Score: |
93+ JG. "The 1988 Ruchottes, in notable contradistinction to the 1989, is still very youthful and shows extraordinary potential. The nose is deep and extremely spicy, soaring from the glass with scents of red and black cherries, a bit of orange zest, smoked meats, coffee, cloves, minerals, and developing notes of sous bois. On the palate the wine is medium-full and very intensely-flavored, with a rock solid core of deep red fruit that is still rather buttoned up behind firm tannins and a very firm girdle of acidity. The wine is very well-balanced and complex, but is still firmly entrenched in its rather severe adolescence. The ’88 Ruchottes will unequivocally blossom into a dynamite bottle of wine, but patience is still required." John Gilman, View From the Cellar, Jun 2002 |