Tasted as part of a vertical held at the chateau. The Guiraud 1988 offers the most pleasurable aromatics of the 1980s with a lifted perfumed nose of lanolin, beeswax, brown sugar and quince that all vie for attention. There is a pleasant adhesive scent and fine delineation. The palate is fresh in the mouth with crisp honeyed fruit mixed with a brown sugar and a touch of quince. Demonstrating fine precision on the finish, this is a respectable 1988 that is drinking well. Drink now-2023+ Tasted April 2013.

More tight and backward than I remembered it, the 1988 exhibits a stylish, spicy nose of ripe fruit, some botrytis, medium to full-bodied flavors with well-integrated oak, an attractive, smoky, honeyed fruit character, and a lively finish. It is more shy and reticent than usual. It should last for 20-30 years. Last tasted 11/94

Palish, green-tinged color. Floral, grassy, apple-scented nose, with a high-toned suggestion of varnish. Good silky texture in the mouth; flavors of overripe apple and fresh herbs. In the distinctly dryer style of this producer. The acidity seems a bit disjointed. Finishes quite fresh, with a stony quality and an impression of tannins.