Consistently one of the strongest candidates for the wine of the vintage, Lafleur’s 1988 has a dark plum/ruby color and a gorgeous nose of white flowers intermixed with kirsch liqueur and raspberries. The wine is full-bodied, sweet, round, and beautifully pure, with moderate tannin, medium to full body, and great elegance and complexity. This wine has come around faster than I would have thought. Anticipated maturity: Now-2025. Last tasted, 8/02.

Toasted bread, with black cherry, tobacco and chocolate. Very perfumed, with wild flowers as well. Full, yet superrefined, with sweet fruit. It turns velvety and beautiful, with perfect balance. Chocolate. Brown sugar, some prune and light earth. It's all there.—'88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now. 1,500 cases made. -JS