1988 Musigny

The 1988 Musigny Grand Cru has quite a dense bouquet at first: dusky black fruit infused with freshly rolled tobacco, autumn leaves and a pinch of black pepper. It is reminiscent of the 1988 from Mugnier that I encountered not so long ago. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannin and yet it is a Musigny with broad shoulders, built for the long haul. Continuing with comparisons, there is certainly more freshness and vitality than de Vogüé’s 1988 tasted a few weeks earlier although, I would have been seeking more complexity on the finish for it to be ranked amongst the greats from the domaine. Tasted at the La Paulée in Beaune.

The Musigny is slightly lighter than the Griotte-Chambertin, but nevertheless filled with finesse. It provides an expansive, savory, generous mouthful of wine. Drouhin's oenologist told me the tannin and acidity levels of the wines were higher in 1988 than in 1985, but my tastings made me think otherwise. Perhaps as this wine recovers from bottle shock it will show more structure and acidity, and will be a more worthy candidate for long-term aging.