Iron Gate Auctions
Timed Auction

IronGate Fine Wine Auction

Tue, Jun 11, 2024 10:00AM EDT - Tue, Jun 18, 2024 08:00PM EDT
  • 1988
  • 750ml
  • France
  • Bordeaux
  • Medoc
  • Margaux
  • Bordeaux Red Blend
  • Red
  • First Growth
  • FF1758
  • FF1758
Lot 103

1988 Chateau Margaux - 1 bottle(s)-750ml

Estimate: CAD$500 - CAD$700

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
CAD$0 CAD$20
CAD$500 CAD$50
CAD$1,000 CAD$100
CAD$2,000 CAD$200
CAD$3,000 CAD$250
CAD$5,000 CAD$500
CAD$10,000 CAD$1,000
CAD$20,000 CAD$2,000
CAD$50,000 CAD$5,000
CAD$100,000 CAD$10,000
This lot is comprised of 1 bottle(s) of 1988 Chateau Margaux - 750ml. Estimate for this lot is between $500 - $700 with a reserve of $360. The wine in this lot belongs to collection 10815.

Condition

Please note the following conditions on the bottle/s in this lot Base Of Neck on 1988 Chateau Margaux .

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All lots are located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  Confirmation of pickup or delivery of Iron Gate Commercial Auction winnings must be made within 60 days of auction close. Thereafter, your winnings will be subject to storage fees, including a $75 setup, subsequent $5.00/case/month and $1.25 per bottle fee for inventory services. If no contact has been made within two years, auction winnings will be considered abandoned.

 

It is the responsibility of the buyer to make all arrangements for insuring, packing and removing the property purchased and any assistance by the Auctioneer, or the employees of, agents or contractors in packing and removal shall be rendered as a courtesy and without any liability to them. The Auctioneer shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or damage caused by packers and shippers, notwithstanding the fact that the Auctioneer may have recommended such shippers or packers to the purchaser.

A collector since university, more than 30 years ago, this consignor was on his school’s wine tasting team in England and was fortunate to have access to the university’s cellars to taste and learn about fine wines. He developed an appreciation for age worthy wines and began to purchase and carefully store them. Later in life he became friends with winemakers in the old and new world regions and was able to purchase highly allocated wines through them. He also buys wine from agents and the LCBO and occasionally from auction and all bottles go directly to storage at Iron Gate.
The score for 1988 Chateau Margaux is 93 from Robert Parker and the tasting note - The 1988 Chateau Margaux is a wine that was always overshadowed by the succeeding pair of vintages and like many 1988s, appeared rather conservative and lacked flair. However, I was gobsmacked by the performance of this wine at 28 years of age. Deep and clean in color, the bouquet is quintessentially Chateau Margaux with blackberry, potpourri, cedar and violets. It has wonderful clarity. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh as a daisy on the entry with a killer line of acidity that offsets those vibrant black and red fruits. There is energy here, vivacity, as if this Château Margaux suddenly realized its true potential after all these years. While it does not possess the length of the 1989 or 1990, there is such pleasure bound into this wine that you care little about that. Maybe I underestimated this wine for many years or perhaps it is a simple case of a "late bloomer." While the 1988 might not belong in the top echelons of releases from this First Growth, it might be considered the undiscovered gem of that prosperous decade for the chateau.