1988 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Tres Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
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Tasting notes
Medium-dark red color is impressive for a 30-year-old wine. Some oaky high tones and a hint of eucalyptus lift the aromas of red fruits, cocoa powder and spices; this was the first wine to convey a hint of maderization and yet it's more vibrant on the nose than the '89. A tactile, intense midweight with terrific sappy energy to its cherry, spice and saline mineral flavors. Again, there's a bit of a disconnect between the wine's slightly disjointed acidity and its hints of fully evolved fruit, but it's still a very sexy wine with a long, gripping finish. It's hard to know whether it will gain or fade with more time in bottle, but this wine strikes me as being in an in-between stage today. (14.1% alcohol; 3.4 pH; 25 h/h)
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
This wine is stunning with deep, rich, concentrated, black fruit flavors, gobs of spicy new oak, and a style that someone will certainly say lacks subtlety and finesse. If that is true, this wine clearly compensates with a blast of rich berry fruit and oak. I have always preferred the Charmes-Chambertin to Roty's Mazis-Chambertin. In 1988, the Charmes seems to be the better of the two wines, although they are strikingly similar. The Charmes has a softer texture and a flamboyant and dramatic, rich berry fruitiness backed up by spicy, new oak, full body, and plenty of soft tannin in the finish. It is cunningly and deceptively delicious to drink now, but given its depth and balance, it should last for 10-12 years, perhaps longer.