Tasted at Le Grand Tasting Paris. It's a masterclass and the wine was from the producer, so I assume the storage was perfect. However, this bottle was not that impressive. There was no fault, just there was also not much life in it. There were bubbles (not much), the colour was reasonable for this age, while it was just lacking energy and vibe. Not dead, but not that alive. I have tried Rare 1988 several times, even several years ago it was not consistent. Judging from the price it's probably not a wine to spend money on.
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Lemon and mushrooms on the nose. Apple and brioche on the palate. Pretty complex and showed very well tonight. Wish I had more. Paired great with cheese board of aged salty type cheeses
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Tasted blind, thought it was a 1990 Pinot Noir dominant Grande Marque Champagne. Fully mature array of ripe orchard fruits, mushroom, dried berries, caramelised apple and brioche. A touch of mustiness and tasted older than the last bottle of 1988. 1988 was also the last vintage that Rare didn’t go through with malolactic fermentation. Drink up. (90/100)
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Weekend at Bernie's; 2/25/2022-2/27/2022 (Vero Beach): Twice in one week! This was the second time I had it and I'd say this one was showing the age a touch more than the one earlier in the week but both were really rather lovely.
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Weekend in Westport; 8/25/2021-8/29/2021 (Westport, CT): Drank this side by side with the 1999 Rare from magnum. It's amazing the difference an extra 11 years makes. This wine just reinforces that aged champagne makes a difference. It's got a bit more interesting notes - more of the nuts and the slight lightly oxidized flavor. It's really enjoyable.
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Not so spicy as usual and the roasted Aromas are in the background. Fresh baken bread, orange peel. After time getting more massive and concentrated. 94
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Precise, but not sharp, with toast, brioche, and honeyed mousse, delicate and absolutely not overpowering multifaceted bouquet. Feels fine and elegant on the palate, with carbonation of the lower side already.
I suspect late disgorging, this bottle looks a kind of new (10 year old new). Well, waiting for good Champagne is like waiting for a good Barolo.
One glass was not enough!
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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Piper Rare masterclass (Tom C's Festival of Wine, London): Bottle 3: Far fresher. This is five to ten years 'younger' than bottle 2. All the positives of 2 but with far more energy and freshness. Lovely. The 88 has 10g/l dosage. *****
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Piper Rare masterclass (Tom C's Festival of Wine, London): Bottle 2. Far richer. Lovely in fact. Rich and still some freshness (though not the energy of bottle 3). Lots here and in better shape than last week's 90/89/85 Bolly trio. There's a harmonious balance between age and freshness here, and it's the bottle I'd pick for drinking now. ****1/2
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Piper Rare masterclass (Tom C's Festival of Wine, London): Bottle 1, corked. Starts with a slightly swimming pool TCP nose, with clear TCA flavours on the finish. Amusingly the presenter initially declares it probably not corked despite being twenty five yards from the glass.
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Courtesy of Neil. Nutty with brioche, yeast and apple notes. Pear and yeast with abundant fruit on the lingering finish. Not much of a bead but this balanced, complex and beautiful. My note doesn't do it justice, but I was preparing dinner while the group started on the dinner wines so I wasn't able to give it my full attention. Hopefully I'll have another shot at this when I am not as distracted. 94+ pts.
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Disgorged approximately 20-22 years ago. On the nose, some oxidative notes, walnuts, light yeast, dry leaves, metallic notes and dry yellow fruits. A creamy golden backnose with dried apple, pear and nectarine. Very fine mousse. Wet slate, dry musty paper, a lot of remaining rounded midpalate acid, and a long nutty finish. In general, I like how '88s are showing now.
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Last of the six (I paid $70 each!). Flat out gorgeous. Just stunningly round, not too heavy, toasty, autolytic - an absolutely mind blowing pinot noir. Bit of a shame to serve it a 00:05 on NYE, but at least everyone recognised it was *much* better than the cristal. lovely wine
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This medium-to-deep gold bubbly still shows a fairly brisk tiny bead. The nose is complex, with almonds, pine nuts, toast, rosemary and raspberry aromas. Medium-bodied on the palate, with excellent freshness and a "zing" on the palate which verifies the visual of the brisk bead. The flavors are consistent with the nose and the middle is solid. Very long, crisp finish. This gem is showing beautifully at the age of 24. Assuming that you have a well-cellared bottle, it should provide enjoyment for another 6-8 years. Drink now-12/20.
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Cros Parantoux Lunch (Scottsdale, AZ): Pears, nuts, slightly madeirized. Full bodied wine that rounded out with air, and certainly is in no danger of imminent decline.
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A remarkable champagne. Better than the 88 Dom tasted aside. Toasty notes, brioche, albeit with a certain lemony dryness. Intensely extracted, compellingly long finish. Goes on and on. A certain nuttiness on the finish, but not in the sense of oxidation. Really still light in color. A very long life ahead for this champagne. The very best 1988 champagnes more than stand up to the very best 1996's.
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Served very, very cold. My friend Dennis had suggested serving this one super cold because it is a dry champagne and this was the way to do it. Very nice and austere.
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Tasted November 4, 2006 at home. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel Vinum Cuvee Prestige glass. Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nice mousse. Yeasty aromas with yellow fruits on the nose. Soft and supple flavors of yellow apples, nuts and some light citrus notes. Still good acidity. I’m thinking this wine has a little while to go but I don’t see why you shouldn’t go ahead and drink now.
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Consumed with "lobster martinis" at the home of Dean Lycas. Bottle taken from my personal cellar. Similar impression to 7/12/03, with the exception that the bead was more youthful-appearing (possibly a function of the long-stemmed Rosenthal crystal trumpets provided by Dean.
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Tasted at horizontal 1982 Bordeaux dinner at El Bizcocho. Bottles taken from my personal cellar. Medium straw in color, with an appropriately brisk bead of tiny bubbles for an '88. Quite intense nose showing toast, nutmeg, hazelnut and citrus aromas. Medium-bodied on the palate, with excellent acidity and similar flavors as for the nose. Long, crisp finish. An excellent match with the pan-seared abalone (in a baby abalone shell with chanterelle mushrooms, nicoise olive, confit tomato, capers and hazelnut brown butter).
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NYE w Bakers. Quite elegant delicious Champagne, in its drinking window but not at all tired. Fine mousse, good acidity without any sharpness, midrange in the power/delicacy dimension, good complexity. More than stood up to mustard seed and dill pancakes topped with smoked salmon---there being a mishap with the (fortunately cheap) caviar.
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Medium straw. Fine, tiny bead (although the glass at Aux Delices could have been better etched). Beautiful nose of toast, nutmeg and citrus. Creamy in texture on the palate, revealing the explosion of the very tiny fine bubbles on the tongue. Complex and crisp, with a long finish. This is a beautiful Champagne and a steal for the price.
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3/22/2024 - narraboth wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at Le Grand Tasting Paris.
It's a masterclass and the wine was from the producer, so I assume the storage was perfect. However, this bottle was not that impressive.
There was no fault, just there was also not much life in it. There were bubbles (not much), the colour was reasonable for this age, while it was just lacking energy and vibe. Not dead, but not that alive.
I have tried Rare 1988 several times, even several years ago it was not consistent. Judging from the price it's probably not a wine to spend money on.
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2/9/2024 - RayOB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank at 67
Vibrant and delicious
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10/20/2023 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow! Exceptional. Color had age, light bubbles but long in the finish. Happy bday to my daughter in law.
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4/27/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Bienvenue a Champagne; 4/20/2023-4/29/2023 (Les Crayeres, various restaurants, Les Avises and a many wonderful producers): Straight from the Domaine so this had traveled maybe 10 miles in its life all with us the day before. Super fresh and bright and just drinking really well. There is more evolution and maybe even some secondary notes to it but the predominant impression is all freshness and beauty.
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11/26/2022 - jay_hawk@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lemon and mushrooms on the nose. Apple and brioche on the palate. Pretty complex and showed very well tonight. Wish I had more. Paired great with cheese board of aged salty type cheeses
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6/12/2022 - Jammy Wine wrote: 90 Points
Tasted blind, thought it was a 1990 Pinot Noir dominant Grande Marque Champagne. Fully mature array of ripe orchard fruits, mushroom, dried berries, caramelised apple and brioche. A touch of mustiness and tasted older than the last bottle of 1988. 1988 was also the last vintage that Rare didn’t go through with malolactic fermentation. Drink up. (90/100)
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2/26/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Weekend at Bernie's; 2/25/2022-2/27/2022 (Vero Beach): Twice in one week! This was the second time I had it and I'd say this one was showing the age a touch more than the one earlier in the week but both were really rather lovely.
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2/23/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Annual SAC event @ French Consulate (French Consulate in NYC): One of the wines that seemed to me to be in one of the best places from a drinking experience. It's in the perfect window. More age. Lots of vanilla. Drinking just really well.
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8/29/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Weekend in Westport; 8/25/2021-8/29/2021 (Westport, CT): Drank this side by side with the 1999 Rare from magnum. It's amazing the difference an extra 11 years makes. This wine just reinforces that aged champagne makes a difference. It's got a bit more interesting notes - more of the nuts and the slight lightly oxidized flavor. It's really enjoyable.
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1/17/2020 - bookert wrote: 92 Points
Dusty palate, more aged than the 76.
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10/14/2018 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 94 Points
The best 88 Champagnes from 1988 Part 3/3 Prestige Cuvees from Magnum (L'assiette champenois): 1/1, not blindly
Not so spicy as usual and the roasted Aromas are in the background. Fresh baken bread, orange peel. After time getting more massive and concentrated. 94
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3/16/2018 - ve23 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Piedmont Night at Winil on March 16, 2018 (Winil, Moscow): 95+/100. TOAST AND MOUSSE
P-H’s Rare 1988 showed itself quite beautifully tonight.
Precise, but not sharp, with toast, brioche, and honeyed mousse, delicate and absolutely not overpowering multifaceted bouquet. Feels fine and elegant on the palate, with carbonation of the lower side already.
I suspect late disgorging, this bottle looks a kind of new (10 year old new). Well, waiting for good Champagne is like waiting for a good Barolo.
One glass was not enough!
Piedmont evening at Winil, 16 March 2018
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10/14/2017 - SimonG wrote: 95 Points
Piper Rare masterclass (Tom C's Festival of Wine, London): Bottle 3: Far fresher. This is five to ten years 'younger' than bottle 2. All the positives of 2 but with far more energy and freshness. Lovely. The 88 has 10g/l dosage. *****
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10/14/2017 - SimonG wrote: 94 Points
Piper Rare masterclass (Tom C's Festival of Wine, London): Bottle 2. Far richer. Lovely in fact. Rich and still some freshness (though not the energy of bottle 3). Lots here and in better shape than last week's 90/89/85 Bolly trio. There's a harmonious balance between age and freshness here, and it's the bottle I'd pick for drinking now. ****1/2
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10/14/2017 - SimonG wrote: flawed
Piper Rare masterclass (Tom C's Festival of Wine, London): Bottle 1, corked. Starts with a slightly swimming pool TCP nose, with clear TCA flavours on the finish. Amusingly the presenter initially declares it probably not corked despite being twenty five yards from the glass.
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11/13/2016 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Courtesy of Neil. Nutty with brioche, yeast and apple notes. Pear and yeast with abundant fruit on the lingering finish. Not much of a bead but this balanced, complex and beautiful. My note doesn't do it justice, but I was preparing dinner while the group started on the dinner wines so I wasn't able to give it my full attention. Hopefully I'll have another shot at this when I am not as distracted. 94+ pts.
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11/7/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Disgorged approximately 20-22 years ago. On the nose, some oxidative notes, walnuts, light yeast, dry leaves, metallic notes and dry yellow fruits. A creamy golden backnose with dried apple, pear and nectarine. Very fine mousse. Wet slate, dry musty paper, a lot of remaining rounded midpalate acid, and a long nutty finish. In general, I like how '88s are showing now.
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1/1/2015 - ubercuvee wrote: 98 Points
Last of the six (I paid $70 each!). Flat out gorgeous. Just stunningly round, not too heavy, toasty, autolytic - an absolutely mind blowing pinot noir. Bit of a shame to serve it a 00:05 on NYE, but at least everyone recognised it was *much* better than the cristal. lovely wine
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6/1/2013 - ubercuvee wrote:
Bit heavily oaked/oxidised notes too. Very nice but a bit clumsy next to the '85 Krug.
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12/2/2012 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 92 Points
This medium-to-deep gold bubbly still shows a fairly brisk tiny bead. The nose is complex, with almonds, pine nuts, toast, rosemary and raspberry aromas. Medium-bodied on the palate, with excellent freshness and a "zing" on the palate which verifies the visual of the brisk bead. The flavors are consistent with the nose and the middle is solid. Very long, crisp finish. This gem is showing beautifully at the age of 24. Assuming that you have a well-cellared bottle, it should provide enjoyment for another 6-8 years. Drink now-12/20.
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3/26/2010 - Alex G. wrote:
Cros Parantoux Lunch (Scottsdale, AZ): Pears, nuts, slightly madeirized. Full bodied wine that rounded out with air, and certainly is in no danger of imminent decline.
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11/8/2009 - theusualsuspect wrote: 96 Points
A remarkable champagne. Better than the 88 Dom tasted aside. Toasty notes, brioche, albeit with a certain lemony dryness.
Intensely extracted, compellingly long finish. Goes on and on. A certain nuttiness on the finish, but not in the sense of oxidation.
Really still light in color. A very long life ahead for this champagne. The very best 1988 champagnes more than stand up to the very best 1996's.
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6/20/2007 - lbosche wrote: 92 Points
Served very, very cold. My friend Dennis had suggested serving this one super cold because it is a dry champagne and this was the way to do it. Very nice and austere.
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11/4/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
WIML93,NOWA,~WS93-97
Tasted November 4, 2006 at home. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel Vinum Cuvee Prestige glass. Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nice mousse. Yeasty aromas with yellow fruits on the nose. Soft and supple flavors of yellow apples, nuts and some light citrus notes. Still good acidity. I’m thinking this wine has a little while to go but I don’t see why you shouldn’t go ahead and drink now.
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11/25/2004 - buckeye76 wrote: 93 Points
DOUGHY NOTES IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH APPLES AND STRAWBERRIES. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH.
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1/10/2004 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 94 Points
Consumed with "lobster martinis" at the home of Dean Lycas. Bottle taken from my personal cellar. Similar impression to 7/12/03, with the exception that the bead was more youthful-appearing (possibly a function of the long-stemmed Rosenthal crystal trumpets provided by Dean.
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7/12/2003 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 93 Points
Tasted at horizontal 1982 Bordeaux dinner at El Bizcocho. Bottles taken from my personal cellar. Medium straw in color, with an appropriately brisk bead of tiny bubbles for an '88. Quite intense nose showing toast, nutmeg, hazelnut and citrus aromas. Medium-bodied on the palate, with excellent acidity and similar flavors as for the nose. Long, crisp finish. An excellent match with the pan-seared abalone (in a baby abalone shell with chanterelle mushrooms, nicoise olive, confit tomato, capers and hazelnut brown butter).
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12/31/2002 - cweiss wrote:
NYE w Bakers. Quite elegant delicious Champagne, in its drinking window but not at all tired. Fine mousse, good acidity without any sharpness, midrange in the power/delicacy dimension, good complexity. More than stood up to mustard seed and dill pancakes topped with smoked salmon---there being a mishap with the (fortunately cheap) caviar.
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12/13/2002 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 93 Points
Medium straw. Fine, tiny bead (although the glass at Aux Delices could have been better etched). Beautiful nose of toast, nutmeg and citrus. Creamy in texture on the palate, revealing the explosion of the very tiny fine bubbles on the tongue. Complex and crisp, with a long finish. This is a beautiful Champagne and a steal for the price.
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12/1/2002 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Medium yellow color. Rich yeasty aromas. Made in an old fashioned yeasty style, but very bright and focused. Excellent! 12/02
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9/1/2002 - Henman wrote:
Vibrant nose with animalic and mineral notes.Dry elegant and nicely balanced palate.
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