This bottle was clearly gone or maybe flawed. There was a sour, acidic and very unpleasant scent and flavour overshadowing the pleasant elements from last bottle, which again were detectable in the background. One bottle left. Hopefully it will shine again
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Managed to remove a mouldy cork in whole although in three pieces. Nose of graphite and forest floor. The wine initially presented rather funky but then developed more complexity after about an hour. Clearly tertiary but very clean and fresh with notes of bell pepper, tomato and tobacco leaves with still some black currant and blackberries in the aftertaste slowly turning to more earthy and herbaceous flavours. Beautiful wine with incredible balance. Enjoyed with some mature cheese
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A private dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL): Classic Saint-Julien in optima forma. Mature but fresh, pure and precise, ripe but leafy, gravel and spice, silky berry fruit and ditto tannins, perfect balance and weight (12.5% ABV), very good length. Unusual charm for 1988. A perfect bottle.
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Perfectly mature, with textbook notes of soot, cold smoke, pencil shavings, blackcurrant, tomato leaf. Silky smooth, drink up now, over the next 2 to 3 years to enjoy the fruit that is still present.
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Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; Bordeaux, St. Julien: Mature bouquet with autumn forest and chocolate, but also still cassis. On the palate cassis, red berries, coffee, chocolate, bell pepper, rustic impressions, firm acidity and still slightly sticky tannin. Amazing and still very beautiful wine.
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“Past its prime,” as others below say, I’m not sure. Some olives, leather, and funk on the nose all testified to the wine’s age, but there wasn’t much bricking, and this took quite some time to open up after decanting. Far from being faded and turning into rubbing alcohol the way some too-old wines do, this held up after a double-decanting half an hour before serving, and in the glass for more than an hour. That said, in spite of the long, tobacco-spiced finish, and in spite of the commendable nose, this wine just was not a delight. My guess is that there was never enough fruit for the powerful tannins to back up, which is why people are calling it too old, past its prime, etc. (Furthermore, if I’m not mistaken, Clos du Marquis only began to be treated as more than a second wine by the château after 1989.) At any rate, it was fun to drink for a 30th birthday party (1988-2018!), and waiting certainly won’t make it any better. Our bottle (ex Flatiron Wines) was extremely well preserved; I decanted out about 2 oz of gritty, fine sediment, and more sediment remained glued to the side of the bottle—proof that it had remained in one position in someone’s cellar for many years. Verdict: don’t buy, but drink it if you have it, and double-decant it 45 minutes before serving.
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Very mature, somewhat dusty bouquet with some red berries and rose hips as well as some pleasant barnyard and garrigue. On the palate in fact the same. Some oak, firm acidity which becomes milder with some more aeration and soft/melted tannin. Creamy butter milk is something that comes to mind. The wine is in fact a bit too old, but still very drinkable, so I nevertheless score it: 87
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Decanted and served. Top shoulder bottle. Very nice. Open on the nose with good earth and red fruit. Well aged claret very well made and with a classic feel to it. Really enjoyed it. and for an 88 even more. 92, drink now
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Very dark red colour, just becoming a bit watery at the rim. Surprisingly little loss of colour. The nose is quite restrained, cedar, cassis anda hint of prunes. On the palatefine tannins, good acidity but not a lot of fruit at first but it is gaining in weight over time. Well balanced nevertheless. Fine with leg of lamb. Will last at least 5+ years.
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An easy afternoon with close friends; St. Julien, Pomerol (@ My place): Blood red. In the bouquet dark fruit, especially blueberries. Also some metal. The taste has a sweet start, soft bruised fruit and liquorice. Firm tannin and butter in the long aftertaste. Ripe, refined and powerful at the same time. Can last a few more years.
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10/14/2023 - cvst wrote:
This bottle was clearly gone or maybe flawed. There was a sour, acidic and very unpleasant scent and flavour overshadowing the pleasant elements from last bottle, which again were detectable in the background. One bottle left. Hopefully it will shine again
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4/14/2023 - cvst Likes this wine: 93 Points
Managed to remove a mouldy cork in whole although in three pieces. Nose of graphite and forest floor. The wine initially presented rather funky but then developed more complexity after about an hour. Clearly tertiary but very clean and fresh with notes of bell pepper, tomato and tobacco leaves with still some black currant and blackberries in the aftertaste slowly turning to more earthy and herbaceous flavours. Beautiful wine with incredible balance. Enjoyed with some mature cheese
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9/30/2022 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
A private dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL): Classic Saint-Julien in optima forma. Mature but fresh, pure and precise, ripe but leafy, gravel and spice, silky berry fruit and ditto tannins, perfect balance and weight (12.5% ABV), very good length. Unusual charm for 1988. A perfect bottle.
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6/6/2022 - pabernatchez wrote: 90 Points
Perfectly mature, with textbook notes of soot, cold smoke, pencil shavings, blackcurrant, tomato leaf.
Silky smooth, drink up now, over the next 2 to 3 years to enjoy the fruit that is still present.
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12/15/2021 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; Bordeaux, St. Julien: Mature bouquet with autumn forest and chocolate, but also still cassis. On the palate cassis, red berries, coffee, chocolate, bell pepper, rustic impressions, firm acidity and still slightly sticky tannin. Amazing and still very beautiful wine.
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11/18/2018 - Xuzab Likes this wine: 88 Points
“Past its prime,” as others below say, I’m not sure. Some olives, leather, and funk on the nose all testified to the wine’s age, but there wasn’t much bricking, and this took quite some time to open up after decanting. Far from being faded and turning into rubbing alcohol the way some too-old wines do, this held up after a double-decanting half an hour before serving, and in the glass for more than an hour. That said, in spite of the long, tobacco-spiced finish, and in spite of the commendable nose, this wine just was not a delight. My guess is that there was never enough fruit for the powerful tannins to back up, which is why people are calling it too old, past its prime, etc. (Furthermore, if I’m not mistaken, Clos du Marquis only began to be treated as more than a second wine by the château after 1989.) At any rate, it was fun to drink for a 30th birthday party (1988-2018!), and waiting certainly won’t make it any better. Our bottle (ex Flatiron Wines) was extremely well preserved; I decanted out about 2 oz of gritty, fine sediment, and more sediment remained glued to the side of the bottle—proof that it had remained in one position in someone’s cellar for many years. Verdict: don’t buy, but drink it if you have it, and double-decant it 45 minutes before serving.
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5/17/2014 - Zweder wrote: 87 Points
Very mature, somewhat dusty bouquet with some red berries and rose hips as well as some pleasant barnyard and garrigue. On the palate in fact the same. Some oak, firm acidity which becomes milder with some more aeration and soft/melted tannin. Creamy butter milk is something that comes to mind. The wine is in fact a bit too old, but still very drinkable, so I nevertheless score it: 87
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11/17/2012 - iawcc wrote: 88 Points
Perhaps a bit past it's prime. But still drinking nicely.
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6/8/2011 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Decanted and served. Top shoulder bottle. Very nice. Open on the nose with good earth and red fruit. Well aged claret very well made and with a classic feel to it. Really enjoyed it. and for an 88 even more. 92, drink now
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6/20/2008 - slaughterer wrote: 90 Points
Brick red. Mid-weight, soft, fresh, vibrant. Cedar galore, cranberries, gym sock, soy, cassis. Medium length. Drink up.
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9/2/2005 - martinp wrote: 89 Points
Very dark red colour, just becoming a bit watery at the rim. Surprisingly little loss of colour. The nose is quite restrained, cedar, cassis anda hint of prunes. On the palatefine tannins, good acidity but not a lot of fruit at first but it is gaining in weight over time. Well balanced nevertheless. Fine with leg of lamb. Will last at least 5+ years.
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2/14/2004 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
An easy afternoon with close friends; St. Julien, Pomerol (@ My place): Blood red. In the bouquet dark fruit, especially blueberries. Also some metal. The taste has a sweet start, soft bruised fruit and liquorice. Firm tannin and butter in the long aftertaste. Ripe, refined and powerful at the same time. Can last a few more years.
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12/31/2000 - Zweder wrote: 87 Points
Young and pleasant. Does not show its class. Needs some more time in the bottle.
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10/28/1997 - Zweder wrote: 87 Points
A comparison between 1988, 1989 and 1990 Bordeaux (By ASa): Classical and elegant wine with dark berries, oak and some bitterness. Good acidity and tannin. Good length. The '89 we tasted beside it is the better wine.
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