External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| | Vintage | 1988 |  Label 179 of 2261 
(NOTE: Label borrowed from 1990 vintage.)
 | | 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, 041224152502, 078742374604, 204022504342, 206486002594, 3388111072916, 3554770032428, 3700218200021, 3760020131661, 400002298236, 649185961968 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 359 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by ankitmehra on 3/22/2024 & rated 92 points: 1988 Bordeaux Horizontal (Hawksmoor NYC): Having recently enjoyed the 1986 Château Lynch-Bages in a four decades of Bordeaux vertical, I was excited to dive into another example from the 1980s with the 1988 Château Lynch-Bages. This was absolutely drinking younger than I was anticipating, but lacked a 'wow' factor. The nose had a mossy quality to it, made better by hints of blackberries and light baking spices. The palate, though, showed off the youthfulness of this bottle as redcurrants and blackcurrants were omnipresent in the upfront prior to notes of leather, oak and white pepper providing a backbone in the mid-palate. The finish was dominated by sous bois, licorice and herbs, boasting tannins that had yet to settle down. I have one bottle left of 1988 Château Lynch-Bages and I think I'd give it 2-3 years before I revisit it. (259 views) | | | Tasted by Tao on 1/24/2024 & rated 92 points: Black, opaque colour! Strong black fruits, peppery notes, rather monolithic, austere on the palate! The seriousness is phenomenal, bothering to the status of the super clinical! Is it another version of vintage nineteen seventy-five? I think it still needs a few more years of cellaring! (1029 views) | | | Tasted by oldwines on 12/10/2023 & rated 92 points: Decanted and tasted over 3 hours. Best were the last drops. This was a shockingly youthful bright garnet color with no bricking. Nose was classic Bordeaux with slightly musty, earthy notes and mostly red berry fruit like cranberry, red cherry and pomegranate with some florals. Palate evolved slowly after an initial burst. At the end it was a brightly acid driven and even still a bit closed. It was expressive and long on the finish. It did go great with both grilled Cajun rubber pork chops and NY Strip steaks. (1577 views) | | | Tasted by steko78 on 12/10/2023 & rated 94 points: Nez discret mais profond, fruit, tabac froid, mine de crayon, menthe. Bouche aux tanins magnifiques, très fine mais avec de l'énergie, beaucoup de fruit, c'est très agréable. (1305 views) | | | Tasted by Garozzo66 on 12/8/2023 & rated 92 points: Cherry red colour. Nose of cherry, red pepper and cedar wood. Medium body and well blended tannins. Medium length on the palate. Drink now. (1319 views) | | | Tasted by mrkoors on 11/25/2023 & rated 93 points: Dark color with the edges still a solid red, wonderful black currant and dark cherry nose, tannins are softening leading to a long finish with hints of cedar. (1310 views) | | | Tasted by Bacchanalen on 8/24/2023 & rated 93 points: What a great wine, considering the age. Supreme fill level. Still some red fruit to discover, grippy tannines, beautiful glass. Amazing experience. (1574 views) | | | Tasted by RockinCabs on 8/15/2023 & rated 93 points: This is another hit in the lineup of 80s Lynch Bages. Great pencil, blackberry, cassis and leather notes. Well balanced, excellent aromatics and a nice beam of fine tannin holding it all together. (1509 views) | | | Tasted by Aptosc6 on 7/30/2023 & rated 90 points: Another magnum tonight for a friend's 85th birthday. Fill up near cork.
Dark red color, garnet rim.
Cherry extract with hints of cedar.
Good body. Chewy cherry fruit with hints of smoke and graphite. A really nice bottle of wine to slog down with BBQ meats. (1393 views) | | | Tasted by The Vines That Bind on 3/15/2023 & rated 92 points: Classic claret. Blackberry and currant fruit. Sous bois, damp earth, forest floor, tobacco / cigar box, some red cedar spice. Structured and firm, tannin somewhat integrating. Chewy palate. Chocolate covered cherries, but darker. Had been having an unusual craving for Bordeaux and this was about as classic / down the middle as it gets. Very fine indeed. (2390 views) | | | Tasted by dbg on 2/14/2023: Auction purchase, fill into neck, cork intact. Opened for our 35th anniversary. Dark red core. Nice nose right on opening, blossoms further over 30-45 minutes. Cassis, moist fresh earth, tobacco, hint of green. Medium body, nice complexity, great balance, mellow tannins, medium-long finish. Excellent. (2269 views) | | | Tasted by Aptosc6 on 2/7/2023 & rated 88 points: Another bottle purchased in futures.
Garnet with ruby red rim.
Black cherry fruit with hints of cedar.
Soft tannins, edgy fruit, not enough extract. Long cherry fruit finish. (1763 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 1/14/2023 & rated 94 points: Lean; austere; balanced; light earthy cherry; finesse; layered; nice sweet berry-cedar finish. (2065 views) | | | Tasted by crewald on 1/13/2023: Had with CA and S Dakota ribeyes in celebration of pathology results. Jacob declined then I poured him a taste just in case: "I changed my mind. I'll have some more of that, please."
Classic Bordeaux. Not a hair out of place. (1747 views) | | | Tasted by Aravind Asok on 12/9/2022: Pop and pour. This showed very pauillac yesterday with dense earth, charcoal, cedar and plenty of herbs. Notes from 24 hrs open. Still going really strong on Day 2. More herbs, charcoal, soft dried blackberry. On the palate, lovely acidity, leaning hi-toned. Tannin is but a memory. A touch thin on the mid for a Pauillac, but really a lovely example and in a fantastic place right now. (1667 views) | | | Tasted by bestdamncab on 12/6/2022 & rated 92 points: Wine Group December 2022 Tasting (Yan's China Bistro, Walnut Creek, Ca.): Nose of black berry, saddle leather, cedar and saddle leather, has a touch of bret, more of the same on the palate, tasty, mouth filling fruit, slightly past peak tasting but holding well, best from start to finish at being fruit forward, and a medium/long finish, uploaded photo. (1573 views) | | | Tasted by Hanover on 9/9/2022 & rated 93 points: A spontaneous selection, but no preparation was needed. Very pleasant - bright color - solid nose. Familiarly herbaceous, blackberry flavor with good acidity and balanced tannins. Should last a while yet. (1789 views) | | | Tasted by brh_wine on 9/9/2022 & rated 95 points: Great wine, still great after all these years. No time for more comments. (1712 views) | | | Tasted by hprphf on 9/7/2022 & rated 92 points: There is something very Lynch about this wine. Pencil case, cadar wood, light. 92 (1822 views) | | | Tasted by Michael Hung on 4/19/2022 & rated 84 points: 4/19/22 Vinum55 Phoenix BYOB Tasting (Vinum55 Phoenix): [Decanted for sediment]
Med intensity of leather, game, green bell pepper, slightly spicy nose. Light body, low acid, low tannin. Not much structure or body left and the fruit was basically completely gone, left with the essence of bell pepper and smokey meats in tomato juice base. Perhaps some dried plum, but just overshadowed by the more intense vegetal note. Most also thought it was way over the hill, left with structureless tomato juice. Nonetheless, you can taste the history and age here. While there was the lack of structure, there were very prominent tertiary notes and remnants of green bell pepper. I would say drink this now as it is already quite past the hill. (2679 views) | | | Tasted by W&FS Cellar Chair on 4/3/2022 & rated 93 points: Surprising amount of fruit for a Bordeaux of this age. But maybe not, since fruit has been a hallmark of Lynch Bages compared to other Pauillacs. Double decanted and consumed about an hour later with cheddar cheese. Delicious, with a great deal of complexity and a long finish. Clearly, at its peak and time to drink up over the next couple of years. It will not get better than it is now.
This wine was upon release labeled a "Classic" especially compared to the wonderful 1989 and 1990. What they really meant was that it was tannic and closed by comparison. Fortunately, that meant the price was lower and those who bought the '88 should be congratulating themselves. (2348 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 3/22/2022 & rated 84 points: 20 Vintages of Lynch Bages (1986-2017): All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few conclusions: 1) The overall quality of the wines surpassed my (and the groups) expectations slightly. There were good wines in all decades. 2) The style is very Cabernet, very Pauillac, quite classic, with a good grip, pleasantly high acidity and a good, not too ripe fruit core. 3) Most vintages don‘t have the depth of its neighbours and, until more recently, there are some quite angular tannins. 4) Lynch these days doesn’t reach the same elegance and complexity as both Pichons but plays in the same league as Pontet Canet, which, is less classically built. 5) Highest rating of 95 pts for 3 crowd favorites: of course for the 1990 and 2016, but rather surprising also for the 2017.
TN: Medium intense nose with slightly liquory fruit, slightly dried out fruit, hints of tobacco and earth and oxidative notes. On the palate this is all about broth, soy sauce, oxidation notes and dark dried fruit. The structure would have been fine but this bottle was clearly past its peak. (3577 views) | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 3/14/2022 & rated 80 points: Lynch Bages vertical (1986-2017): Lynch Bages vertical spanning 20 vintage (1986-2017) hosted by a private collector. My key observations were: 1/ The “twin peaks” of 1989 and 1990 continue to perform well, 3/ among the younger vintages 2017 and 2016 stood out, 3/ mid- to late-90ies were unimpressive as a group, rustic with harsh tannins, 4/ 2000-2008 showed extracted fruit profiles, but with juicier palates, 5/ After 2009 the fruit turned brighter and more red in nature, less extracted and fruit-forward palates. Note the wines were not decanted and served blind in flights of 4.
Tasting note:
Beef juicy aromatics here, looks past its prime. This masks aging notes and the fruit. Palate was barely intact. (2511 views) | | | Tasted by mrkoors on 3/10/2022 & rated 93 points: Cork in excellent shape. Decanted, still holding a nice ruby color. Showing some age but nose still has dark fruit with some tobacco. Medium body with nice tannins leading to a touch of cedar on a medium to long finish. Still excellent. (2038 views) | | | Tasted by WinoRick on 2/13/2022 & rated 91 points: Purchased on release for $21.67. Color medium garnet without browning and not much sediment. Musty, Bordeaux nose with typical Lynch Bages fruit. Just not up to the '86, '89 or '90. Some 88's have blossomed, and I think my prior bottles of this wine had. I think Parker's analysis of all these wines years ago was spot on. (1839 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Neal Martin
Vinous, A Century of Bordeaux: The Eights (May 2018) (5/18/2018)
(Lynch Bages Lynch-bages Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Vinous, January 2012
(Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (10/13/2012)
(Château Lynch-Bages) Dark purple red violet color; mature, mushroom, brett, iodine nose; tasty, mature, iodine, light brett, mushroom, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 92+ points 92 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (7/18/2003)
(Château Lynch-Bages) Reticent minty, herbaceous nose; rich, cedar, cassis palate; medium finish 92+ pts. 92 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and RJonWine.com. (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.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). |
|
