Château Lafite Rothschild 1988 is a red Pauillac produced from the gravel ridge of the Lafite Rothschild vineyards.
Across the region, the 1988 vintage produced vibrant, fruit-forward red wines with firm tannins and classic structure. Pauillac was one of the appellations that performed best, along with Pomerol and Pessac-Léognan.
It took considerable courage to achieve this result. Conditions were exceptionally cold and wet through the first half of the year. By April, the situation reversed: flowering proceeded smoothly across the entire vineyard, growth was uniform, no notable disease outbreaks occurred in May and June, and veraison (the period when the grapes change color and begin to ripen) progressed perfectly. Summer began smoothly. However, repeated rains toward the end of the season caught growers off guard, and the most anxious estates took the risk of harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon before it was fully ripe, starting the harvest very early.
This is precisely the tension found in a bottle of the 1988 Left Bank. On one hand, there is structure and firm tannins; on the other, there is maturity. In Pauillac, with its deep, well-drained gravelly soil, the Cabernet Sauvignon character took precedence.
Robert Parker (94)
Broodingly backward and in need of considerable bottle age, the 1988 is a classic expression of Lafite. This deeply-colored wine exhibits the tell-tale Lafite bouquet of cedar, subtle herbs, dried pit fruits, minerals, and cassis. Extremely concentrated, with brilliantly focused flavors and huge tannins, this backward, yet impressively endowed Lafite-Rothschild may well turn out to be the wine of the vintage!
Winespectator (94)
Beautiful and subtle on the nose, with mineral, berry, licorice and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a pretty balance of fruit and mint. Long and caressing. Real claret here. Everyone talks about 1989, but this is very close in quality.
Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Quite deep purple. Inky. Very Cabernet nose. Smooth and more than a hint of Lafite's trademark dancing elegance. Gentle start and quite a dry finish, but very, very respectable and true to the vintage. Quite long.
Vinous (96)
The 1988 Lafite-Rothschild is the best of the triumvirate that ended the decade. Another bottle vindicates that view. It shows an intense bouquet with graphite-tinged black fruit mixed with cedar aromatics that seem to effortlessly cruise as Lafite is wont to do. The palate is beautifully balanced and blossoms in the glass. The 1988 has svelte, finely chiseled tannins. Tobacco notes appear towards the finish. This quintessential Lafite-Rothschild is even better than the bottle popped open at the château six years ago. Tasted at the 1988 Bordeaux dinner at Noble Rot Mayfair.
Rene Gabriel (18)
Rene Gabriel rates this wine 18/20 points.
Jane Anson (95)
Served from magnum, tasting delicous right now. I’ve had this vintage a few times recently and it is not the most blockbuster Lafite, but has such an effortless charm that it feels absolutey signature. Tobacco, rose petals, suble charred cedar and grilled cocoa, with loganberry and raspberry fruit. Does that Lafite trick where it is utterly gulpable and so enjoyable, and it just subtly keeps on delivering new moments of complexity and understated power.
