Coravin fun - Bordeaux (My place, Burwood): From Coravin. A little touch of farmyard for the first time, meaty over brambly black fruit, sweet spice polished oak, smidge of alcohol prickle. Juicy tends to medium plus intensity acidity, brambles, cassis, blackcurrant, plums, a little savoury undergrowth, drying, chewy, coarse flour textured tannins underpin this, bit of black liquorice and almost soy here, The farmyard funk does not translate here. Yum.
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Young but exceptional. From 375 ml. Salinity, depth, complexity. This is the full package. Ideally needs another ten years for its window to open but plenty to enjoy now
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Beautiful ruby inky color, Nose of mushroom and sous-bois. On the palate, plums, black cherries and blackcurrant with juicy, fleshy, and chewy tannins. Medium to long finish. Pretty closed and all about the fruit at the moment. If you have some in the cellar, keep it for another 5 years.
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Coravin fun - Lynch Bages (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Sweet spice, almost a touch of carbo crush; plummy, cherry, blackcurrant. Juicy, fleshy, plenty of chewy drying tannins are woody, fruit as per the nose, beautifully balanced, ridiculously long. Lovely.
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Double blind. Deep color. Notes of plum, chocolate, mineral and herbs with plenty of alcoholic heat as well. Black fruit and herb qualities on the palate, but thin and slightly hollow with a short finish.
This was opened only 90 minutes earlier and not decanted. I assume that advance prep would have resulted in a much better experience with this wine. As it is I can only taste and rate what is in front me, but IMO to open these now is a waste. (R&R)
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After a two hour decant followed by two hours of consumption, I found this still pretty shut down and tight. It probably needs another 5+ years to re-emerge in greatness. Good today but with potential for greatness in time.
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Are 2016s shutting down? 375ml that was double decanted in AM. At evening dinner, was shut down. Limited nose, slightly high toned raspberry acidity, no fruit, glossy texture, and some fine slightly bitter cacao tannin. I didn't know Bordeaux could shut down this hard. Will stop checking in now for a couple years...
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In the context of a vertical of Lynch-Bages from 1989 to 2018, this was all potential, highly structured with rich fruit. Will likely earn two or three more points with a lot more time in bottle.
Its just so, well, Lynch Bages-y. Delicious, elegant, complex, leaning savory, could really just suck it down solo without thinking about it and move on into the second bottle. Hey, I've paid more and gotten less...
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Really really good. Don’t usually open a this type of Bordeaux so early but it was still delicious. I’m sure it will get even more terrific with more years.
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What a powerful monster. 2016 will go down in history and the 2016 lb will be one of the 7 points on the crown. This is undeniably textured with layers of complexity that will only further develop into a whole sun of a powerful yet undeniably elegant Bordeaux. This will be liquid sex in 20 years. I’m kicking myself for opening this. Double HOLD_
Still young and tight but dark fruit present along with wet rock and lead pencil. tannins are soft but present or fully rounded out. Wait about 3-5 years before next bottle
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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: Intoxicating nose with ripe dark fruit, coffee, herbs and minerality. On the palate this kicks in with loads and loads of ripe but not too ripe dark fruit, blue fruit, minerality, herbs, burnt sugar. Very precise and complex. The tannins are ripe and round, truly a quality level or two higher than in the past, so creamy and round already but with tons of tension and high, round and well-integrated acidity. Topped by a long, slightly expanding finish. This is the first time I tried the 2016 and it again shows that the vintage produced a large array of high quality wines. The balance of the 2016s is incredible and the complexity off-the-charts and this Lynch is no exception. My guess is that this wine will develop into something beautiful as soon as the structure further mellows together and tertiary complexity kicks in. 94/95 pts.
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: An array of sweet and herbal spices, hints of leather dark and red cherry, blueberries and black currant – probably the broadest array of fruit flavors in this vertical. The palate is slightly creamy, has lots of fresh acidity and a good amount of layers. Tannins are still very present and have lots of grip, but are ripe and soft in nature. Undoubtedly this will continue to improve over then decade, but is already delicious today and keeping the promises made at the Arrivage tasting!
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Coravin fun - Angelus & Lynch Bages (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Brooding black hued fruits and cassis with plenty of oaky spice, there is also a very jubey underpin to the fruit, tiny touch fo mint. Medium plus intensity acidity, similar fruit profile, chewy chunky tannins, touch of milky green tea on the long long finish. Quite harmonious despite it's impetus youth but this needs years to come around. Shows promise.
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HOLD! Double decanted in the AM and still very tight 8 hours later. Yet still so balanced, dark purple fruit able to poke through very fresh structure. You get the fruit of the vintage without over ripeness, and with great structure. Still enjoyable even in this primary/shut down phase. Starting to understand why some think this may end up as good as the '89 or '90. Seems like a no brainer as it looks like pricing is the same as EP.
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2016 Lynch Bages My first encounter with this wine. I paid a lot of money for it, over $150, in NH, albeit tax- and shipping-free. I have previously declared 2016 as possibly the greatest vintage ever produced in Bordeaux. The beauty of Bordeaux, of course, is that the "greatest" may not necessarily match personal favorites, like, in my case, 2002, 2014, etc. But nonetheless, 2016, by any measure, is a compelling vintage. I have many bottles from the 2014, 2015, and 2016 vintages in my cellar. They are three distinctive vintages. One of my complaints has been that, as impeccable as the 2016 vintage may be, there is a "sameness" to the vintage. That does not always seem to have been the case. There have been many wines that I have consumed from 2016 that have been absolutely profound. On the other hand, there have been numerous efforts from 2016 that, while technically correct, have struck me as having a "sameness," an "uninteresting" quality. Chateau Lynch Bages was the wine that ultimately led to the creation of "Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts." www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com. In the second half of the 1990s, I bought and drank many bottles of the 1989 Chateau Lynch Bages, which I consider to be the greatest wine ever produced, from any vintage, in any region, in the history of the human species. Even while drinking it so young -- less than a decade old -- it was a breathtakingly thrilling experience.Velvety. Purple. Cedar, stunningly, quintessentially Pauillac. I'm getting NONE of that thrill here. This wine is GPL-like, underperforming its terroir. The nose is "nice"... but nothing approaching the 1996 Lynch, or the 2000, or... the 1989... Actually, the 1996 Lynch rivals the '89 on the nose if not in the same league on the palate.... Ian, you now I love you, man... You are a brother to me.... I am just not even close to seeing it.... This 2016 Chateau Lynch Bages is a beauty, but it is 93 points at best.... Nothing even close to approaching the 100+ effort of the 1989 Lynch, or the 98 point effort of the 1990. I so wanted to rate this differently. I bought one bottle, with the expectation of buying another case, based upon your reviews. I am not going to buy even another single bottle. At this point, I'm going to cancel my plans of buying a case of the 2019 Lynch.... I'm sorry, my man, I just haven't seen anything compelling about this estate since 1989. The 2016 is a "nicely made" wine.... That ain't good enough, bro. It seems to me like the son has failed the father in assuming this hallowed property. 2016 Chateau Lynch Bages should be infinitely better in this epic Bordeaux vintage. It is not. Good, but not great. I'll rate the 2016 Lynch, generously, at 93 points.... More importantly, I'm going to move it from ranking #41, last among the fourth growths, to #42, first among the fifth growths, in my reclassification of the 1855 wines of the Gironde... In other words, I'm moving it back to fifth growth status.... Back to where it belongs... Give me MANY other Bordeaux over this wine... Lafon Rochet, Sociando Mallet, Giscours, Calon Segur, Brane Cantenac, d'issan, etc., etc., etc.
Pretty powerful with mind blowing length. This is clearly a shifting point for Lynch Bages. It seems they dialed the power knob up by 35%. You want to talk shut down? Go try this wine and then you will see that this is just getting better and better. The only difference between this wine now vs release time is that it grows in the glass with time as opposed to softening. The 2016 is going to be a very long-lived wine. HOLD
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So beautiful, so fresh and pure, the nose seeming to fill the room with intense yet elegant blueberry, cassis, lavender, graphite, and coal. Cool, sumptuous, luxurious. Grippy tannin makes this somewhat difficult to drink for pleasure now, yet there so much stuffing and the balance is excellent. Truly a great modern Lynch.
This was drinking amazingly well already. So fruit forward and ripe, yet plenty of layers of complexity emerging already. Lovely balance and long beautiful finish. Still very noticeable tannins but for me this was drinkable already.
Tasted with 2005(94) and 2010. I was surprised at this showing much more development than the 2010. This is still tannic and needs at least 10 years to resolve. I can begin to sense the depth and structure emerging a bit. Drink 2031-51. The 2005 is showing the most development at this stage..
CdB 400th tasting with the chateau. Pigeon blood red. Rich, complex nose of lilacs and roses, cedar and toast. Started slowly, but boy did it blossom. Everything was in balance. The tannins are fine-grained and elegant, the wine is fresh and delicate, without being light. Fresh currants and red raspberries, wet stones and tobacco, leading to a beautiful long finish. This kept developing in the glass over a couple of hours. Lovely.
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Pretty sure I gave one of the 6 to Dad. Didn't think I had more than 6 so may have forgotten to enter that. HE opened it last night. They said it was good. I won't taste it for quite some time.
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After 2,5 hours decanting tight and straigh aromas of dark fruits, graphite, wood, tobacco. The wine is medium bodied with concentrated fruits but relatively closed at the moment. I think it will develop very good over the years but actually to young. Do not open for the next 5+ years.
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Deep purple ,medium(+) rose,red cherry,red plum,blackberry,green bell pepper,eucalyptus,ripe fruit,cloves,charred wood,wet leaves,dry,high acidity,smooth medium(+) tannin,low alcohol,medium(+) body, long finish,very good wine,suitable for bottle ageing
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3. Medium deep ruby color. Deep perfumed aroma of black fruits, oak and wet forest floor. Dry, medium rounded acidity, medium integrated tannins, taste of blackcurrant, black berry and vanilla. Medium full body. Good balance. Medium long finish. 93/Ranked 3. RESULT Ranked 4/Lynch Bages 2016.
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Opened 2 hours. Color: Saturated red/purple. On the nose: Plums, cassis, graphite and vanilla. On the palate: Plums, cassis, olive and spices. Good length and great sexy mouthfeel. Excellent Bordeaux.
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Stupidly thought this would help me decide whether to buy more 750s because I liked the '89. Obviously difficult to get a lot out of this baby.
PNP out of 375 and followed for 3 hours. Nice concentration but not a thick wine (not as thick as I remember the '89 to be, off distant memory?), medium ripe dark cherry, purple raspberry, currants, a lot of savory versus opulent fruit, pencil lead, dried wood, faint espresso, medium+ acidity, hides alcohol well (13.7%), clean mouth feel, mouth drying but very fine tannin. Opened up a bit after a few hours in the glass. Kept half in a Repour/in fridge and will check in after a couple more days. Will be excellent in 20 years...
*** after 5 days in fridge with a repour *** more fruit and fruit skin are visibile. Black cherry, cherry/plum skin, black and red raspberry, nice acidic lift with lacy acidity, pencil shavings on the finish with fruit and skins, with drying fine but gritty (?) tannin. medium to long finish. 94 now, which I guess 95+ for longterm
I am sorry to say that this expensive wine has disappointment me. None aromas whatsoever. After pop and up to 2 hours later, no aromas. At taste is round and pleasant with a finishing at dry side.
on pnp it felt dark, brooding, with good structure and depth... after four hour decant, and then over four hours of drinking it became more approachable and less dark/brooding... depth was good and this feels like a wine that will be good in 20-30 years... but not sure I'll still be around
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75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. 13.5% alcohol.
Tighter and denser aromas, but has really concentrated fruit of darker plums, blackberries, graphite, espresso, sweeter wood, charcoal and this classic feature of pipe tobacco. Good full-bodied wine with lots of concentrated great fruit from blackberries, black-currant, cassis, dried wood and spices. Slightly tougher mouthfeel, but definitely classic LB with great freshness and vintage tannins. Long and beautiful finish. Great wine. 95 points.
The 2016 Lynch Bages reminds me of nothing so much as the 1982 with its rich, blueberry and cassis fruit accented by ganache, pencil, and a pinch of herbes de Provence. What depth on the nose! Beautifully rich palate but so fresh and lively. Healthy tannins - certainly grippy, but not mean. Wonderful cassis and lavender finish. Glad to see this showing properly as a recent half bottle was very odd and herbal. 96-97
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From Coravin. slight coffee, toast, ripe blackcurrant, slightly dusty oak quality, plain chocolate but a general impression of polish. On the palate it's got juicy acid and lots of (medium plus intensity) drying tannins that are grainy and talc textured. A little cranberry joins the prevailing blackcurrant on toast flavours. Long. Very young but a good thing to try now just for a taste.
Impressive compact core of dark earth, graphite, cigar, and black currants while still showing great balance and length, cedar, mint, and sweet currants. Really good.
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There must be something strange about this bottle. Ultra-concentrated, almost dried fruit with evergreen and exotic spice. This is not so nice. It can't possibly be representative.
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Knockout of a Lynch-Bages from the very first sip. It's packed with aromas of pitch-black fruit, cigar box, and the textbook Pauillac lead-pencil shavings. The fruit on the palate is equally intense with a saturating, tongue-staining density of black fruit with a taut, curranty snap that reminds me of the best aspects of the 2014, which adds a nice counterpoint to its rich, saucy concentration. The structure clenches up a little bit with time and the tannins turn edgier and more abrupt, but the sheer richness of the fruit ought to give this a pretty nice window of pretty thrilling drinking before it closes down.
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With a nose of cedar, cigar box, tobacco leaf, smoke, red fruits and spicy aromas create the complex aromatics. Pour the wine into your glass and it only takes a single sip to know this is a stunner. The wall of juicy, ripe, sweet red fruits never quits. The wine is powerful, stoic, refined and generous. If you are a Lynch Bages fan, you need this in your cellar. Lay this down for 12-15 years and enjoy it over the next 30 years or more!.
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PMET premature emptying tendency - with pnp Dark, good legs. Not the most aromatic, but dark berries lurking repeatedly through. Lots of tannins and just enough acid in harmony Good finish Sense of optimum ripeness One of the best Lynchs in times since the early eighties
Small sample from a bottle that had been open for approximately 4 hours
Very deep red/purple color, on the nose large scaled cherry cough syrup and cassis with a persistent yeasty note and significant quantities of oak, on the palate full bodied and somewhat velvety with ripe and- in my opinion- overly extracted fruit that does a nice job of covering the massive tannic structure to make it surprisingly approachable given the sheer scale of all its components, very long finish dominated by oak notes leading to a sourish tail end, this is the ultimate expression of the modern bigger is better style and not to my liking at all, that said- to be fair this is fairly well balanced though I think the oak will have a stronger presence than I would like, this is built for big comparative tastings and I expect it will soundly throttle a great many wines that cost a great deal more, whatever happens in the long term- there is a long wait ahead for full maturity.
(*****) for what it is, (**)+? for me personally comparing it to the good old AFWE days, 2036++.
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Very classic Pauillac, with red and dark cherries, some lavender, menthol, cedar wood, also some tobacco leaf and nice minerality and forest floor. Medium- pretty full bodied, dense and pretty powerful, with high acidity and pretty high tannin that is excellent quality. Very good length. Another excellent Lynch-Bages.
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Arvi Bordeaux 2016 Arrivage (Park Hyatt, Zurich): Again a very classic showing with a broad range of fruits, a bit of perfumed flowers and forest floor. Tannins with a lot of grip and a wilder palate than others are evidence of a more muscular vine in an overall very elegant vintage.
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Hearts Delight 2016 Bordeaux Tasting (Hay Adams - Washington, DC): Wow, what a gorgeous wine. The depth here is so serious, with grip that will allow this wine to age for decades, but it's also crisp. Black cherries and currants laced with earth, charcoal, minerals and iron. A beautiful young Lynch-Bages that has a lot to offer the patient. Stellar stuff.
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The wall of powerful fruit and tannin is intense. Layers of fresh, crisp, ripe, red fruit just doesn't quit. Rich, concentrated and focused, with a mouth-feel that leaves an impression, this should age without fear for at least 40 years.
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Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2016 Vintage Tasting (Las Vegas, NV): With its 2016 offering, Lynch-Bages has crafted a truly legendary wine. Opaque crimson, it brims with everything good. Black currants, dark plums, tarry black cherries, licorice, graphite, tobacco and espresso are but a few of the aromas and flavors that a taster can find on his or her journey with this wine. Full-bodied, fresh, seamlessly alcoholic and with gorgeous purity of fruit, it wraps its flavors with abundant fine-grained tannins and is tremendously dense on the mid-palate. The wine's finish goes on and on, but time in the cellar will be required in order to fully soften the tannic grip. This has the potential to ultimately receive a perfect score, and is definitely the best young Lynch that I have ever tasted. Drink 2030-2056.
UNION DES GRANDS CRUS DE BORDEAUX 2016 VINTAGE SAN FRANCISCO. (Metreon, San Francisco, Ca.): UNION DES GRANDS CRUS DE BORDEAUX 2016 VINTAGE SAN FRANCISCO. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, Nose of black berry, black cherry, cedar, tobacco, black currants, and licorice, same on the palate, big body, slightly fruit forward but brooding fruit, rich fruit, lovely fruit, big fruit, medium amount of soft tannins suggest cellar for 6 years and drink for 30 years, long finish, good QPR for me.
UGC San Francisco: the 2016 Bordeaux: Easily the most tannic wine of the night, seems like it is closing down as the aromas were quiet, but I like the potential here.
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This was the monster of the vintage for me. It is HUGE, but the Pauillac pencil shavings, cold steel, and graphite are just dancing all throughout the wine. This reminds me of the 2010 and probably the best LB produced since 2010, with even more power. WOW! One problem: this will take 15 years to begin its bloom with a long, long life ahead. DOUBLE HOLD
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UGC Bordeaux (Drake Hotel - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. One of the more powerful wines at the tasting, while also one of the most backward. Very long, very dense. Give this two decades in the cellar, but this has exceptional potential.
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Wonderful and just filled with potential. Fell short of the great Pichon Lalande but still a close second.
Earthy, and filled with herbal notes. On the palette it's tobacco leaf, slightly rotted blueberry, and just so sweet. Can't imagine how this wine is in five years.
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2016 Union Des Grand Crus de Bordeaux (NYC): Dark cherry, cedar, and a few green notes that were common among the Pauillacs I tasted. This is a tannic beast and currently the components are not vert well integrated. Give this a decade ... or two.
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At a tasting last month where we compared over 40 2016s. Closed on the nose. Good fruit and tannin and well balanced. A sleeper that will come around with time.
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Northern Médoc sweet spots: pricey and not so pricey (The Médoc): Tasted blind with another 10 Pauillacs, this had some high tones, with the vintage’s acidity, but I got a sense of excellent ripe, dark fruit. With time, it showed much elegance, too. Indeed, the blend turns out to include – like the Pichon Comtesse – 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, but aging in more new oak at 75%. The estate likens the vintage to 2009 and even has a subtitle in its literature “If 6 was 9” (Hendrix fans?). Well, there is a (slightly more) welcoming aspect to this wine, on the attack, as compared to the Comtesse, although the length is not any more impressive. But I just loved the mid palate to what turns out to be none other than a super Château Lynch Bages in 2016 from bottle. For me, this was the wine of the blind tasting – and certainly fulfilled the promise from barrel. Actually 97+. For more information with pictures: http://wine-chronicles.com/blog/northern-medoc-2016-bottle/
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Intensity, concentration, character and length combine perfectly. In fact, everything here is in perfect proportion. The tobacco, smoke, wet earth, lead pencil and mocha nuances add to the ripe, sweet, dark red, earthy fruits. There is energy in the long, mouth-filling finish.
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Powerful, concentrated and long and with depth of flavor, this wine is rich and fat, like someone wearing a gold Rolex and a diamond pinkie ring. There is a refined, stern, masculine quality to the fruit with a finish that lasts and sustains the layers of fresh, sweet black currants. This is probably the best Lynch Bages since 1989/1990. Produced from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, this wine is aging in 75% new French oak barrels. Reaching 13.4% alcohol with a pH of 3.69, the picking took place September 28 to October 12 and the Grand Vin represents 65% of the harvest.
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5/2/2024 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Bordeaux (My place, Burwood): From Coravin. A little touch of farmyard for the first time, meaty over brambly black fruit, sweet spice polished oak, smidge of alcohol prickle. Juicy tends to medium plus intensity acidity, brambles, cassis, blackcurrant, plums, a little savoury undergrowth, drying, chewy, coarse flour textured tannins underpin this, bit of black liquorice and almost soy here, The farmyard funk does not translate here. Yum.
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2/22/2024 - Wadham Cellar wrote: 96 Points
Young but exceptional. From 375 ml. Salinity, depth, complexity. This is the full package. Ideally needs another ten years for its window to open but plenty to enjoy now
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12/31/2023 - Redbordo Likes this wine: 97 Points
Superb purity of fruit and balance, for a wine so young this is as good as it gets, I hope to be drinking these in twenty years time
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12/28/2023 - faivre_eric Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful ruby inky color,
Nose of mushroom and sous-bois.
On the palate, plums, black cherries and blackcurrant with juicy, fleshy, and chewy tannins.
Medium to long finish.
Pretty closed and all about the fruit at the moment.
If you have some in the cellar, keep it for another 5 years.
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12/10/2023 - libero wrote: 93 Points
Three years ago, I have rated it a 90 by now (Dec 2023) has improved a lot and opened up. It does deserve a 93.
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10/31/2023 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Lynch Bages (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Sweet spice, almost a touch of carbo crush; plummy, cherry, blackcurrant. Juicy, fleshy, plenty of chewy drying tannins are woody, fruit as per the nose, beautifully balanced, ridiculously long. Lovely.
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8/18/2023 - AllRed wrote: 87 Points
Double blind. Deep color. Notes of plum, chocolate, mineral and herbs with plenty of alcoholic heat as well. Black fruit and herb qualities on the palate, but thin and slightly hollow with a short finish.
This was opened only 90 minutes earlier and not decanted. I assume that advance prep would have resulted in a much better experience with this wine. As it is I can only taste and rate what is in front me, but IMO to open these now is a waste. (R&R)
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6/24/2023 - BLam Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ms. Pao brought this to join the family dinner in 遇外滩. This was a young wine with a lot of potential .
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4/6/2023 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 95 Points
After a two hour decant followed by two hours of consumption, I found this still pretty shut down and tight. It probably needs another 5+ years to re-emerge in greatness. Good today but with potential for greatness in time.
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2/2/2023 - SARED wrote:
Are 2016s shutting down? 375ml that was double decanted in AM. At evening dinner, was shut down. Limited nose, slightly high toned raspberry acidity, no fruit, glossy texture, and some fine slightly bitter cacao tannin. I didn't know Bordeaux could shut down this hard. Will stop checking in now for a couple years...
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1/18/2023 - burlingtonm Likes this wine: 94 Points
In the context of a vertical of Lynch-Bages from 1989 to 2018, this was all potential, highly structured with rich fruit. Will likely earn two or three more points with a lot more time in bottle.
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1/12/2023 - EricU Likes this wine: 96 Points
Excellent
Velvet, grippy tanins, casis, and precise. Great finish. Gave it a 4 hr decant.
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1/2/2023 - ayalao3 wrote: 96 Points
94 points today but will be 96+. Very closed at the moment. Don’t open for 2-4 yrs, not even with long decant. Maybe in its dumb phase.
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1/2/2023 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Just outstandingly delicious. Right in its youthful prime.
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12/9/2022 - de Joersch Likes this wine: 95 Points
geil 😎😃😛
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10/31/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Its just so, well, Lynch Bages-y. Delicious, elegant, complex, leaning savory, could really just suck it down solo without thinking about it and move on into the second bottle. Hey, I've paid more and gotten less...
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10/29/2022 - AdinG wrote: 95 Points
Really really good. Don’t usually open a this type of Bordeaux so early but it was still delicious. I’m sure it will get even more terrific with more years.
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7/28/2022 - Purple Tooth wrote: 97 Points
What a powerful monster. 2016 will go down in history and the 2016 lb will be one of the 7 points on the crown. This is undeniably textured with layers of complexity that will only further develop into a whole sun of a powerful yet undeniably elegant Bordeaux. This will be liquid sex in 20 years. I’m kicking myself for opening this. Double HOLD_
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4/4/2022 - J-Sho Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still young and tight but dark fruit present along with wet rock and lead pencil. tannins are soft but present or fully rounded out. Wait about 3-5 years before next bottle
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3/22/2022 - Cailles wrote: 95 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: Intoxicating nose with ripe dark fruit, coffee, herbs and minerality. On the palate this kicks in with loads and loads of ripe but not too ripe dark fruit, blue fruit, minerality, herbs, burnt sugar. Very precise and complex. The tannins are ripe and round, truly a quality level or two higher than in the past, so creamy and round already but with tons of tension and high, round and well-integrated acidity. Topped by a long, slightly expanding finish. This is the first time I tried the 2016 and it again shows that the vintage produced a large array of high quality wines. The balance of the 2016s is incredible and the complexity off-the-charts and this Lynch is no exception. My guess is that this wine will develop into something beautiful as soon as the structure further mellows together and tertiary complexity kicks in. 94/95 pts.
Decanting: This wine didn‘t need any decanting.
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3/14/2022 - sirpat00 wrote: 95 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:
An array of sweet and herbal spices, hints of leather dark and red cherry, blueberries and black currant – probably the broadest array of fruit flavors in this vertical. The palate is slightly creamy, has lots of fresh acidity and a good amount of layers. Tannins are still very present and have lots of grip, but are ripe and soft in nature. Undoubtedly this will continue to improve over then decade, but is already delicious today and keeping the promises made at the Arrivage tasting!
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12/26/2021 - billbaodesbois@gmail.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
Trop jeune
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12/23/2021 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Angelus & Lynch Bages (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Brooding black hued fruits and cassis with plenty of oaky spice, there is also a very jubey underpin to the fruit, tiny touch fo mint. Medium plus intensity acidity, similar fruit profile, chewy chunky tannins, touch of milky green tea on the long long finish. Quite harmonious despite it's impetus youth but this needs years to come around. Shows promise.
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12/8/2021 - SARED Likes this wine: 95 Points
HOLD! Double decanted in the AM and still very tight 8 hours later. Yet still so balanced, dark purple fruit able to poke through very fresh structure. You get the fruit of the vintage without over ripeness, and with great structure. Still enjoyable even in this primary/shut down phase. Starting to understand why some think this may end up as good as the '89 or '90. Seems like a no brainer as it looks like pricing is the same as EP.
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11/15/2021 - JimHow wrote: 93 Points
2016 Lynch Bages
My first encounter with this wine.
I paid a lot of money for it, over $150, in NH, albeit tax- and shipping-free.
I have previously declared 2016 as possibly the greatest vintage ever produced in Bordeaux.
The beauty of Bordeaux, of course, is that the "greatest" may not necessarily match personal favorites, like, in my case, 2002, 2014, etc.
But nonetheless, 2016, by any measure, is a compelling vintage.
I have many bottles from the 2014, 2015, and 2016 vintages in my cellar.
They are three distinctive vintages.
One of my complaints has been that, as impeccable as the 2016 vintage may be, there is a "sameness" to the vintage.
That does not always seem to have been the case.
There have been many wines that I have consumed from 2016 that have been absolutely profound.
On the other hand, there have been numerous efforts from 2016 that, while technically correct, have struck me as having a "sameness," an "uninteresting" quality.
Chateau Lynch Bages was the wine that ultimately led to the creation of "Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts." www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com.
In the second half of the 1990s, I bought and drank many bottles of the 1989 Chateau Lynch Bages, which I consider to be the greatest wine ever produced, from any vintage, in any region, in the history of the human species.
Even while drinking it so young -- less than a decade old -- it was a breathtakingly thrilling experience.Velvety. Purple. Cedar, stunningly, quintessentially Pauillac.
I'm getting NONE of that thrill here.
This wine is GPL-like, underperforming its terroir.
The nose is "nice"... but nothing approaching the 1996 Lynch, or the 2000, or... the 1989... Actually, the 1996 Lynch rivals the '89 on the nose if not in the same league on the palate....
Ian, you now I love you, man... You are a brother to me....
I am just not even close to seeing it....
This 2016 Chateau Lynch Bages is a beauty, but it is 93 points at best....
Nothing even close to approaching the 100+ effort of the 1989 Lynch, or the 98 point effort of the 1990.
I so wanted to rate this differently.
I bought one bottle, with the expectation of buying another case, based upon your reviews.
I am not going to buy even another single bottle.
At this point, I'm going to cancel my plans of buying a case of the 2019 Lynch....
I'm sorry, my man, I just haven't seen anything compelling about this estate since 1989.
The 2016 is a "nicely made" wine....
That ain't good enough, bro.
It seems to me like the son has failed the father in assuming this hallowed property.
2016 Chateau Lynch Bages should be infinitely better in this epic Bordeaux vintage. It is not.
Good, but not great.
I'll rate the 2016 Lynch, generously, at 93 points....
More importantly, I'm going to move it from ranking #41, last among the fourth growths, to #42, first among the fifth growths, in my reclassification of the 1855 wines of the Gironde...
In other words, I'm moving it back to fifth growth status.... Back to where it belongs...
Give me MANY other Bordeaux over this wine... Lafon Rochet, Sociando Mallet, Giscours, Calon Segur, Brane Cantenac, d'issan, etc., etc., etc.
JimHow
www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com
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10/21/2021 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Wine Spectator 40th Anniversary; 10/21/2021-10/23/2021 (Marriott Marquis): Bigger wine than I expected it to be. Very bold.
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9/14/2021 - Purple Tooth wrote: 97 Points
Pretty powerful with mind blowing length. This is clearly a shifting point for Lynch Bages. It seems they dialed the power knob up by 35%. You want to talk shut down? Go try this wine and then you will see that this is just getting better and better. The only difference between this wine now vs release time is that it grows in the glass with time as opposed to softening. The 2016 is going to be a very long-lived wine. HOLD
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6/13/2021 - englishman's claret wrote: 96 Points
So beautiful, so fresh and pure, the nose seeming to fill the room with intense yet elegant blueberry, cassis, lavender, graphite, and coal. Cool, sumptuous, luxurious. Grippy tannin makes this somewhat difficult to drink for pleasure now, yet there so much stuffing and the balance is excellent. Truly a great modern Lynch.
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6/12/2021 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was drinking amazingly well already. So fruit forward and ripe, yet plenty of layers of complexity emerging already. Lovely balance and long beautiful finish. Still very noticeable tannins but for me this was drinkable already.
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6/12/2021 - curtr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted with 2005(94) and 2010. I was surprised at this showing much more development than the 2010. This is still tannic and needs at least 10 years to resolve. I can begin to sense the depth and structure emerging a bit. Drink 2031-51. The 2005 is showing the most development at this stage..
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6/12/2021 - PDavisMarble wrote: 94 Points
CdB 400th tasting with the chateau. Pigeon blood red. Rich, complex nose of lilacs and roses, cedar and toast. Started slowly, but boy did it blossom. Everything was in balance. The tannins are fine-grained and elegant, the wine is fresh and delicate, without being light. Fresh currants and red raspberries, wet stones and tobacco, leading to a beautiful long finish. This kept developing in the glass over a couple of hours. Lovely.
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5/16/2021 - Triforwine wrote:
Pretty sure I gave one of the 6 to Dad. Didn't think I had more than 6 so may have forgotten to enter that. HE opened it last night. They said it was good. I won't taste it for quite some time.
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3/23/2021 - Marvin77 Likes this wine: 92 Points
After 2,5 hours decanting tight and straigh aromas of dark fruits, graphite, wood, tobacco. The wine is medium bodied with concentrated fruits but relatively closed at the moment. I think it will develop very good over the years but actually to young. Do not open for the next 5+ years.
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2/7/2021 - MarshallLi Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep purple ,medium(+) rose,red cherry,red plum,blackberry,green bell pepper,eucalyptus,ripe fruit,cloves,charred wood,wet leaves,dry,high acidity,smooth medium(+) tannin,low alcohol,medium(+) body, long finish,very good wine,suitable for bottle ageing
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2/6/2021 - Costes76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
3. Medium deep ruby color. Deep perfumed aroma of black fruits, oak and wet forest floor. Dry, medium rounded acidity, medium integrated tannins, taste of blackcurrant, black berry and vanilla. Medium full body. Good balance. Medium long finish. 93/Ranked 3. RESULT Ranked 4/Lynch Bages 2016.
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1/22/2021 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened 2 hours. Color: Saturated red/purple. On the nose: Plums, cassis, graphite and vanilla. On the palate: Plums, cassis, olive and spices. Good length and great sexy mouthfeel. Excellent Bordeaux.
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12/25/2020 - Bmhoward2004 wrote: 97 Points
WS
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6/1/2020 - SARED Likes this wine: 95 Points
95
Stupidly thought this would help me decide whether to buy more 750s because I liked the '89. Obviously difficult to get a lot out of this baby.
PNP out of 375 and followed for 3 hours. Nice concentration but not a thick wine (not as thick as I remember the '89 to be, off distant memory?), medium ripe dark cherry, purple raspberry, currants, a lot of savory versus opulent fruit, pencil lead, dried wood, faint espresso, medium+ acidity, hides alcohol well (13.7%), clean mouth feel, mouth drying but very fine tannin. Opened up a bit after a few hours in the glass. Kept half in a Repour/in fridge and will check in after a couple more days. Will be excellent in 20 years...
*** after 5 days in fridge with a repour ***
more fruit and fruit skin are visibile. Black cherry, cherry/plum skin, black and red raspberry, nice acidic lift with lacy acidity, pencil shavings on the finish with fruit and skins, with drying fine but gritty (?) tannin. medium to long finish. 94 now, which I guess 95+ for longterm
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3/11/2020 - curtr Likes this wine:
dark color, very intense and backward, a long evolution ahead, drink 2036-52.
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2/14/2020 - savowood wrote:
Mouth feel is chewy. Not in a negative way.
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2/14/2020 - savowood Likes this wine: 98 Points
Not for sipping. Great at Uchi with oyster, wagyu, and tomato.
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2/14/2020 - savowood wrote:
Best with food. Not a sipper.
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2/13/2020 - libero wrote: 90 Points
I am sorry to say that this expensive wine has disappointment me. None aromas whatsoever. After pop and up to 2 hours later, no aromas. At taste is round and pleasant with a finishing at dry side.
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1/10/2020 - otto60 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Glass staining light footed paillac monster beauty.
Harmony, almost Pinot like(Corton)
Pnp/decant
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11/29/2019 - WoodieBayArea wrote:
on pnp it felt dark, brooding, with good structure and depth... after four hour decant, and then over four hours of drinking it became more approachable and less dark/brooding... depth was good and this feels like a wine that will be good in 20-30 years... but not sure I'll still be around
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11/28/2019 - Andre Brattland wrote: 95 Points
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. 13.5% alcohol.
Tighter and denser aromas, but has really concentrated fruit of darker plums, blackberries, graphite, espresso, sweeter wood, charcoal and this classic feature of pipe tobacco. Good full-bodied wine with lots of concentrated great fruit from blackberries, black-currant, cassis, dried wood and spices. Slightly tougher mouthfeel, but definitely classic LB with great freshness and vintage tannins. Long and beautiful finish. Great wine. 95 points.
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11/24/2019 - englishman's claret wrote: 97 Points
The 2016 Lynch Bages reminds me of nothing so much as the 1982 with its rich, blueberry and cassis fruit accented by ganache, pencil, and a pinch of herbes de Provence. What depth on the nose! Beautifully rich palate but so fresh and lively. Healthy tannins - certainly grippy, but not mean. Wonderful cassis and lavender finish. Glad to see this showing properly as a recent half bottle was very odd and herbal. 96-97
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11/10/2019 - chatters wrote:
From Coravin. slight coffee, toast, ripe blackcurrant, slightly dusty oak quality, plain chocolate but a general impression of polish. On the palate it's got juicy acid and lots of (medium plus intensity) drying tannins that are grainy and talc textured. A little cranberry joins the prevailing blackcurrant on toast flavours. Long. Very young but a good thing to try now just for a taste.
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10/25/2019 - 83Vintage wrote: 94 Points
Impressive compact core of dark earth, graphite, cigar, and black currants while still showing great balance and length, cedar, mint, and sweet currants. Really good.
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10/17/2019 - nywine68 wrote: 96 Points
WS Grand Tasting. This is brilliant. So many layers of complexity. Surprisingly open and approachable. Amazing purity of fruit.
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10/7/2019 - englishman's claret wrote:
There must be something strange about this bottle. Ultra-concentrated, almost dried fruit with evergreen and exotic spice. This is not so nice. It can't possibly be representative.
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10/4/2019 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 96 Points
Knockout of a Lynch-Bages from the very first sip. It's packed with aromas of pitch-black fruit, cigar box, and the textbook Pauillac lead-pencil shavings. The fruit on the palate is equally intense with a saturating, tongue-staining density of black fruit with a taut, curranty snap that reminds me of the best aspects of the 2014, which adds a nice counterpoint to its rich, saucy concentration. The structure clenches up a little bit with time and the tannins turn edgier and more abrupt, but the sheer richness of the fruit ought to give this a pretty nice window of pretty thrilling drinking before it closes down.
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9/21/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
With a nose of cedar, cigar box, tobacco leaf, smoke, red fruits and spicy aromas create the complex aromatics. Pour the wine into your glass and it only takes a single sip to know this is a stunner. The wall of juicy, ripe, sweet red fruits never quits. The wine is powerful, stoic, refined and generous. If you are a Lynch Bages fan, you need this in your cellar. Lay this down for 12-15 years and enjoy it over the next 30 years or more!.
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6/20/2019 - otto60 Likes this wine: 96 Points
PMET premature emptying tendency - with pnp
Dark, good legs.
Not the most aromatic, but dark berries lurking repeatedly through.
Lots of tannins and just enough acid in harmony
Good finish
Sense of optimum ripeness
One of the best Lynchs in times since the early eighties
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5/11/2019 - Elpaninaro wrote:
Small sample from a bottle that had been open for approximately 4 hours
Very deep red/purple color, on the nose large scaled cherry cough syrup and cassis with a persistent yeasty note and significant quantities of oak, on the palate full bodied and somewhat velvety with ripe and- in my opinion- overly extracted fruit that does a nice job of covering the massive tannic structure to make it surprisingly approachable given the sheer scale of all its components, very long finish dominated by oak notes leading to a sourish tail end, this is the ultimate expression of the modern bigger is better style and not to my liking at all, that said- to be fair this is fairly well balanced though I think the oak will have a stronger presence than I would like, this is built for big comparative tastings and I expect it will soundly throttle a great many wines that cost a great deal more, whatever happens in the long term- there is a long wait ahead for full maturity.
(*****) for what it is, (**)+? for me personally comparing it to the good old AFWE days, 2036++.
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3/9/2019 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted @ bigger Bordeaux 2016 arrivage tasting.
Very classic Pauillac, with red and dark cherries, some lavender, menthol, cedar wood, also some tobacco leaf and nice minerality and forest floor. Medium- pretty full bodied, dense and pretty powerful, with high acidity and pretty high tannin that is excellent quality. Very good length. Another excellent Lynch-Bages.
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3/9/2019 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Arvi Bordeaux 2016 Arrivage (Park Hyatt, Zurich): Again a very classic showing with a broad range of fruits, a bit of perfumed flowers and forest floor. Tannins with a lot of grip and a wilder palate than others are evidence of a more muscular vine in an overall very elegant vintage.
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3/8/2019 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 96 Points
Hearts Delight 2016 Bordeaux Tasting (Hay Adams - Washington, DC): Wow, what a gorgeous wine. The depth here is so serious, with grip that will allow this wine to age for decades, but it's also crisp. Black cherries and currants laced with earth, charcoal, minerals and iron. A beautiful young Lynch-Bages that has a lot to offer the patient. Stellar stuff.
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2/25/2019 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
UCGB tasting Bordeaux 2016 (Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam.): A bit rustic in a beautiful way, dark berries, graphite, beautiful and luxurious oak, juicy acidity and powerful, round tannin. A great wine. 94 – 95
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2/25/2019 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
Amsterdam UGCB Tasting and Winemakers' Dinner (Beurs van Berlage / Café De Klepel): This is a wine that makes you smile. Classic Pauillac in a feminine frame of mind, sensual but with good concentration, powerful but ripe tannins, very good persistence. Très charmant.
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2/25/2019 - FransS wrote: 94 Points
The 2016 vintage UGCB tasting in Amsterdam 2/25/2019; 2/25/2019-2/27/2019 (Amsterdam): I've tried to find this wine excellent, but I came only to very good.
The colour is very deep, there is fruit in the bouquet, the style is bit severe and in the midtaste the wine is a bit slender, so, question marks.
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2/10/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
The wall of powerful fruit and tannin is intense. Layers of fresh, crisp, ripe, red fruit just doesn't quit. Rich, concentrated and focused, with a mouth-feel that leaves an impression, this should age without fear for at least 40 years.
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1/28/2019 - alanr wrote: 93 Points
UGC SF - medium rich, good deep red fruit, excellent acidity, moderate fine tannins, very tasty.
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1/27/2019 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 92 Points
92+ with lots of upside. Hold 2025+
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1/26/2019 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 99 Points
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2016 Vintage Tasting (Las Vegas, NV): With its 2016 offering, Lynch-Bages has crafted a truly legendary wine. Opaque crimson, it brims with everything good. Black currants, dark plums, tarry black cherries, licorice, graphite, tobacco and espresso are but a few of the aromas and flavors that a taster can find on his or her journey with this wine. Full-bodied, fresh, seamlessly alcoholic and with gorgeous purity of fruit, it wraps its flavors with abundant fine-grained tannins and is tremendously dense on the mid-palate. The wine's finish goes on and on, but time in the cellar will be required in order to fully soften the tannic grip. This has the potential to ultimately receive a perfect score, and is definitely the best young Lynch that I have ever tasted. Drink 2030-2056.
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1/25/2019 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 95 Points
UNION DES GRANDS CRUS DE BORDEAUX 2016 VINTAGE SAN FRANCISCO. (Metreon, San Francisco, Ca.): UNION DES GRANDS CRUS DE BORDEAUX 2016 VINTAGE SAN FRANCISCO. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, Nose of black berry, black cherry, cedar, tobacco, black currants, and licorice, same on the palate, big body, slightly fruit forward but brooding fruit, rich fruit, lovely fruit, big fruit, medium amount of soft tannins suggest cellar for 6 years and drink for 30 years, long finish, good QPR for me.
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1/25/2019 - blanquito wrote:
UGC San Francisco: the 2016 Bordeaux: Easily the most tannic wine of the night, seems like it is closing down as the aromas were quiet, but I like the potential here.
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1/25/2019 - Woodbridge Brad Likes this wine: 95 Points
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting of the 2016 Vintage (Metreon San Francisco): Star of this flight, warm and fleshy, this has great depth of flavor, ample structural tannins, and excellent balance. Truly nice wish it were more affordable but what the heck, its only money.
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1/25/2019 - drwine2001 wrote:
Selective Sampling of the UGC Tasting of 2016 Bordeaux (Metreon, San Francisco): Dark and deep with wonderful fruit. Great poise between power and restraint. Beautiful balance with a citric lift. Delightful and right up there with some of the other heavy hitters tonight.
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1/25/2019 - Purple Tooth wrote: 98 Points
This was the monster of the vintage for me. It is HUGE, but the Pauillac pencil shavings, cold steel, and graphite are just dancing all throughout the wine. This reminds me of the 2010 and probably the best LB produced since 2010, with even more power. WOW! One problem: this will take 15 years to begin its bloom with a long, long life ahead. DOUBLE HOLD
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1/23/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote:
UGC Bordeaux (Drake Hotel - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. One of the more powerful wines at the tasting, while also one of the most backward. Very long, very dense. Give this two decades in the cellar, but this has exceptional potential.
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1/21/2019 - tomoem Likes this wine: 96 Points
Zachys Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2016 (New York City, NY): This was the number 2 wine among the Pauillac's tonight for me.
Wonderful and just filled with potential. Fell short of the great Pichon Lalande but still a close second.
Earthy, and filled with herbal notes. On the palette it's tobacco leaf, slightly rotted blueberry, and just so sweet. Can't imagine how this wine is in five years.
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1/21/2019 - jgreco Likes this wine: 92 Points
2016 Union Des Grand Crus de Bordeaux (NYC): Dark cherry, cedar, and a few green notes that were common among the Pauillacs I tasted. This is a tannic beast and currently the components are not vert well integrated. Give this a decade ... or two.
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11/23/2018 - wineforth Likes this wine: 94 Points
At a tasting last month where we compared over 40 2016s.
Closed on the nose. Good fruit and tannin and well balanced. A sleeper that will come around with time.
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11/12/2018 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 97 Points
Northern Médoc sweet spots: pricey and not so pricey (The Médoc): Tasted blind with another 10 Pauillacs, this had some high tones, with the vintage’s acidity, but I got a sense of excellent ripe, dark fruit. With time, it showed much elegance, too. Indeed, the blend turns out to include – like the Pichon Comtesse – 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, but aging in more new oak at 75%. The estate likens the vintage to 2009 and even has a subtitle in its literature “If 6 was 9” (Hendrix fans?). Well, there is a (slightly more) welcoming aspect to this wine, on the attack, as compared to the Comtesse, although the length is not any more impressive. But I just loved the mid palate to what turns out to be none other than a super Château Lynch Bages in 2016 from bottle. For me, this was the wine of the blind tasting – and certainly fulfilled the promise from barrel. Actually 97+. For more information with pictures: http://wine-chronicles.com/blog/northern-medoc-2016-bottle/
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5/13/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
Intensity, concentration, character and length combine perfectly. In fact, everything here is in perfect proportion. The tobacco, smoke, wet earth, lead pencil and mocha nuances add to the ripe, sweet, dark red, earthy fruits. There is energy in the long, mouth-filling finish.
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4/29/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
Powerful, concentrated and long and with depth of flavor, this wine is rich and fat, like someone wearing a gold Rolex and a diamond pinkie ring. There is a refined, stern, masculine quality to the fruit with a finish that lasts and sustains the layers of fresh, sweet black currants. This is probably the best Lynch Bages since 1989/1990. Produced from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, this wine is aging in 75% new French oak barrels. Reaching 13.4% alcohol with a pH of 3.69, the picking took place September 28 to October 12 and the Grand Vin represents 65% of the harvest.
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