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| | Vintage | 1996 |  Label 1 of 2253 
 | | Type | Red | | Producer | Château Lynch-Bages (web) | | Variety | Red Bordeaux Blend | | Designation | n/a | | Vineyard | n/a | | Country | France | | Region | Bordeaux | | SubRegion | Médoc | | Appellation | Pauillac | | UPC Code(s) | 000008738028, 000009137073, 014100076629, 016773278577, 032586900871, 0400005643774, 041224152502, 072180692740, 078742374604, 204022504342, 206486002594, 3554770032428, 3700218200021, 3760020131661, 3760020133979, 400002298236, 649185961043, 649185961968 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 631 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Tao on 4/1/2024 & rated 93 points: The black currant fruits as well as the bell pepper fruits fighting hard for the attention, also, the leathery notes joining the party, are quite interesting! The palate is in my view slightly courser than the modern vintage like the 2000, for example! Still a bit closed at the moment! Takes perhaps another decade to develop! (966 views) | | | Tasted by RobinTeo on 3/30/2024 & rated 91 points: The one with Old Bordeaux (Praelum): Quite true to the vintage. By this time we had ascertain this was the 95 vs 96 flight and this was definitely a 1996. Graphite, black soil and dark berries bouquet with a silky and balanced palate with a dense core of fruit and slight residual sweetness - on any other night, this would have been quite a lovely drink but in the company of greats, this stood out as a little lacking. (844 views) | | | Tasted by Sean Tay on 3/16/2024 & rated 96 points: Pronounced nose intensity with notes of leather, spices, toast, black fruits, coffee. Medium+ acidity and medium+ tannin. Tannin is integrated. Drinking well now and can last many years ahead. Decanting 2-3 hours is recommended personally. (1242 views) | | | Tasted by etyc on 3/1/2024: Decanted for ~2hrs, this set the stage for the next flight of the '95 Lafite & '96 Cheval. Classic Pauillac nose of graphite, indian-ink, tobacco. Tannins appeared to have been almost fully resolved, this showed good freshness with a tinge of pepper on the palate. Should be even more interesting when it gains more secondary/tertiary development. A nice drop, regardless... (1548 views) | | | Tasted by Wine_Hoarder on 2/27/2024 & rated 94 points: Bottle sourced from The Wine Society. Really lovely bottle, perhaps light on fruit but, let's be realistic, this is 30 years old. Full of other interesting flavours: tomato leaf, mushroom, forest floor, leather, plum, black cherry. I highly recommend this, and a real treat as I rarely open something so old. Drink but no rush to drink. Serve it with food at the lighter end of the red-wine-pairing spectrum. Simply cooked but anything would do (veg / meat). I will update shortly on a typical WineHoarder mid-week pairing - sausage & lentil casserole. I love sausages, that is my main message. (1735 views) | | | Tasted by mclanew on 1/31/2024 & rated 93 points: Consistent with previous notes (2388 views) | | | Tasted by bobadopolis on 1/23/2024 & rated 89 points: Past bottles of this vintage have been spectacular, but this sourced bottle was not up to par with prior experiences. Light on fruit, no redeeming secondary flavors ... Hopefully bottle variation. Procured from Benchmark. (2454 views) | | | Tasted by angelcyn on 1/4/2024: As many on here at similar ages say rightly, time to open many of these wines while one can, in this case I have outlasted this bottle as it is definitely on a downward spiral, muddy rim and flat fruit all point one way, I shall have to start drinking the likes of these more often and more frequently! (2794 views) | | | Tasted by lovemycab on 12/30/2023 & rated 95 points: Decanted and enjoyed over 2 hours at a restaurant. Tannins fully resolved. Secondary notes with tobacco, cedar, cassis. Acquired from a friend who has stored since purchasing on futures so storage was perfect.
This followed a 1996 Talbot, which was nice, but this was on another level! (1633 views) | | | Tasted by hkbob on 12/30/2023 & rated 95 points: Garnet with a rusty sheen. Pungent nose of cedar, iodine, garrigue and tobacco. Drinking beautifully with mostly secondary fruit flavours gliding seamlessly across the palate. Fully resolved tannins and everything in perfect harmony. Good length on the finish. Ready to go with a short decant. One of the best showings yet for this vintage. Lovely. (2288 views) | | | Tasted by steveiiiiii on 11/21/2023: No clear fault but not in sync with other notes here. This bottle seemed to be over the hill with little fruit left and with a watery feeling on mid palate. Did not dislike but did not impress at all. (2818 views) | | | Tasted by Eric Wright on 10/12/2023 & rated 92 points: Pnp. Clearly high quality. Elegant mix of secondary and tertiary. A bit dusty on the nose initially. And flat on the palate. Suggesting it may be over the hill.
Last of the bottle 2-2.5 hours later...much more depth and elegance. Recommend 1-1.5 hour decant (3086 views) | | | Tasted by bobadopolis on 9/30/2023 & rated 99 points: Strong mature fruit, velvet smooth in texture, essentially no tannins, super long finish. I've sampled this wine multiple times in the last 17 years, and this bottle, which I acquired by inheritance, was subjectively the best showing since I the first bottle I opened in 2006. The previous 3 bottles I had, all from WineBid, lacked the strong fruit backbone that made this bottle so spectacular. This bottle was absurdly delicious and reminded me why I fell in love with this wine so many years ago. (3146 views) | | | Tasted by mchern02 on 9/27/2023 & rated 94 points: 2 hours in decanter and really hit stride at hour 4.
Beautiful notes of cedar, current, licorice, blackberry and black currant. Medium body with resolved tannins and light acidity; elegant and suave, not a deep a texture but a pretty one with good length and very approachable. At a plateau but very solid with 3-4 hour+ decant (3049 views) | | | Tasted by Vini Ciclismo on 9/4/2023 & rated 93 points: At Beakys.
Magnum.
Deeply coloured.
Rich intense fragrance, cassis, blood, cedar, tar.
Sweet berries and lightly cedary, rich dark spices add an edge, well balanced, good acidity, youthful structure. Delicious now, no doubt the magnum assisting. (3389 views) | | | Tasted by Nanda on 9/1/2023 & rated 93 points: A couple hours of slow-ox. So youthful and exuberant with classic and intense Left Bank notes of pencil lead, tobacco leaf and bell pepper interlaced with plum fruit. Still lots of structure that is mostly but not fully integrated. Long life ahead. (3013 views) | | | Tasted by ONEFIVE on 8/27/2023: PnP
Subtle on the nose with pretty red and blue fruit and some woody/savory components.
Texturally beautiful with medium weight, med+ acid and med tannin.
Drinking great and holding up without issue. The acidity is the only thing that seems a bit unbalanced. That said, it’ll continue to drink well for 10+ years. (2464 views) | | | Tasted by Stevie_chams91 on 8/19/2023 & rated 94 points: Was amazing. Still fruity held up for 3 + hours (2377 views) | | | Tasted by timewithwine on 7/28/2023: This wine hasn’t changed much in the past several year (a good thing that shows its longevity). Still “blood red” is the descriptor that best captures the color in the glass. “Seamless” best describes every aspect of this wine from its nose of cedar, mineral, graphite, cassis, plum, and blackberry, to the palate (tracking the nose) to the oh-so-long finish. While nose that is not explosive, it remains beguiling. The tannins are beginning to integrate but still big, yet not angular at all. While not at all primary, this wine has miles to go before it hits maturity. More sediment than a few years ago, but surprisingly not all that much. 13% alc. With grilled beef ribeye (from Meating Place). 07.28.23. Highly Recommended. (2484 views) | | | Tasted by bluepeter2020@outlook.com on 7/16/2023 & rated 93 points: Still drinking beautifully, with the fruit a bit subdued. Mod bricking at the edge. A: Cedar and earth P: subdued black fruit and ripe plum, cedar, pencil shavings, mod acid, soft tannins. Definitely still has some life in it, maybe 1-2 years. The sediment was minimal based on its 27 year age. (2533 views) | | | Tasted by rocknroller on 7/13/2023 & rated 93 points: Commanderie Exec Committee Meeting (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank a glass over 2 hours. This came out of the gate retty ready to play tonight. Bold, with impressive fruit and concentration; ripe red berries, cassis, lacquer, earthy, truffle, a lttle syrupy and dense on the palate with plush tannins, scorched earth and excellent length. I keep saying this is in a nice spot, but it is only going to get better over time. (2828 views) | | | Tasted by SARED on 6/2/2023 & rated 94 points: Bordeaux vs. Napa 101 (Bobby Vans 54th Street (Thanks Danny!)): Double decanted a few hours before dinner. I wonder if it got a little bit too much air as the nose and palate were less powerful than the last bottle I had tried. Overall, mature example of Bordeaux and a great bottle to share with friends. LB did very well in 1996. (3398 views) | | | Tasted by JohnLI on 6/1/2023 & rated 97 points: Revisited after 18 months. Opened 3 hours prior. Still brick red rim. At first nose a bit closed but then opened up. This is a wonderful Pauillac. Dominant blackberry fruit but so sweet. Everything in balance. Absolutely delicious and wonderful wine. Can’t wait to drink again. (2969 views) | | | Tasted by burg++23 on 5/22/2023 & rated 92 points: Nice cigar box nose, the acidity is quite pronounced now, light on the palate (3197 views) | | | Tasted by honest bob on 5/7/2023 & rated 94 points: From 37,5cl, decanted off gritty sediment 1 hour. Such bottle variation in this format: after 3 inferior bottles, here's one to top even the stellar half noted here on 23.08.2019. Still v. dark purple. Fabulously pure and ripe cassis, cedar and ink-well L-B scent; quite big-bodied entry, luscious purring tannins right from the start; dark, pure purple fruit - more blackberry than blackcurrant on the mid-palate, but thnning out again to some great cassis retronasal action on the finish. Virile, structured, complex, multi-layered and simply delicious. Finally this feels like a fully-mature and balanced wine to me. 94(+)P (3328 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Neal Martin
Vinous, Passing the Baton: Lynch-Bages 1945-2018 (Jul 2023) (7/1/2023)
(Lynch-Bages Lynch-Bages Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, 1996 Pauillacs (1/4/2021)
(Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Sep/Oct 2020, Issue #89, Recently-Tasted Bordeaux And Revisiting the 1855 Left Bank Classification
(Château Lynch-Bages (Pauillac)) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Gary Walsh
The WINEFRONT (3/7/2016)
(Chateau Lynch-Bages) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, Chicago Recap (11/2/2011)
(Lynch Bages) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/17/2011)
(Ch Lynch Bages Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/24/2010)
(Ch Lynch Bages Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/27/2008)
(Ch Lynch Bages Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (9/8/2006)
(Ch Lynch Bages Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 1999, IWC Issue #84
(Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 1998, IWC Issue #78
(Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (1/18/2009)
(Château Lynch-Bages) Opaque black red violet color; plum, damson plum, dried cherry and cassis nose; tart red fruit, cassis, mineral and herbs palate, with good acidity; medium finish 91 points |  By Gary Vaynerchuk
Wine Library TV, Wines From The Wine Rack, Episode #183 (2/15/2007)
(CHAT LYNCH BAGES) #4; VaynerPAZZZ (based on QPR); COLOR-medium, brown around edges; NOSE-sweaty jock w/ a full salad & vegetables, very dirty w/ underlying hint of mint; TASTE-very sour & bitter flavor profile, classic burnt wood/smokey sausage, sour pickles, tremendous cedar box & tobacco, well structured, complex & well-rounded; RP-94; GV-91+ 91+ points |  By Gary Vaynerchuk
Wine Library TV, How Does The Weather Affect Wine?, Episode #182 (2/14/2007)
(CHAT LYNCH BAGES) #3; COLOR-really nice w/ brown edges; NOSE-very Old World Bordeaux, tobacco, dark cherry, hint of cinnamon; TASTE-great complexity on the palate, really nice sour cherry classic Bordeaux, earthy tones, stones, black raspberry, great w/ steak; RP-94; GV-93 93 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and Decanter and View From the Cellar and The WINEFRONT and Vintage Tastings and JancisRobinson.com and RJonWine.com and Wine Library TV. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Lynch-Bages Producer website - Read more about Chateau Lynch Bages
Vineyard map
BACKGROUND: The wine of Château Lynch-Bages is part of the lineage of the great Pauillac wines. Blended mostly from Cabernet Sauvignon, it combines structure and finesse, elegance and longevity. It is further distinguished by its opulence. Generous right from its youth, it develops more flavours and greater complexity as it matures.
The affirmation of the Lynch-Bages style came with the arrival of Jean-Charles Cazes to head the estate in 1934. An innovative winemaker, emblematic of a new generation of owners willing to break with tradition and taking risks to ensure truly ripe harvests, he was known for often being the last to harvest in Pauillac. From 1945 onwards, the fame of the château emerged thanks to a series of great vintages. Some, despite being considered difficult to grow in Bordeaux, are particularly successful at Lynch-Bages. His wines are characterized by their deep colour, their tannic structure, their controlled concentration and elegant sensuality. The vintages vinified by André Cazes, and after him Jean-Michel Cazes, confirm this trend.
The style of the wines has refined over the years, gaining suppleness and softness, whilst their consistency has been established over time. Then as now, Château Lynch-Bages has been characterised by its extraordinary qualitative homogeneity. Powerful, elegant and open, vintage after vintage, the wine has acquired greater accuracy, adding distinction to the hedonistic character that made its reputation.1996 Château Lynch-BagesThe estate vineyard composition is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot.Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.Pauillac Read more detailed information about Pauillac Looking full onto the river from the earliest days, with an important port activity, traces of which go back to ancient times (shipment of bronze as long ago as 2000 B.C.), Pauillac's life has always been intimately linked to the history of wine. Although port activities were at the root of its prosperity, Pauillac had to wait until the eighteenth century when Bordeaux ceased to hold its privileged position to become a wine port. The town then became the natural outlet for the wine production of neighbouring cantons before reaching its zenith in a period when the vineyards were exceptionally prosperous.
The characteristic of the Pauillac terroir is its exceptional relief: the many undulating ridges make it unique morphologically speaking. Highly favourable conditions facilitate the dissection of the layer of gravel. This thin, Garonne gravel from whose very poverty springs great richness, has an extremely effective natural drainage.
With their velvet red colour with a hint of amber, the wines from the Pauillac appellation, full-bodied and rich in tannin, are vigorous. Powerful when young, their aromas of red fruits (black-currant, raspberry) or flowers (violets, roses, irises) melt with the passing of time into a bouquet which is long in the mouth.
Rich and complex, the wines of Pauillac deserve to be laid down for a little longer.
Production conditions (Decree dated November 14, 1936)
In order to have the right to the Pauillac appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the commune of Pauillac and from precisely defined parcels in the communes of Cissac, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Sauveur, "excluding the parcels situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions : grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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