The short answer
The most recent recorded sale of Petrus 1988 in our data was £1,892 a bottle in October 2021.
Petrus 1988 represents a classic, structured Pomerol release that holds a critic average of 93.7 across 3 published reviews in this site's dataset. Made by Christian Moueix, with Jean-Claude Berrouet as oenologist, on the estate's eleven-hectare vineyard of blue clay, the vintage was crafted predominantly from Merlot. The drinking window recorded for the vintage spans 2005 to 2020, and at close to four decades of age the wine now interests collectors of mature Right Bank Bordeaux. Decanter's Pomerol vintage guide calls 1988 an excellent year for opulent Pomerol, and the vintage opened the celebrated trilogy that continued with 1989 and 1990. Buyers weighing it against those two years can compare every declared vintage on this site's vintage chart, where the asks, trades, critic averages and drinker scores are all dated to the same extract, so no figure on the page is older than another.
Harvest conditions and winemaking for Petrus 1988
Petrus 1988 stands as the opening chapter of the celebrated late-1980s trilogy in Pomerol. According to Decanter, 1988 is a stylistic sibling of 1986, a structured year in which the best wines have enough fruit to outlive the tannin, with the Right Bank less consistent than the Left. The estate was managed by Jean-Pierre Moueix, and Christian Moueix made the wine with Jean-Claude Berrouet as oenologist. Decanter's Pomerol vintage guide records an exceptionally damp winter and spring and a flowering in less than ideal conditions; summer temperatures were close to average with less rainfall than usual, and harvesting conditions were fine, although uneven ripening of the different grape varieties caused problems for many growers.
The vineyard sits upon an eleven-hectare plateau featuring a distinct geological buttonhole of Smectite blue clay.
Critical reception and drinker evaluations
Professional critics give the 1988 vintage an average of 93.7 across 3 published reviews in our dataset. While often overshadowed in retrospective tastings by the opulent 1989 and 1990 releases, the 1988 vintage receives consistent praise from collectors who value traditional Right Bank architecture over sheer fruit density.
Consumer feedback offers a second view of the vintage. Across 40 drinker ratings recorded in community cellar databases, the vintage holds an average drinker score of 94.1. Tasters regularly highlight the integration of cedar, truffle, and dried dark fruit characteristics that have emerged through sustained bottle maturation.
Market pricing and comparative vintage valuations
The 1988 has traded in 1 month of our recorded history, and last traded at £1,892 a bottle in October 2021. An asking price is what a merchant publishes and a trade is what a bottle actually sold for, so the two are shown separately rather than blended.
Adjacent vintages give useful context for the 1988. Petrus 1989 holds a critic average of 100.0 and last traded at £2,833 a bottle in June 2026. The 1987 averages 87.0 from critics, and the 1986 averages 89.8. The 1985 holds a critic average of 91.3. The 1990 holds 98.4, with merchants asking £4,098 a bottle (including duty and VAT where stated). Each figure comes from the same dated extract as the 1988's, so the years can be compared directly.
Drinking window and tertiary cellar evolution
The drinking window recorded for the 1988 release spans 2005 to 2020. At close to four decades of age, sound bottles are in their tertiary phase of life. Collectors holding stock should expect resolved tannins, faded primary fruit, and complex aromatic layers dominated by forest floor, leather, and dried plum. The natural acidity preserved during the 1988 harvest continues to support the mid-palate of sound bottles.
Cellar conditions determine the remaining viability of any mature Pomerol from this decade. Bordeaux cellared at constant temperatures between ten and thirteen degrees Celsius with optimal humidity retains structural vitality longer than bottles exposed to fluctuating environments. Large formats provide added protection against oxidation, extending potential enjoyment beyond the standard bottle baseline.
Provenance verification and acquisition factors
Because Petrus produces approximately 30,000 bottles per year and holds no formal classification ranking, secondary market demand remains exceptionally concentrated. Mature Petrus bottles are frequent targets for counterfeiters. Buyers evaluating the 1988 vintage must examine capsule integrity, cork branded markings, paper label oxidation, and ullage levels before completing an acquisition.
Fill levels for a bottle approaching four decades of age should ideally register at base of neck or high shoulder. A fill lower than upper shoulder suggests accelerated evaporation and heightened risk of premature oxidation. Verifying an unbroken chain of custody through European bonded warehousing or original wooden case provenance provides critical security for any transaction at this level of the market.
Common questions
What is the critic score for Petrus 1988?
Petrus 1988 holds a critic average of 93.7 across 3 published reviews in our dataset.
What is the current retail price of Petrus 1988?
Current asks and trades for the 1988 are on its vintage page, dated to our latest extract. It last traded at £1,892 a bottle in October 2021.
What is the drinking window for Petrus 1988?
The recorded drinking window spans 2005 to 2020, and at close to four decades of age the wine is in its tertiary phase.
How do drinker ratings compare to critic scores for Petrus 1988?
Critics give Petrus 1988 an average of 93.7 across 3 published reviews. Drinkers give it an average of 94.1 across 40 drinker ratings.
Sources
- Decanter Bordeaux 1980s vintage guide, checked 2026-09-29
- Liv-ex fine wine market indices, checked 2026-09-29
- Decanter Saint-Emilion and Pomerol vintage guide, checked 2026-09-29
- Decanter: Petrus wine, behind the legend, checked 2026-09-29
By WineExperts. First published , last updated . Figures from our tracked merchant prices and recorded sales; text prepared with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed above.