The 1988 vintage in Bordeaux is a good, solid vintage, and where proprietors were intent on making old school claret that reflected the style of the year, the wines have turned out quite well. The 1988 Cantemerle, not surprisingly, is one of those wines, as it offers up a lovely, black fruity bouquet of dark berries, cassis, tobacco leaf, a touch of youthful bell pepper and a fine base of dark soil tones. On the palate the wine is medium-full, complex and very well-balanced, with fine focus, still a bit of tannin to resolve and lovely length and grip on the finish. This is not a blockbuster, but it is a fine middleweight that could use just another year or two in the cellar to fully blossom. 2016-2035+.