to the point that i thought this was the Rose. quite advanced while still maintaining an acceptable level of freshness. per the cognoscenti not the best bottle.
November 18, 2021 - Drank at 67
A true beauty
November 8, 2021 - Justin’s bottle. I told him I have found old Cristal not to age very well but he was easily able to prove me wrong with this bottle. Deep orange, a few bubble stragglers. Dried orange and tangerine peel and a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg. Really intensely flavored and medium length. Very impressive indeed.
January 17, 2021 - A nose of candied white fruits, very surprising for a champagne of this age. Very discreet bubble, but the effervescence remains in the mouth.
The attack is fine and fresh, the touch practically velvety. I have drunk this Cristal 1988 about 6 times, but here we are on a totally different register with this bottle. The material is always voluminous but the champagne is finer. We have delicious notes of peaches, tangerines and candied fruit on the palate. The balance is always perfect with a touch of acidity tending the whole.
The finish is masterful, still fresh, with surprising intensity and magnificent length.
December 4, 2018 - Wine Workshop: An evening with Cristal (Atera - 77 Worth Street in NYC): This is coming across as a bit younger. Next to the '89 it's almost a bit closed for business. Still nice. Some of the apples and a bit of the saline streak that others had picked up in a lot of the bottles but I mostly just got here. Nice acidity. Will continue to let our bottle sleep.