Dark chocolate and coffee on the nose, with hints of meat. Full-bodied, with supersoft and ripe tannins and a chocolate, berry and raspberry aftertaste. Really beautiful and tasty.—'88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now. 5,000 cases made. –JS

Tasted at the La Conseillante vertical at Chez Bruce. The La Conseillante '88 displays smudged, rustic bouquet laden with dusky, dark berried fruits, dried blood (rusty iron piping) and a touch of mocha. The palate is medium-bodied with a spicy entry, good structure with the Cabernet Franc defining the crisp finish with hints of allspice and sous-bois. Though not quite as smitten as others who tasted this bottle since it lacked a little gumption, it displays good length and is completely paradigmatic of the vintage.