Note: I use a rating scale on which 85 represents a very good wine.
Decided to give this the elusive 90 instead of dilly-dallying around with 88 or 89. It's damn good bottle of wine. No drama, but solid. Benefited from decanting and drank well for a few hours.
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Winter Solstice Tasting (Jan-Dirk Taams' residence, Groot-Ammers, Netherlands): An impromptu gesture from our generous host, to taste blind next to the Latours to remind us how great they are. Easy drinking, sweetness and freshness, gentle tannins, fully mature even from a stone cold cellar. But a lovely drink.
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From half bottle! Very dark red in colour! Nose mainly composed of black currants and a hint of oak! Simple but solid, a bit young and rustic! Full of black fruits on the palate, quite intense! Great with roast beef!
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Still a bit tannic when opened but softened nicely after 1 hour of decanting. Nice earthy nose and palate. Paired extremely well with roasted leg of lamb.
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I really dig the earthy tones. It's subtle and well balanced, but still carries the fabulous forest-floor, mushroom, floral, leather, and dirt mish-mash that I'm always looking for. Opens up over time too, revealing rich dark fruit tones and a fun overall roundness. Wish I'd had the patience (and the decanter - shit, I'm in a hotel room) to really give this a chance to blossom.
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Nose: Hints of slightly turned darker fruit with a strong brown/green damp forest floor note. There's some sort of a high, sweet note that is barely noticeable that I can't put my finger on.
Palate: Strong, stout tannins dominate the mouth here. The earthy undertones are stronger than the barely noticeable fruit combining with the tannins to give the wine a leathery, angular feel.
Finish: Astringent and dark with stronger fruit (currants/dark cherry/plum) and earth character.
Thoughts: Drinking well, it's got an earthy quality that overshadows the fruit but doesn't dominate. The tannins are still quite strong and pronounced. Decent drink if not a little green.
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- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and black currant with a medium/full body. Bright texture with a medium finish - Drank on Thanksgiving. Wonderful Pauillac.
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2003 Bordeaux Horizontal (San Antonio, TX): Solid nose of black fruit, vanilla, earth. Medium bodied wine with decent depth of black fruited flavors. A touch of smoke, but not nearly as complex and interesting as the Lynch Bages at the table. A touch dry on a good finish.
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Very thick legs - testament of a great year in the Medoc. Ruby color with a garnet rim. On the nose, the wine is pungent with ripe red fruits, damp earth and tobacco. Wine is thick on the palate, as expected. There is great structure here. On the palate are flavors of mushrooms, stewed fruits and smoke. A very strong wine from a strong vintage. Great evidence that even second wines can still be a compelling effort from a great year.
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88 on day one, tannic and tight mild fruit. On day 3 well integrated, a good balance of fruit and tannins. I will save my last bottle for a year or two.
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A beautiful second showing some age but still vibrant. Color is deep ruby with a uniform fade to a nice pink rim. Nose expresses cherries, shale, earthiness, vanilla, smokey blackberry. Palate is nicely defined with red cherries, blackberries, gravel, oak, spice and nearly fully integrated tannins but remain a bit chunky on the back end. There is a decent red fruit acidity piled in there as well. The finish is long but a bit off. It's got a few years left but I doubt there will be much further development. I think this bodes well for my Lynch-Bages.
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This is a lovely wine. I first had it in st. Barts, then at the winery on the left bank. Just had it again last night and it is still lovely. Fruit strong and smooth with smoky, layered favors and silky tannins. As the second label of Lynch-Bages, it lives up to the pedigree and then some.
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Garnet red with low purple tones still present in the core of this wine. Showing just barely sign of age, but packed full of stuffing for a 2nd wine. Averous is a great second wine and can help you predict the quality of the grand vin. Somewhat muted aromas of underbrush,with vibrant damp earth, spice box, cherry pith/skin, yellow plum and classic Pauillac character. Well made. nice mouth feel and medium + body. Long finish and a great wine to pair with simple braised/grilled meats. Highly enjoyable. "A-" grade
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Nice sweet leather aromas with good balance and ripe tannins. The finish lingers, but without much complexity. A good drink now without the need for a decant.
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Very nice QPR - nose starts with camphor, then cedar slight fruit. A little astringent on tongue, but nice overall and has dark fruit flavor, and opens up quickly.
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At Afghan Kebab House, NY, after the Met Museum visit (Picasso). I brought this wine b/c 1 of my guests doesn't drink syrah (the perfect pairing with this food). This wine drank lovely on its own -- even better than our June bottle -- but really not as good, with the food, as it was just overwhelmed by the spices of the food. (Not surprising). It was interesting to see how the pairing mattered.
Drink the wine now. Don't drink it with spicy Afghan food!
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This is a second wine of Château Lynch-Bages, as I understand. Interestingly, flavor profile of this wine is very similar to the Lynch-Bages 2004. In the same year it would've been less concentrated, but hot 2003 shows here. Decanted for two hours. Dark ruby red color. Earthy nose with black fruit. Lots of leather, cedar, some tobacco, plums, blackberries and cassis. Smooth, wine with good finish. Really enjoyable now with decant or hold it for at least two more years.
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dark with sightly pale rim, opened smell with black fruit, very ripe, tastes blackcurrent and smooth tannings, long finish, a bit like a top CB, balanced and well made.
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quite delicious. clear medium ruby red. super clean. nice floral and leather nose. a bit thin and lost some oomph while sitting in the glass, but otherwise subtle, well balanced and tasting like a true paulliac. decent qpr. drink now through 2009.
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Internet forum group Bordeaux blends tasting no. 1 (@ Klap): Full bodied. A good amount of bitterness of young tannins. A lot of black currant juice. Vanilla. The aftertaste is sweet and long. A very good wine which needs a few more years.
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4/19/2024 - psk Likes this wine: 93 Points
Peak, drinking great. Still has fruit, balance, coating finish.
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3/14/2024 - Doctor Vyd wrote: 80 Points
Deep color fruity nose pleasant smooth light finish Nothing special but nice with food
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6/9/2023 - psk wrote: 92 Points
Let it open up a little. Very nice.
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3/4/2022 - John Nezlek wrote: 90 Points
Note: I use a rating scale on which 85 represents a very good wine.
My last (unfortunately) of three. Delightful.
Completely and perfectly integrated.
No edges of any kind.
Also, no need to decant. Pretty much good to go upon opening.
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6/21/2019 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 89 Points
Summer Solstice Dinner (Jan-Dirk Taams' residence, Groot-Ammers, Netherlands): Tasted blind. Decanted. Identical to my previous note. Rounded, supple and easy. It was clearly very warm on the Bages plateau in 2003, but this wine deals with it well - nothing jammy and nothing green. Fully mature.
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1/14/2019 - John Nezlek wrote: 90 Points
Note: I use a rating scale on which 85 represents a very good wine.
Decided to give this the elusive 90 instead of dilly-dallying around with 88 or 89. It's damn good bottle of wine. No drama, but solid.
Benefited from decanting and drank well for a few hours.
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12/21/2018 - dvansteenderen Likes this wine: 89 Points
Winter Solstice Tasting @ JD's home (Groot-Ammers): Winter Solstice tasting.
Brought in spontaneous by JD, but suffered from the stiff competition (2000 & 2003 Latour). Not bad though!
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12/21/2018 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 89 Points
Winter Solstice Tasting (Jan-Dirk Taams' residence, Groot-Ammers, Netherlands): An impromptu gesture from our generous host, to taste blind next to the Latours to remind us how great they are. Easy drinking, sweetness and freshness, gentle tannins, fully mature even from a stone cold cellar. But a lovely drink.
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9/9/2018 - John Nezlek wrote: 88 Points
Second bottle of the night. This is as good as this as it going to get, and it it very good.
Perfectly balanced, a little light , but without any flaws.
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3/30/2018 - Tao wrote: 90 Points
From half bottle! Very dark red in colour! Nose mainly composed of black currants and a hint of oak! Simple but solid, a bit young and rustic! Full of black fruits on the palate, quite intense! Great with roast beef!
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7/18/2017 - MikeOstr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still a bit tannic when opened but softened nicely after 1 hour of decanting. Nice earthy nose and palate. Paired extremely well with roasted leg of lamb.
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7/17/2017 - rsed wrote: 91 Points
Good lacking power but it's a second label 14 years and still life smooth light earthy
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10/5/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote: 90 Points
I really dig the earthy tones. It's subtle and well balanced, but still carries the fabulous forest-floor, mushroom, floral, leather, and dirt mish-mash that I'm always looking for. Opens up over time too, revealing rich dark fruit tones and a fun overall roundness. Wish I'd had the patience (and the decanter - shit, I'm in a hotel room) to really give this a chance to blossom.
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6/8/2015 - bu11itt Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nose: Hints of slightly turned darker fruit with a strong brown/green damp forest floor note. There's some sort of a high, sweet note that is barely noticeable that I can't put my finger on.
Palate: Strong, stout tannins dominate the mouth here. The earthy undertones are stronger than the barely noticeable fruit combining with the tannins to give the wine a leathery, angular feel.
Finish: Astringent and dark with stronger fruit (currants/dark cherry/plum) and earth character.
Thoughts: Drinking well, it's got an earthy quality that overshadows the fruit but doesn't dominate. The tannins are still quite strong and pronounced. Decent drink if not a little green.
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11/30/2014 - Marc S wrote: 89 Points
- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and black currant with a medium/full body. Bright texture with a medium finish - Drank on Thanksgiving. Wonderful Pauillac.
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6/30/2013 - macker100 wrote: 90 Points
2003 Bordeaux Horizontal (San Antonio, TX): Solid nose of black fruit, vanilla, earth. Medium bodied wine with decent depth of black fruited flavors. A touch of smoke, but not nearly as complex and interesting as the Lynch Bages at the table. A touch dry on a good finish.
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1/20/2013 - TashNYC wrote:
Cellar clean-up
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12/30/2012 - emzee.mc wrote: 89 Points
Very thick legs - testament of a great year in the Medoc. Ruby color with a garnet rim. On the nose, the wine is pungent with ripe red fruits, damp earth and tobacco. Wine is thick on the palate, as expected. There is great structure here. On the palate are flavors of mushrooms, stewed fruits and smoke. A very strong wine from a strong vintage. Great evidence that even second wines can still be a compelling effort from a great year.
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4/6/2012 - team-blackburn wrote: 90 Points
88 on day one, tannic and tight mild fruit. On day 3 well integrated, a good balance of fruit and tannins. I will save my last bottle for a year or two.
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3/5/2012 - tlinch wrote: 89 Points
A beautiful second showing some age but still vibrant. Color is deep ruby with a uniform fade to a nice pink rim. Nose expresses cherries, shale, earthiness, vanilla, smokey blackberry. Palate is nicely defined with red cherries, blackberries, gravel, oak, spice and nearly fully integrated tannins but remain a bit chunky on the back end. There is a decent red fruit acidity piled in there as well. The finish is long but a bit off. It's got a few years left but I doubt there will be much further development. I think this bodes well for my Lynch-Bages.
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3/2/2012 - brubron wrote:
This is a lovely wine. I first had it in st. Barts, then at the winery on the left bank. Just had it again last night and it is still lovely. Fruit strong and smooth with smoky, layered favors and silky tannins. As the second label of Lynch-Bages, it lives up to the pedigree and then some.
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9/5/2011 - TXRhoneRanger wrote:
Garnet red with low purple tones still present in the core of this wine. Showing just barely sign of age, but packed full of stuffing for a 2nd wine. Averous is a great second wine and can help you predict the quality of the grand vin. Somewhat muted aromas of underbrush,with vibrant damp earth, spice box, cherry pith/skin, yellow plum and classic Pauillac character. Well made. nice mouth feel and medium + body. Long finish and a great wine to pair with simple braised/grilled meats. Highly enjoyable. "A-" grade
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1/7/2011 - khmark7 wrote: 88 Points
Nice sweet leather aromas with good balance and ripe tannins. The finish lingers, but without much complexity. A good drink now without the need for a decant.
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12/11/2010 - Mlyles wrote: 90 Points
Very nice QPR - nose starts with camphor, then cedar slight fruit. A little astringent on tongue, but nice overall and has dark fruit flavor, and opens up quickly.
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7/22/2010 - TashNYC wrote: 91 Points
At Afghan Kebab House, NY, after the Met Museum visit (Picasso). I brought this wine b/c 1 of my guests doesn't drink syrah (the perfect pairing with this food).
This wine drank lovely on its own -- even better than our June bottle -- but really not as good, with the food, as it was just overwhelmed by the spices of the food.
(Not surprising). It was interesting to see how the pairing mattered.
Drink the wine now. Don't drink it with spicy Afghan food!
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6/23/2010 - TashNYC wrote: 90 Points
A delicious wine. Very much like a baby Lynch Bages. Black fruit, tar and smooth on the finish. Drinks well now: probably drank well a year ago, too
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6/23/2010 - mrbruce wrote: 89 Points
Delicious with ribeye - beautiful bouquet!
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6/3/2010 - jaggeral1 wrote: 85 Points
A solid second wine, leafy blackcurrant notes, tad foursquare but a pleasant medium bodied and textured mouthful. Fine.
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5/7/2009 - Eugene wrote: 89 Points
This is a second wine of Château Lynch-Bages, as I understand.
Interestingly, flavor profile of this wine is very similar to the Lynch-Bages 2004. In the same year it would've been less concentrated, but hot 2003 shows here.
Decanted for two hours.
Dark ruby red color. Earthy nose with black fruit. Lots of leather, cedar, some tobacco, plums, blackberries and cassis.
Smooth, wine with good finish.
Really enjoyable now with decant or hold it for at least two more years.
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3/13/2009 - JamF wrote: 90 Points
dark with sightly pale rim, opened smell with black fruit, very ripe, tastes blackcurrent and smooth tannings, long finish, a bit like a top CB, balanced and well made.
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12/23/2008 - team-blackburn wrote: 89 Points
A little tight, opened up nicely after decanting 2 hours. Will improve with a few more years in the bottle.
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6/18/2008 - espia wrote: 84 Points
Nose is ok, with aromas of toasty oak, but very austere/dry in palate.
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8/12/2007 - Zinor wrote: 88 Points
Very Nice. Needs time to breathe but beautiful currant and oak.
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5/2/2007 - cormyr wrote: 89 Points
uphold my previous review
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1/10/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 89 Points
Plumbs and blackberries on the nose. The palate is dominated by blackcurrant. Very well balanced. Smooth finish. Slightly maderized on the nose.
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9/9/2006 - cormyr wrote: 89 Points
quite delicious. clear medium ruby red. super clean. nice floral and leather nose. a bit thin and lost some oomph while sitting in the glass, but otherwise subtle, well balanced and tasting like a true paulliac. decent qpr. drink now through 2009.
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3/19/2006 - Zweder wrote: 86 Points
Internet forum group Bordeaux blends tasting no. 1 (@ Klap): Full bodied. A good amount of bitterness of young tannins. A lot of black currant juice. Vanilla. The aftertaste is sweet and long. A very good wine which needs a few more years.
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