Elegant and understated with lovely fruit and structure. Has an excellent deep color with focused black cherry and refined spice aromas a full body of refined tannins and spice and berry flavors. Needs time to develop.--Châteauneuf-du-Pape retrospective. Best from 1993 through 1995. (JS)

The 1988 is firmly structured and elegant with sweet sweaty horse/old leather notes that may or may not be brett. Medium-bodied earthy firm and vigorous my instincts suggest it has reached full maturity but I suspect it will always remain a firm muscular example of Beaucastel without the charm depth and intensity of either the 1989 or 1990. In many ways it behaves along the lines of the 1995.