94
THE WINE ADVOCATE: "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! Anticipated maturity: 2000-2035."
18
WEINWISSER: "Praktisch keine Reifetöne. Kalifornische Nase mit viel Cassis, Joschtabeeren, Eukalyptus, etwas dezent Laktisches, barocke Tiefe mit trüffeligem Untergrund. Viel Substanz im Gaumen, sehr fleischig, verlangende Adstringenz und somit jetzt erste Reife zeigend. Mit einer Genussgarantie von locker 20 Jahren. Ein grosser, langlebiger Lafite, der sogar noch einen Punkt zulegen kann."
94
THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Cassis, cedar, tobacco, graphite, earth and spice on the nose. The wine is full bodied, concentrated and still tannic. The fruit is best described at noble. You can sense its good breeding. But there is an austerity and a hint of under ripeness in the finish that takes away from the wine. The long, rich, cassis and rhubarb filled finish is joy, but the sense of under ripeness takes away from the pleasure. Fans of older, more traditional, less ripe wines will like this more than I did"
94
WINE SPECTATOR: "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.--´88/´98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now."