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| | Vintage | 1990 |  Label 76 of 2261 
 | | 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, 0400005643774, 072180692740, 078742374604, 087000347540, 204022504342, 206331002649, 206486002594, 3388111072916, 3554770032428, 3700218200021, 3760020131661, 3760020133979, 400002298236, 649185961968, 649185961975, 830293006270, 8794315818000 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 94.3 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 637 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Cailles on 4/21/2024 & rated 95 points: This wine continues to fire on all cylinders. Right from the start it showed strong with lots of wonderful tertiary aromas, a strong, fresh fruit core, an impeccable structure and perfect balance. When consumed 2 hours later in a restaurant it showed less complex and much younger. Still, it has all components of a great wine; the complexity, the precision, the elegance, freshness and a superb balance. 95pts for this bottle (rated up to 97pts in the past).
Decanting: Double decanted for 30 minutes, consumed two hours later. Got younger with air. This vintages usually doesn’t need much air. (486 views) | | | Tasted by VINNICK on 4/14/2024 & rated 99 points: Plainly put this is one of my favorite Bordeaux. Have had it multiple times and it’s just an absolute delight every time. On this night it completely outdid a 1990 Latour which we enjoyed over a five hour dinner with my wife side by side at Hotel Bel Air. Hard to believe considering I paid more than double for the bottle of Latour. (710 views) | | | Tasted by advinm41 on 4/7/2024 & rated 95 points: Cork was wine stained and fell apart upon opening but wine was beautiful underneath. Decanted 2 hrs, nose of black currants, plums cherries, violets, caramel, notes of iron and truffles. Palate came together at the end of decant, smooth with no hard edges, still very plentiful and sweet dark fruit with rounded tannins although this wine can go on for at least 5 more years given their potency, secondary and tertiary aromas of forest floor, truffles, caramel, herbs, old cedar and peppery on the finish which is incredibly long. Outstanding! (907 views) | | | Tasted by djhammond on 3/16/2024 & rated 97 points: This, along with the 1989, is a duo of the greatest wines ever produced from the estate, leaving the 1961,1982, and 2000 in the starting blocks. I can only assume that some of the lukewarm reviews is due to a lack of aeration. This needs a good 5 or 6 hours in the decanter to be appreciated at this stage of its life. Once it comes alive, it is an astounding wine. The nose is a classical mature Paulliac, with old leather, beef blood, blackcurrant and plum, with hints of violet. Some bottles are more developed at this stage in its development, and to be honest this was less evolved end palate and on the finish, with residual tannin; hence, the lower rating. This is a classic Bordeaux, and I do feel we have to give it that special attention with preparation and research, rather than just treat as another decent Bordeaux. A post script; I left a small glass overnight and it was transformative. In future, I will decant this for 24 hours. (1444 views) | | | Tasted by MAC49 on 3/13/2024 & rated 94 points: Gorgeous nose, still a beautiful purple with little bricking. Fully integrated tannins and classic LB tasting notes. Powerful yet fully integrated and silky tannins. Feels like this can go another 20 years. (1580 views) | | | Tasted by sdr on 2/3/2024 & rated 90 points: This is a decent Lynch Bages but far off the brilliant 1989 version. Beautiful deep ruby, no orange. Lightly spicy aroma. Decent concentration but really lacking focus and precision; perhaps slightly low in acidity. A little muddy. Perhaps an off bottle or heat damaged. (2380 views) | | | Tasted by mwellington on 12/30/2023 & rated 95 points: Decanted 2+ hours and consumed over next 90 or so minutes. At opening and after an hour of decant it exhibited an over ripe nose, bricking and tightness. But after 2 hours the wine felt fully integrated with a softness on the nose and the tongue, great mouthfeel, forest floor and cedar with a touch of manure and a really long finish. Paired with beef tenderloin a the pork chop at Boulevard in SF. This feels like it’s at its peak. (2527 views) | | | Tasted by mclanew on 12/25/2023 & rated 93 points: Two hour decant. Drank alongside the 1989 and this was clearly a step behind at least tonight. The key difference is this was a little more foursquare and felt like it had already started to decline a bit with fruit a little faded and less vigour in the structure. Nevertheless still a very good aged bordeaux. There is a possibility this bottle had a bit of negative variation. (2327 views) | | | Tasted by wa2ofd on 12/15/2023: At an annual Holiday tasting, in 3 drink flight. Blind. On the reveal there was a 2000 Lynch and a ‘90 Vega in flight. The 90 was the most sublime. Lead pencil, graphite on nose. Still beautiful fruit. No rush, long life ahead. 2+hr decant. (2367 views) | | | Tasted by GregHH on 12/15/2023 & rated 96 points: Best after 6 hours in full open bottle (2265 views) | | | Tasted by palfr2 on 12/14/2023: Pall Mall 67 Singapore - penetrating nose of cassis, dark fruits, lead pencil and graphite. Regal the way a typical Pauillac is. Then so much freshness on the palate, great acidity. I lack reference points to declare it truly great and living up to the higher standards set separately by the vintage and the maker. It is obvious this still has a long life ahead of it. May be layered complexity is required to put it in the realm of truly greats. Using sensory memory this more than holds its own with a Mouton 89 I had a few weeks ago (1985 views) | | | Tasted by grub94 on 12/10/2023 & rated 90 points: From half bottle. Disappointing. After two hours some classic tobacco, cedar and graphite emerged but sort of two-dimensional until then with currant and earth. Balanced with medium finish. (1793 views) | | | Tasted by asgerG on 12/7/2023 & rated 96 points: Vinklubben 1983's 40th anniversary X-mas dinner (Hos Sten): D2h
Dark red, yellow tinged, 5.5
Complex bouquet of pencil, jasmin, exotic spices and more
Dense palate, m-T, m+A, mB, dry, loads of dark fruits, long finish, super balance
Drink now-2040
Incredible. Seems to be in the early drinking window. (1778 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 11/17/2023 & rated 95 points: I love the purity of this vintage of Lynch Bages which is more structured than most '90's but really impresses after a long decant. There is deep blackberry fruit along with classic Pauillac notes of graphite minerals and grilled nuts. Really refined and chiseled while giving a gorgeous texture and subtle power. The finish still shows some tannins but they are quite supple and there are lovely complex notes of spices, lead pencil and smoky gravel. As good as the '89 is, the '90 really bumps up against it with the right bottle. (2111 views) | | | Tasted by wineton.mee on 11/12/2023 & rated 92 points: This was a far cry from the outstanding 90 Lynch Bages that we had some time back. While that was a beast (silky red fruits and so much aplomb), this was rather anonymous. The quality of the vintage is hidden and you had to really dig to see. There is some green, some dark fruits, and graphite/tobacco. The ingredients are there but just wasn’t singing today. (2240 views) | | | Tasted by pavel_p on 11/11/2023 & rated 92 points: Same bottle as Melvin. Again clearly a left bank Bdx and a step up versus the 86 in terms of fruit. Still this 90 Lynch Bages, kindly shared by Dibbs, was not the best I have had.
While I had the underwhelming 86 Lynch Bages as a left bank 99, here I agreed with Jason on left bank 96, given the quality here but already slightly thinning fruit of this bottle. (2214 views) | | | Tasted by melvinyeowq on 11/10/2023 & rated 91 points: Wines from regions starting with B: Very similar to the 1986, but with more vibrant fruit that made it an obvious guess as 1989/90. Felt like this didn’t get out of second gear, not as exciting as the bottle a few months ago. (2263 views) | | | Tasted by The Klipper on 10/25/2023: 94 (2448 views) | | | Tasted by Richard P Howden on 10/24/2023 & rated 95 points: So gorgeous. Amazing nose that started out so youthful but showed great leather, less tobacco, tart slate with deep peppery bite, long and intense. So good now. (2096 views) | | | Tasted by aagrawal on 10/24/2023 & rated 94 points: Dinner with the wine group (Heirloom Cafe, SF): Intense aromatics, leather, cedar, forest floor; medium body, medium integrated alcohol and tannin, residual black fruit; finish is medium-plus length. Lovely mature Bordeaux. 93-94 (2208 views) | | | Tasted by Mtnmd1 on 10/20/2023 & rated 95 points: NYWE
Fantastic! Fresh youthful. Primary fruit medium body and finish. Belies it’s age (2013 views) | | | Tasted by Benoit Hardy on 9/25/2023 & rated 97 points: 3rd time I have opened a bottle of this Château in this vintage.
Nose on the cigar, a little humus, cedar and sweet spices.
Fruity palate on blackcurrant, with the richness brought by the cigar, the whole sprinkled with spices. What more can be said? How harmonious, deep, with a touch of cedar that adds to the abyssal depth of this wine, and an unfailing balance. But what is most impressive is the touch of the mouth, real liquid silk, pure voluptuousness. Majestic finish on the leather which stretches with nobility.
This wine is great, it is so obvious! In addition to that, there seems to be a nice regularity on this wine which rarely disappoints. (2592 views) | | | Tasted by Ozen on 9/21/2023 & rated 97 points: The Lynch Bages 1990 is one of the truly great wines of this great vintage. Its wondefully rich, complex and extremely well integrated. It has been a ongoing match between 1989 and 1990 for which one to claim the best as they truly are close. The 1990 still has staying power although there is no reason to wait as it is at its very grand peak right now. Absolute top class and an incredible joy to drink. (2177 views) | | | Tasted by EdwardsCellar on 8/12/2023: Markus bday bottle (2546 views) | | | Tasted by Marc S on 8/9/2023 & rated 99 points: - Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of licorice anise. It's in total harmony and has flavours of raspberry, black currant and chocolate with a medium body. Satin-Like texture with a short finish - This is truly one of the best bottles of Cabernet that I have ever had.
The wine is perfectly balanced, and still has plenty of fruit. The tannins are fading quickly and I think this wine is approachable right now. It is delicious wine which should be enjoyed at this time. (2702 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 Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/11/2021)
(Ch Lynch-Bages Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, Cellar Journal: Bordeaux 1920-2015 (Dec 2019) (12/1/2019)
(Lynch-bages Lynch-bages Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/31/2015)
(Ch Lynch-Bages Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jul/Aug 2012, Issue #40, The Annual Champagne and Sparkling Wine Report
(Château Lynch Bages) Login and sign up and see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, Hong Kong Killers (2/5/2010)
(Lynch Bages) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/27/2008)
(Ch Lynch Bages Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, A Mega 1990 Bordeaux Tasting with Clive (3/21/2005)
(Lynch Bages) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, July/August 2002, IWC Issue #103
(Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/28/2002)
(Ch Lynch Bages Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, The 1990 Clarets...To Have and To Hold (Nov 1993) (11/1/1993)
(Lynch Bages Lynch-bages) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (1/17/2010)
(Château Lynch-Bages) Dark red violet color; nice tobacco, tart black fruit nose; mature, tobacco, tart black fruit, plum, graphite, herbal palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts. 93 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (1/13/2008)
(Château Lynch-Bages) Dark garnet red color; very mature, plum and dried shitake mushroom nose; tangy, black fruit and beef jus palate with coffee edges; medium-plus finish 89 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (11/18/2007)
(Château Lynch-Bages) Dark red violet color; rye, leather and mushroom nose; mature, tangy, roasted fruit, leather and porcini mushroom palate; medium finish 92 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (11/8/2007)
(Château Lynch-Bages) Restrained tart plum, earthy, mushroom nose; soft, tasty, plum and black fruit palate; medium-plus finish 93 points | By Lyle Fass
Rockss and Fruit (5/3/2006)
(Lynch Bages) This was one sexy beast. Lush and ripe with tremendous freshness and tons of fruit. Just class in a glass. Phenomenal. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JancisRobinson.com and View From the Cellar and Vintage Tastings and RJonWine.com and Rockss and Fruit. (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.1990 Château Lynch-Bages
Blend: 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
Alcohol: 13%
Acidity: 4.7 g/lRed 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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