1988 DRC Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru

The 1988 La Tâche may in the very end, prove to be a hair better than the very fine 1990. It is clearly one of the monuments of the vintage, and though it is still (like so many of the very best 1988s) still a touch buttoned up behind its tangy acidity, the depth, purity and overpowering and intoxicating perfume of this amazing wine make it very clear that the greatness of legend is simply a matter of time. The haunting bouquet simply explodes from the glass in a cornucopia of red fruit, cinnamon, cloves, developing notes of La Tâche beetroot, intense sous bois, coffee, duck, minerals, roses and cedar. On the palate the wine is very, very deep, bright and tangy, with a huge core of sweet fruit firmly enmeshed in a girdle of tangy acidity. There are still some tannins present here, but they are already beginning to peel away. However, it is the amazing acidity of this wine that will provide the framework for aging, as the 1988 La Tâche should prove to be one of the longest lived vintages of the post-war era. Utterly and humblingly profound.

Somewhat subdued and reserved on the nose with the classic nose of Asian spices, hoisin, soy and a trace of oak followed by sweet, long, structured and beautifully complex flavors. There is fine length here and the power is impressive. This is still a bit tight but this is finally beginning to unwind. I would give this another 5 to 7 years in the cellar and drink over the next 10 to 15 years.