The 1988 Echezeaux displayed beautiful toasty new oak which only seemed to accentuate the wine's perfumed, flowery character. Elegant, medium bodied with a lovely berry fruitiness, the wine, while precocious and drinkable now, should last for 7-8 more years. Engel admits that when his 1985s were conceived, he was not as talented a winemaker; his wines suffered as a result. From a technical point of view, his 1988s are the best wines he has produced.