1988 is the first of what I would term the "Post-Parker" Burgundy vintages. These wines marked the first major vintage of significance that Robert Parker chose not to review in earnest. Since his ascendancy to the position of top international wine reviewer (following his correct prognostication of 1982 Bordeaux), Parker had managed a definitive statement on every major vintage throughout the top wine producing regions of the world. His reputation as wine's "honest broker" was unsullied. Then came the 1988 Burgundies. Parker, as was his custom at the time, produced some early assessments of the '88s based on barrel tastings conducted in the spring and fall of 1989. However, in a most notable break from his standard operating procedure, these notes did not appear in his bi-monthly journal The Wine Advocate, but rather in his 1,000 page tome on the wines of Burgundy, succinctly titled Burgundy. At the time, many subscribers (yours truly included) were puzzled by this seemingly brazen mercantile listing, forcing fans to purchase the book in order to obtain Parker's early read on the vintage. And stranger still, after the barrel tasting notes, there was no follow up on the bottled wines. Silence on these important wines left faithful subscribers without the handy insight of the maestro.

Subsequent allusions to the vintage in the ensuing years were generally negative. He has stated on numerous occasions (in notable contradiction of his early read on the vintage in his book) that the vintage is too tannic and not concentrated enough to produce truly great wines (with a few notable exceptions), and, furthermore, that it only attains greatness in the fantasies of the wine trade that was required to sell these wines and the less-skilled reviewers who definitively pronounced the vintage a shining success. In addition, Parker has expanded his antagonism beyond the vintage itself to the Burgundy vignerons as well, claiming that Burgundy is singularly unrepresentative as a cask sample, and can only be truly evaluated after bottling. Therefore, he no longer attaches projected ratings on specific wines tasted prior to their bottling. Implicit in this methodological approach is that scoundrels and incompetents play a significantly larger role in the Burgundy wine business than they do in other wine regions, or for that matter, in any other international business pursuit. Of course this is nonsense

Which leads us to the quality of the wines. How are those controversial 1988 red Burgundies? For the last five years, the wines have been experiencing a dormant or "dumb" stage that is quite typical of serious Bordeaux vintages, but less frequent with Burgundy. This has given Parker's revisionist position plausibility. However, over the last six months, I have begun a concerted effort to taste as many 1988 red Burgundies as possible. I have tried to taste "benchmark" bottles from up and down the Cote D'Or to try and gain a firmer sense of where the actual wines stand in the midst of all this critical controversy. I attempted to taste a representative cross-section of the vintage, but at the same time, to find wines that would theoretically be the most approachable. For instance, I own Rousseau's Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Beze, and Gevrey Clos St. Jacques in 1988, as well as the Charmes-Chambertin. I popped the Charmes on the supposition that if it showed well, that augured well for the "bigger boys".

The results? The good news for wine enthusiasts is that the wines are just now beginning to open and reveal their true personalities, allowing for a more reasoned look at the vintage. This is a superb vintage whose most prominent characteristic is fast becoming sweet, sweet fruit. The fruit is much more "red" in tone than vintages such as 1990 or 1993, but with copious amounts to indulge the senses. The firm (in many cases, austere) youthful structures of these wines are just now starting to give way and open like so many flowers on a late June morning. Wine lovers who bought these wines early on, and have subsequently questioned the wisdom of doing so, will rejoice. What follows are recent tasting notes on a number of top 1988 red Burgundies tasted over the first half of 1996.

The Wine List:
1988 Volnay Santenots de Milleau- Comte Lafon
1988 Beaune "Greves"- Hospices d'Allerey (bottled by Bichot)
1988 Beaune "Champs Pimot"- Faiveley
1988 Vosne-Romanee "Petits Monts"- Joseph Drouhin
1988 Vosne-Romanee "aux Brulees"- Meo-Camuzet
1988 Vosne-Romanee "Cros Parantoux- Henri Jayer
1988 Romanee St. Vivant- Arnoux
1988 Grands Echezeaux- Mongeard-Mugneret
1988 Clos Vougeout- Meo-Camuzet
1988 Morey St. Denis "Clos des Ormes"- Faiveley
1988 Chambolle-Musigny- Roumier
1988 Chambolle-Musigny "les Fuees"- Faiveley
1988 Musigny Vieilles Vignes- De Vogue
1988 Musigny- Drouhin
1988 Bonnes-Mares- Jadot
1988 Clos St. Denis- Dujac
1988 Griottes-Chambertin- Drouhin
1988 Charmes-Chambertin- Drouhin
1988 Charmes-Chambertin- Rousseau
1988 Charmes-Chambertin "Vieilles Vignes'- Truchot-Martin
1988 Charmes-Chambertin- Roty

1988 Volnay Santenots de Milleau- Comte Lafon

Dominique Lafon gets rave reviews for his stunning Meursaults, but his growing perfection with Pinot Noir has consistently been underappreciated. This wine continues to be one of the classiest expressions of this village as I have tasted. The nose is stunning: black cherry, woodsmoke, cassis, grilled meats, herbs, minerals, bitter chocolate and cedary spicy wood. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, still a bit closed, but beautifully layered and integrated, with the acidity, tannin, and huge core of fruit all in perfect harmony. A beautiful, beautiful wine that will follow in the footsteps of the 1978 and 1985. 2000-2020. 94.

1988 Beaune "Greves"- Hospices d'Allerey (bottled by Bichot)

This is a pleasant, uncomplicated Pinot for drinking over the next five or six years. A typical Bichot wine in its fatness of fruit, devoid of any but the slightest hint of terroir. Plummy, berry fruit, coffee, and herbs on the nose. Round, fat, and pleasant on the palate, with decent length, soft tannins, and a moderate finish. Not offensive, but not special either. 1996-2002. 86.

1988 Beaune "Champs Pimot"- Faiveley

A much more sophisticated nose than the Bichot wine: complex cherry, berry, fallen leaves, coffee, minerals, herb tones and cedary bouquet. Really very promising. But, what happened to the palate? Thin, stemmy, austere and drying out... the old bait and switch! Drink now? 78.

1988 Vosne-Romanee "aux Brulees"- Meo-Camuzet

There is some question as to when Henri Jayer let go of the winemaking duties here at Meo-Camuzet. Comparing the quality of the 1987 Brulees and Cros Parantoux with the 1988 Brulees, it certainly looks like 1988 was Meo-Camuzet's first solo flight. I had two different bottles of this over the spring, with one showing quite soft and easy-going for the vintage, and the other a bit closed and "grumpy" still. Overall, the nose is certainly fine enough, (though quite "gamey"), with this cuvee's telltale black fruity nose of cassis, plum, bitter chocolate, game, minerals, forest floor, and heavily-toasted new oak. Full, fat and (potentially) lush on the palate, but without the special voluptuousness that many Meo wines possess. The sterner bottle was quite powerful and still bitter on the finish, and clearly needed another four to five years. Not my favorite vintage Chez Meo. 2000-2015. 90.

1988 Vosne-Romanee "Petits Monts"- Joseph Drouhin

This is one of the smallest parcels in the vast vineyard holdings of Domaine Joseph Drouhin. The label sports the name "Veronique Drouhin, Proprietor". 1987 was the first vintage of this recent purchase, with the 1988 the first wine that the Drouhins were in charge of from budbreak to vinification. Petits Monts is a fairly large Premier Cru located contiguously to Burgundy's greatest Premier Cru vineyard, Cros Parantoux. In fact, Drouhin's parcel of 70 year-old vines lies directly adjacent to Cros Parantoux! Very little Petits Monts is seen in the US, though the size of the vineyard suggests that there must be a fair amount of the wine made. The most famous vineyard holder that I am aware of (other than Drouhin) is Mongeard-Mugneret. For whatever reason, Vineyard Brands (Mongeard's American importer) does not bring in the wine. I give all this background because the wine is simply magnificent. The nose explodes from the glass with scents of raspberries, cooked plums, venison, coffee, herb tones, exotic Vosne spices, minerals, and cedary, spicy wood. Full-bodied, very powerful for a Drouhin wine, and still very closed on the palate, the wine offers up a huge core of fruit, firm tannins, bracing acidity, and a long, complex, whiplash of a finish. This wine is significantly more closed and powerful than Drouhin's Griottes and Charmes-Chambertin! Still five years away from primetime drinkability, this may be the crown jewel in Drouhin's Cote D'Or holdings. Qualitatively, I rank this wine at the same level as Rousseau's Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St. Jacques. 2000-2030. 93+.

1988 Vosne-Romanee "Cros Parantoux- Henri Jayer

Simply said, no one has ever made finer wine than Henri Jayer. His competitors are not Leroy, DRC, or Petrus, but rather Van Gogh, Mozart, and Picasso! This wine has a 100 point nose: exploding from the glass with magical scents of cooked plums, duck, cassis, French roast, vinesmoke, beetroot, and cedary, spicy wood. Deep, dark and intensely black fruity. Young and profound on the palate, with the "baked fruit" of the vintage (similar to 1982 Bordeaux), with extraordinary length and grip, a massive core of sweet, ripe red fruits, and firm, chewy tannins on the finish. The palate impression is of a great reduction sauce of Pinot Noir, with more intensity than I have ever encountered in the likes of La Tache or Richebourg (excepting Leroy's), coupled to a poise and balance that leaves in impression of lightness of touch! An immense, deeply powerful wine that is still years away from its profound peak of maturity. Patience is required, but will be rewarded graciously. The result of inspired vision that knows no compromise. I stand in awe at the work of a genius. 2004-2040. 97+.

1988 Romanee St. Vivant- Arnoux

Arnoux's wines always seem to be more advanced than many of his neighbors', and the 1988 RSV was no exception. Already showing plenty of secondary and tertiary aromas on the nose, with scents of raspberry, game, bonfires, sous bois, coffee, and cedary, spicy wood. Quite full and lush on the palate, with layers of sweet, sweet fruit, fine focus, soft, melting tannins, and a long, very complex finish. While this wine will not make old bones, it is certainly a very serious, joyful wine to drink now. An excellent result, and one of the sleepers of the vintage. 1996-2006. 91+

1988 Grands Echezeaux- Mongeard-Mugneret

Just another truly excellent Mongeard Grands Echezeaux. Ho hum. The nose is stellar: scents of sweet plums, raspberries, milk chocolate, game, herb tones, grilled nuts, and toasty oak waft from the glass. On the palate the wine is big, concentrated and still fairly closed, with layers of ripe, red fruit still buttoned up inside a girdle of 88's tannin and acidity, but like the sun just poking out from behind a cloud, the sweetness of this wine is already becoming very plain to see. Four to five years away from sheer nobility. 2000-2020. 93.

1988 Clos Vougeout- Meo-Camuzet

I have heard assertions that Meo produced and "old vine" cuvee of Clos Vougeout in 1988 (the only year that they experimented with this), which would explain the showing of this wine. While this wine possesses the telltale flamboyance and perfume of Meo, it lacks a bit of depth and stuffing for a serious Grand Cru in 1988. The nose offers up scents of blackberry, cassis, chocolate, minerals, herbs, and heavily-toasted new oak. Fullish, complex, and stylish on the palate, with reasonable concentration, good focus, and a long, quite mature finish. Just a whisper of tannin still left to provide grip on what must be one of the most resolved 1988 Grand Crus. A very finesseful wine that leaves me craving just a bit more "oomph" in the mid-palate. 1996-2010. 88.

1988 Morey St. Denis "Clos des Ormes"- Faiveley

A stupendous nose: plum, cassis, venison, coffee, minerals, mustard seed, and cedary wood. Really smells of Clos de la Roche. But again, like so many Faiveley wines from the post-1978 era, very stemmy and disappointing on the palate, with decent fruit and balance, but none of the promise of the nose. One taster put it quite succinctly when he stated that Faiveley wines always seem to lack the vivacity, succulence, and "life" of the top Burgundy producers' wines. Will this wine improve? 1998- 2008. 84-90?

1988 Chambolle-Musigny- Roumier

I have often been asked which wine offers the finest value (in relative terms, of course) in Burgundy. I invariably cite this wine. Roumier's village wine is a blend of old vines in his "village" parcels, blended in with a high percentage (40%?) of Premier Cru parcels that are not large enough to be vinified and sold separately. Year in and year out, this wine has repaid cellaring extremely well, and has outperformed a large number of more exalted labels. Still a bit tight out of the blocks, this wine really blossomed with 90 minutes in the decanter: intense red cherry, raspberry fruit, intermingled with scents of mustard, coffee, loads of minerals, floral tones, and a touch of vanillin oak. Full-bodied and very penetrating on the palate, with crisp acidity, firm tannins, and a huge, roaring finish. This wine behaves like a fine Premier Cru on the attack, but roars out like a Grand Cru on the finish! I can't believe this is a village wine! A stunning wine, that will ultimately eclipse the 1985 by a good margin. 2000-2020. 92.

1988 Chambolle-Musigny "les Fuees"- Faiveley

This is contiguous to Bonnes-Mares (a southerly continuation of the same slope), and really shows its proximity. The nose is excellent: quite complex and black fruity, with scents of plum, game, grilled nuts, cinnamon, earth, and just a touch of toasty new oak. Full, concentrated and surprisingly powerful on the palate, with fine mid-palate depth, firm tannins, and a long, complex finish. This wine needs a few years more, but it is certainly a very impressive Premier Cru. One of the finer efforts I have tasted from Faiveley in the last few years. If this were priced in the $35.00 range, it would be a wine worth owning. 2000-2020. 90+.

1988 Musigny Vieilles Vignes- De Vogue

This wine found its way into a 1989 Red Burgundy tasting as a "ringer" in a flight with the 1989 De Vogue Musigny V.V. and the 1989 Roumier Musigny. It showed extremely well, with much more depth and concentration the 89 De Vogue, (though not quite up to the level of the legend-in-the-making Roumier Musigny). For those who have read Mr. Parker's commentary on this wine, it was clear that this wine is still a few years away from maturity, and is not, (repeat NOT) already fading into decline. This is a wine of medium-full weight, fine intensity of flavor, classic Musigny complexity, fine balance, and real length on the finish. The nose offers up scents of cherry, quince, coffee, tobacco, ginger, roses, hints of game, minerals, and cedary wood. Not the blockbuster style of the De Vogue Musignys of the 1990-1993 era, but a superb bottle that is still a few years away from its plateau of maturity. Drink 2000-2020. 93.

1988 Musigny- Drouhin

I am not sure if this wine was not still closed and dumb. Drouhin's Musigny can be a stunning, sunning bottle of wine (witness such bottles as 1987 and 1990), but this particular bottle was not overwhelming. Checking back through my notes, this is the first time I have crossed paths with this wine. The nose was certainly very pretty, though reticent, with scents of cherry, quince, ginger biscuit, coffee, herbs, tobacco, minerals, and cedar. Fullish on the palate, but not yet nuanced or vibrant, with moderate tannins, reasonable length, and some complexity on the finish. Given how well Drouhin did with their Charmes and Griottes (not to mention the supernal Petits Monts), one has to bet that this wine is just going through a dumb stage. 2000-2020. 88-92.

1988 Bonnes-Mares- Jadot

While Jadot continues to garner widespread critical acclaim, the red wines have consistently left me lukewarm at best. This wine was no exception. I would rank this large negociant house as decidedly second tier for its red wines, and of the large houses, I would have to rank Joseph Drouhin higher. The red Jadots seem to all share a lack of freshness of fruit and a "stemminess" that is a negative for me. I have often heard their style described as classic Burgundy, but the relative leanness that they display in their youth never seems to put on weight with extended age. I suspect that the barrels are not "topped off" enough during the "elevage", and that much of the fruit's freshness is lost at this stage of the process. The nose is moderately deep, with scents of cherry, coffee, weedy herb tones, minerals, game, and cedary wood. Medium-full and still quite tight on the palate, with a solid core of fruit, firm tannins, and a long, slightly bitter finish. While this is certainly going to be a good wine when it emerges from its slumber, it will never hit the heights that the best Grand Crus of this vintage will attain. 88+. 2000-2015.

1988 Clos St. Denis- Dujac

Still quite tight on the nose, with reticent (1988 red fruit) aromas of cherry, sous bois, herbal tones, vine smoke, minerals, and toasty oak; a lovely note of cinnamon with air. With extended aeration, this wine showed more of its "Vosne-like" character. Very deep and serious on the palate; from the mid-palate back, this wine delivers. Very sweet fruit, bouncy acidity, moderate tannins, fabulous grip, and a long, complex, powerful finish. This may well be as fine as the 1990! This still needs 3-4 years, but is superb stuff. 92. 1998-2025.

1988 Griottes-Chambertin- Drouhin

This wine is drinking amazingly well, and is a perfect example of how sweet the fruit is going to be in the 1988s! A huge, powerful nose of red cherry, leather, cloves, toffee, grilled meats, and toasty oak explodes from the glass. A very strong sense of extract, as well as great, great sweetness of fruit on the attack. This wine is very deep and full-bodied, with bright acidity giving the wine succulence and snap. What tannins are left are now being overwhelmed by the parade of fruit. Great length and complexity on the finish. A prime time wine almost at its peak. Be patient and watch it get better still! 2000-2025. 94.

1988 Charmes-Chambertin- Drouhin

In its youth, this wine seemed to be the deeper, more serious wine than the Griottes, but it has now been passed by a small margin. While this is as full and powerful as the Griottes, it misses the latter's inner core of fruit and zesty acidity. That said, this is still a super bottle of wine: much more sauvage than the Griottes, with scents of cassis, plum, grilled meats, bitter chocolate, herbs, coffee, and cedary wood. Rich and fat on the palate, with an old vine creaminess, melting tannins, and a long, lush finish. A lovely, powerful wine that is already drinking very well, but is still a year or two away from its apogee. 1996-2015. 91+.

1988 Charmes-Chambertin- Rousseau

Charles Rousseau, when asked about his finest recent vintage, always puts 1988 at the top of his list (ahead of such years as 1985, 1989, 1990, and 1993)! Tasting this wine, it is hard not to argue with Monsieur Rousseau. Though the vines are a respectable 35 years old (Rousseau's youngest vines!), the Charmes-Chambertin is usually a bit delicate at this address. However, that is certainly not the case with the 1988. The nose is stunning, with intense aromas of crushed raspberries, coffee, bitter chocolate, caramel, almond paste, herbs, minerals, and toasty oak soaring from the glass. Full-bodied and beautifully-nuanced on the palate, with great length and grip, and a real sense of power that this wine seldom demonstrates. The tannins are beginning to melt away on the finish, though this sweet, opulent wine should become even more so with another few years. Just hitting its peak, this is the finest Charmes I have ever tasted from Chez Rousseau. A superb bottle! 1996-2015. 92+.

1988 Charmes-Chambertin "Vieilles Vignes'- Truchot-Martin

This wine may well have been the finest of a flight of spectacular Charmes-Chambertin! The winemaking here is more traditional, but the resulting wine is an extraordinary example of concentrated, old vine fruit coupled with a vivid expression of terroir. The nose is stupendous: plum, exotic red fruits, coffee, chocolate, meaty undertones, minerals, herbs and truffles. Full-bodied and packed with creamy, old vine fruit, lush, long, powerful, and still a bit tannic on the finish. This superb wine is still three to four years away from hitting its apogee. 2000-2020. 93.

1988 Charmes-Chambertin- Roty

Here is one 1988 that is still impossibly closed, though the inherent quality is readily apparent. The reticent nose offers up scents of inky cassis and plum fruit, shoe polish, grilled meats, roasted nuts, herbs, bitter chocolate, and toasty new oak. Like a hypothetical blend of Guigal's La Landonne and Penfolds Grange made out of Pinot Noir! Huge, inky, powerful, and potentially profound, with still a big wallop of tannin to be resolved. This could turn into something very, very special, but it still needs another ten to twelve years! 2005-2040. 93-96+?