Loads of cedar and dark berries on the nose. Cherries dominate the flavor profile, but a sharp edge mars the finish. It seems to lack the backbone for further aging. Hopefully, it's just closed. Parker says to drink 2000-2025. 88

Just one more sip.

FYI M. Broadbent says this wine has a lot of underpinning tannin. In '97 he gave the wine 2 stars with the wine peaking at 4 stars. (**(**))He says to drink this wine 2007-2014.

Thanks for the TN.

IW

Life without wine?...... Yeah Right.<br /><br />I believe we have 2 lives; the life we learn with and the life we live with after that.

I do not have any 1988 Gruaud Larose, but Wednesday night I had another bottle of the 1986.
I expected it to have more maturity, as I have tried it several times over the past 4 years and expected it to be ready.

Not this bottle! Deep dark purple with little signs of its real age. Sweet dark fruits and more than enough to subdue the tannins over time, but I think it may be 2007-2010 before it is ready!

I know you have some of the 86 G/L, Board-O, but have you tried any?

I bought three cases of 1986 Bordeaux futures, a case each of Mouton (100), Margaux (98+ I think), and Gruaud-Larose (97+ I think). A friend also gave me a single bottle of the '86 G-L. I tasted one a couple of years ago and it was just a waste of a potentially great bottle of wine. Two years ago, we also had an '86 Margaux and it was completely closed. The '86s still need plenty of time in the bottle.

By the way, whenI purchased the futures in 1987, I paid $1400 including tax for all three cases.

Just one more sip.

Board-O

Great futures purchase for 5 cases of 1986 wines averaging 99 points! They should be ready to enjoy about 2010; which means for the same $1400 that you paid for the 60 bottles in 1986, you could have had 3 bottles of the 2000 Chateau Margaux and drink them in 2027

I only ordered three 2000 Bordeaux on futures and I don't intend to buy anymore. The prices are simply ridiculous.

Just one more sip.

Board-o,


Which 2000 Bordeaux did you order? I know one wine shop that has not offered any Bordeaux futures since the 1996 vintage because they believed correctly that prices are far to high.

Gruaud-Larose, Lynch Bages, and Pichon Baron.

Just one more sip.

1988 Château Gruaud Larose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (6/19/2008)
WIML90+

Tasted June 19, 2008 at an offline.

Opened and served immediately. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Just a little horsey on the nose but doesn't detract really from the wine giving way to some notes of thistle, berries and some other subdued florals. Flavors of red berries and red cherries on the palate. Medium acidity, medium tannins, medium to full body. Drink over the short term. (90 pts.)

I tasted this a couple of hours after wiml did and towards the end of the bottle and the end of the night.

My glass was dominated by tobacco and cedar, with faint berry.

I thought it was classic in style, and would score it just under Joe's 90.

Sounds like we're pretty close then. I had one quick crack at this right as the entree was served.

I agree with both of you. I thought it might be starting to fade. It is time to finish the rest of them.

• 1988 Château Gruaud Larose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (9/10/2008)
  Tasted next to a 1989 Beychevelle. The Larose came off a little more fresh and complex in comparison. Pretty nose of blueberry reduction, lead pencil and vanilla. Nice body weight with more blueberry, plums and earth. Tannins are there, but just enough to help cut through my lamb. Drinking really well right now so I would check in on one if you have it. (92 pts.)

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