The black currant fruits as well as the bell pepper fruits fighting hard for the attention, also, the leathery notes joining the party, are quite interesting! The palate is in my view slightly courser than the modern vintage like the 2000, for example! Still a bit closed at the moment! Takes perhaps another decade to develop!
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The one with Old Bordeaux (Praelum): Quite true to the vintage. By this time we had ascertain this was the 95 vs 96 flight and this was definitely a 1996. Graphite, black soil and dark berries bouquet with a silky and balanced palate with a dense core of fruit and slight residual sweetness - on any other night, this would have been quite a lovely drink but in the company of greats, this stood out as a little lacking.
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Pronounced nose intensity with notes of leather, spices, toast, black fruits, coffee. Medium+ acidity and medium+ tannin. Tannin is integrated. Drinking well now and can last many years ahead. Decanting 2-3 hours is recommended personally.
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Decanted for ~2hrs, this set the stage for the next flight of the '95 Lafite & '96 Cheval. Classic Pauillac nose of graphite, indian-ink, tobacco. Tannins appeared to have been almost fully resolved, this showed good freshness with a tinge of pepper on the palate. Should be even more interesting when it gains more secondary/tertiary development. A nice drop, regardless...
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Bottle sourced from The Wine Society. Really lovely bottle, perhaps light on fruit but, let's be realistic, this is 30 years old. Full of other interesting flavours: tomato leaf, mushroom, forest floor, leather, plum, black cherry. I highly recommend this, and a real treat as I rarely open something so old. Drink but no rush to drink. Serve it with food at the lighter end of the red-wine-pairing spectrum. Simply cooked but anything would do (veg / meat). I will update shortly on a typical WineHoarder mid-week pairing - sausage & lentil casserole. I love sausages, that is my main message.
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Past bottles of this vintage have been spectacular, but this sourced bottle was not up to par with prior experiences. Light on fruit, no redeeming secondary flavors ... Hopefully bottle variation. Procured from Benchmark.
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As many on here at similar ages say rightly, time to open many of these wines while one can, in this case I have outlasted this bottle as it is definitely on a downward spiral, muddy rim and flat fruit all point one way, I shall have to start drinking the likes of these more often and more frequently!
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Decanted and enjoyed over 2 hours at a restaurant. Tannins fully resolved. Secondary notes with tobacco, cedar, cassis. Acquired from a friend who has stored since purchasing on futures so storage was perfect.
This followed a 1996 Talbot, which was nice, but this was on another level!
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Garnet with a rusty sheen. Pungent nose of cedar, iodine, garrigue and tobacco. Drinking beautifully with mostly secondary fruit flavours gliding seamlessly across the palate. Fully resolved tannins and everything in perfect harmony. Good length on the finish. Ready to go with a short decant. One of the best showings yet for this vintage. Lovely.
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No clear fault but not in sync with other notes here. This bottle seemed to be over the hill with little fruit left and with a watery feeling on mid palate. Did not dislike but did not impress at all.
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Pnp. Clearly high quality. Elegant mix of secondary and tertiary. A bit dusty on the nose initially. And flat on the palate. Suggesting it may be over the hill.
Last of the bottle 2-2.5 hours later...much more depth and elegance. Recommend 1-1.5 hour decant
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Strong mature fruit, velvet smooth in texture, essentially no tannins, super long finish. I've sampled this wine multiple times in the last 17 years, and this bottle, which I acquired by inheritance, was subjectively the best showing since I the first bottle I opened in 2006. The previous 3 bottles I had, all from WineBid, lacked the strong fruit backbone that made this bottle so spectacular. This bottle was absurdly delicious and reminded me why I fell in love with this wine so many years ago.
2 hours in decanter and really hit stride at hour 4.
Beautiful notes of cedar, current, licorice, blackberry and black currant. Medium body with resolved tannins and light acidity; elegant and suave, not a deep a texture but a pretty one with good length and very approachable. At a plateau but very solid with 3-4 hour+ decant
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At Beakys. Magnum. Deeply coloured. Rich intense fragrance, cassis, blood, cedar, tar. Sweet berries and lightly cedary, rich dark spices add an edge, well balanced, good acidity, youthful structure. Delicious now, no doubt the magnum assisting.
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A couple hours of slow-ox. So youthful and exuberant with classic and intense Left Bank notes of pencil lead, tobacco leaf and bell pepper interlaced with plum fruit. Still lots of structure that is mostly but not fully integrated. Long life ahead.
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PnP Subtle on the nose with pretty red and blue fruit and some woody/savory components. Texturally beautiful with medium weight, med+ acid and med tannin. Drinking great and holding up without issue. The acidity is the only thing that seems a bit unbalanced. That said, it’ll continue to drink well for 10+ years.
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This wine hasn’t changed much in the past several year (a good thing that shows its longevity). Still “blood red” is the descriptor that best captures the color in the glass. “Seamless” best describes every aspect of this wine from its nose of cedar, mineral, graphite, cassis, plum, and blackberry, to the palate (tracking the nose) to the oh-so-long finish. While nose that is not explosive, it remains beguiling. The tannins are beginning to integrate but still big, yet not angular at all. While not at all primary, this wine has miles to go before it hits maturity. More sediment than a few years ago, but surprisingly not all that much. 13% alc. With grilled beef ribeye (from Meating Place). 07.28.23. Highly Recommended.
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Still drinking beautifully, with the fruit a bit subdued. Mod bricking at the edge. A: Cedar and earth P: subdued black fruit and ripe plum, cedar, pencil shavings, mod acid, soft tannins. Definitely still has some life in it, maybe 1-2 years. The sediment was minimal based on its 27 year age.
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Commanderie Exec Committee Meeting (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank a glass over 2 hours. This came out of the gate retty ready to play tonight. Bold, with impressive fruit and concentration; ripe red berries, cassis, lacquer, earthy, truffle, a lttle syrupy and dense on the palate with plush tannins, scorched earth and excellent length. I keep saying this is in a nice spot, but it is only going to get better over time.
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Bordeaux vs. Napa 101 (Bobby Vans 54th Street (Thanks Danny!)): Double decanted a few hours before dinner. I wonder if it got a little bit too much air as the nose and palate were less powerful than the last bottle I had tried. Overall, mature example of Bordeaux and a great bottle to share with friends. LB did very well in 1996.
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Revisited after 18 months. Opened 3 hours prior. Still brick red rim. At first nose a bit closed but then opened up. This is a wonderful Pauillac. Dominant blackberry fruit but so sweet. Everything in balance. Absolutely delicious and wonderful wine. Can’t wait to drink again.
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From 37,5cl, decanted off gritty sediment 1 hour. Such bottle variation in this format: after 3 inferior bottles, here's one to top even the stellar half noted here on 23.08.2019. Still v. dark purple. Fabulously pure and ripe cassis, cedar and ink-well L-B scent; quite big-bodied entry, luscious purring tannins right from the start; dark, pure purple fruit - more blackberry than blackcurrant on the mid-palate, but thnning out again to some great cassis retronasal action on the finish. Virile, structured, complex, multi-layered and simply delicious. Finally this feels like a fully-mature and balanced wine to me. 94(+)P
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We have been fortunate to have tried this wine 6 times over the last decade and definitely over the years we have seen some variability in its greatness. But this time it was a bit dry and we are not sure if it’s a result of the fruit going away or this bottle was a bit tired.The nose is beautiful, classic and the highlight of the wine. The palate dries out at the end ( this is where St Juliens are better as the juicier fruit holds very well vs the austerity of the Paullacs) 91-92 and better attack this sooner as really the golden years of Lynch Bages are post the 2000 mark.
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Rich and velvety on the attack with a touch of funk. Followed by the purity and strength of structure of Lynch. A very nice Bordeaux, still quite young, years in front of it. The fruit is all blackberry, accompanied by forest floor. Long and complex. Drinking beautifully now and will improve over the next 5 years.
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Decanted for 3 hours, Colour still deep, classic lead pencil graphite nose, super purity and intensity, the flesh has dropped off this a bit but I'm sure it will return in time. This has wonderful clarity of flavour and brilliant intensity on the long fine finish - so much zip. This has at least a decade of life in it, probably more.
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Drinking very well and should continue to be in a very nice drinking window for several more years. Best of tasting against 5 other mature Bordeaux. Maturing, but still ample, enjoyable dark fruit, soft tannins and smooth finish. Preferred over 1996 Pontet-Canet which was a bit lighter in body and less complex
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13% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Deep, slightly translucent and moderately evolved black cherry color with a brick-orange rim. The nose is instantly noticeable for an aged Bordeaux but with a slightly sharp and pungent undertone; there are aromas of smoky, chili-driven chipotle character and roasted game along with notes of ripe blackcurrants, some tobacco nuances, a little bit of beef jerky, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, a hint of savory old wood and a ferrous touch of blood. The wine feels silky, textural and quite resolved on the palate with a moderately full body and layered flavors of ripe blackcurrants and gravelly minerality, some evolved notes of salt-cured beef and meat stew, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, a little bit of blood, a hint of earth and a sweeter touch of dried redcurrants. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity, whereas the tannins feel surprisingly sparse, silky and fully resolved. The finish is dry, textural and silky with a long, harmonious aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants and crunchy redcurrants, some evolved meaty tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of meat consommé and a herbaceous touch of chili or even smoky chipotle.
A harmonious and moderately evolved Bordeaux quite close to its peak. Surprisingly, this wine seemed noticeably younger and less evolved when I tasted this vintage seven years ago, and I thought it was a bit closed but it had a lot of potential for further evolution. However, now, as the wine has aged some and definitely evolved, I'm not sure if the wine has gotten qualitatively any better. It doesn't feel as closed, but the wine has only developed some meaty notes and evolved its herbaceous chili notes into more pungent, smoky chipotle tones. While adding some tertiary complexity, I'm not sure if I prefer them compared to how the wine was earlier. Furthermore, as the tannins have mellowed down with age, I feel the wine was a bit lacking in structure - the wine came across a bit more evolved and slightly underwhelming compared to other 1996 Bordeaux wines we tasted at the same time. Of course this all might be just because of bottle variation - maybe we had a better bottle seven years ago? Who knows. Even if this wasn't as terrific as the bottle we had tasted earlier, this was still a thoroughly enjoyable Pauillac with some age. While getting quite evolved, I'd say there is no hurry with this wine. Even if it doesn't evolve much from here, it will keep for a long time.
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Talking Bordeaux (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Very dark red/purple color. Slow-O for a couple hours. I'll stand by my notes from about 2 years ago; this young LB is drinking nicely already with some air, but it is going to be better down the road. Now how far down that road is the question. I'd probably sit on them for another 3+ years or really give them some air unless you have a very long evening to watch it evolve. Notes of charcoal, scorched earth, tobacco, cassis, slightly herbal with dried oak, deeply layered a bit firm. This just kept getting better and better in the glass all night. 93pts tonight and 93 to 95(+)pts potential.
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Delightful wine. Benefits from a 30 min decant. Doesnt have the power and opulence of 2000, 2005, 2009 and some of the more recent vintages under Jean Charles, but is very well made, and very Lynch.
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Gareth's "best of the 80s and 90s" (Hawksmoor Guildhall): Was really looking forward to this, as it was excellent when I last drank it, but alas it was sufficiently corked that the lovely wine underneath couldn't really be enjoyed.
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This bottle had almost no perceptible fruit, all secondary characteristics. Didn't bother me, but others at the table were not so impressed. Might be some bottle variation, as other bottles sampled in recent years have been more balanced.
Fully mature, this is in its prime drinking window and still benefits from an hour or two in the decanter. The nose is mature with notes of plum, blackcurrant and cedar. The palate is developed and integrated with excellent balance and the finish is harmonious and pushing 30 seconds. My only barrier to a higher rating is a lack of depth end palate and on the finish. 93+
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Opened 3 hours aheadClassic left bank Bordeaux. Beautiful nose of graphite, tobacco, cedar and dark fruits. Creamy texture with pure ripe dark fruits, earth and minerals. Drinking at peak. 95points.
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At my age time to start opening these, medium colour in glass nice graduated rim, nose of black fruits took awhile to come out but aromatic when it did, medium bodied again black fruits and little else, good balance but this is not a complicated wine for those who like to delve, decent drink but to me an average Lynch Bages if there is such a thing, given a couple of hours decant which briought the aromas out but changed little on the palate.
Opened and decanted for a few hours. Black plum and cassis with harmonious structure in the near background. Very balanced and very good length. Best I can ever recall from this wine, that seems to have finally reached its happy place.
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I thought this wine would be in a little better place by now. It was decanted for two hours before dinner. The last glass was consumed about two hours later......for a total of about four hours. The last glass was not any better. The wine was not bad. It was OK, but just not what I expected. It has been well stored, so I doubt it status is my fault. I wish I could figure this one out.
Still a bit stiff and could open up more. Great solid, grippy fruit. After a while and some air the wine opened up beautifully. Decant and aerate if drinking now. Excellent with further potential.
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Opened and drank memorial weekend. Decanted for 30 minutes. Burgundy color, nice floral and dark fruit on the nose. Medium body, tobacco, leather, currant and loads with dark fruit long finish. No wonder they said sleeper for this vantage. I’ll give it thumbs up!!!
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We enjoyed this with family. It is fruit forward (currant, licorice) with a smokey leather and tobacco finish. It is complex and full bodied with a rich burgundy color.
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In an awesome spot right now. Great bouquet on opening, so smooth with the fruit feeling really precise. Not nearly as much tertiary flavors as a bottle of '89 we had a few weeks ago. This is definitely in my preferred sweet spot (totally mellowed tanins with the fruit profile still predominating vs the leather / tobacco profile). If the 2000 starts drinking like this in 5 years or so it will be killer.
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Klassisk bordeauxnese med litt grønne toner. CS frukt, tobakk, seder, blyant. God vin men mtp forventninger er smaken mest skuff med litt vandig midtparti, syretørr med kort utgang og overflatisk frukt. Volatil med aromatisk kollaps dagen etter åpning. Muligens ikke perfekt flaske men manglende fokus i frukten avslører at den nok aldri var helt minneverdig
Slow ox for two hours. Black fruit and tobacco on the nose. The palate is medium to full bodied, very classic and balanced. Lovely black fruit, tobacco and lead pencil. This doesn’t blow you mind with complexity or length but for a mature classic bordeaux it’s a good choice.
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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: At first , the nose was rather muted. With time and swirling it opened up revealing dark fruits and some burnt sugar notes. I guess with more time or a proper decant the nose could have been even better. The palate shows dark berries, minerality some herbs. Not much tertiary development yet and not a lot of depth, nor great precision. With time a few more nuances popped up. The tannins have melted and lost the rough edges, the acidity is high and there is a touch of creaminess which overall leads to good drinking flow. There are better 96s out there but liked this Lynch (92/93 pts). This came in the same flight as the 1995 which, like so many other 95s, is very weak (the 95 vintage has been overrated in the 90s, I think today, the market has catched up and no longer rates as highly).
Decanting: This will need 2-3 hours in a decanter.
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Lots of interest - but a touch green, tomato stem alongside graphite, cedar and new tobacco. Also lacks density in the mouth - bit watery and without the creaminess of top Lynch vintages. Didn’t hold up well when recorked for a few days. Drink soon. Relatively disappointing
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: This didn‘t exactly have world-class precision with pretty blurry, hard to discern aromas. That said, complexity was there if you fully focus. Tobacco, cigar box and wood, a bit of spice, mixed dried berries as well as perfumed and floral dimensions. A juicy palate with good tension, good balance and overall very high drinkability.
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Cedar, tobacco leaf, pepper, red currants are there for the taking on the nose. With an hour of air, the wine softens and develops more secondary nuances, finishing with a savory edge to the spicy red berries in the finish.
Plenty of fruit and, unfortunately, a touch of brett, but not too bad. Tannins are fully integrated. Short finish. Okay nose. It was fine with roast lamb dinner, but nothing special.
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Ikke dekantert. Super flaske, ikke i nærheten av å ha nådd toppen, men heller ikke ung, herlig frukt, syre og tanniner der de skal være, litt spiss, men gjennomgående herlig nese. Gøy!
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I was hoping for fireworks from this wine. Wine still has life left for sure but just a rather average result. Classic cedar, pencils shavings with integrated dark fruit, but nothing really special. I would have guessed a $30 bottle of Bordeaux. I love Lynch Bages, one of my favorites, but this was not on point. Just an off bottle as other 1996 Boardeuaxs have been excpetional of late..
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Drank at Wine Club. Went down very well. Brick red rim. Lovely nose of pencils and cassis, drinking beautifully at the moment. Plenty of time still, at least 5 years
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I'm really struggling to fall in love with this despite it being a class act. Wonderful nose but the palate is just so austere and unforgiving. A tough old lady, whether there is a heart of gold here still remains to be seen.
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From 37,5cl, decanted 1 hour. Closed, crabby, vaguely red-fruit-oaky scent; entry and mid-palate dominated by very high acidity—fruit? yes, something red-purple but alas not identifiable—tannic carapace; short finish. On the sterner side of Pauillac as usual, but I think of Lynch Bages as being more boisterous than this dour, sour customer. Wonder where my remaining half bottles are heading, as there has been such major bottle variation so far, and look forward to opening a 75cl next year to compare. 88-89P(?)
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The '96 Lynch Bages has been a consistent performer for many years now. Excellent Pauillac typicity with its cassis, pencil lead, tobacco, earth and cedar-tinged nose and finish. This glides effortlessly across the palate, its fully resolved tannins leading to a lingering, cashmere finish. Always a treat.
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Really nice wine. Very expressive nose reveals cassis, cedar, and graphite. Opens with blackberry and cassis, transitioning to a singing back end of forest bark, leather, and graphite that lingers for quite some time. Nicely resolved tannins. Still lots of fruit on the front end and I imagine this will go for another 10-15 years at least.
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In an early drinking window with abundant plum and cherry fruit accented by cedar, bell pepper, tobacco leaf and mulch. Loads of fruit but the structure isn’t yet seamless so there’s a grit to the back palate and finish. An outstanding mid-aged Bordeaux drinking a decade younger than its age. Better in 5-10 years.
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Double decanted two hours before dinner. Deep garnet with no bricking. Classic Paulliac bouquet, with notes of cedary cassis, black truffle, crushed stones; hints of campfire and earth. Medium bodied, ripe tannins, quite structured but in balance; impressive delineation on the savory finish. Still has upside.
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Absolutely beautiful showing. Pristine cork and neck fill on this bottle.
Nose: fragrant and precise blackberry, boysenberry, graphite, cedar, beef blood and florals. Deep nose with many layers. Palate: Over sevreral hours this revealed a lot. Plum, blackberry, cassis, graphite and cedar lead tge way, but the wild nature of Lynch is pesent here. Not quite to the level of tge 89/90, but really starting to fire on all cylinders.
This is a no miss wine in the 1996 vintage if you are doing a 25 yr check in this fall.
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Spectacular on opening, probably slightly improved after a couple hours of air. Unbelievable vintage for LB. This wine has been phenomenal for about 15 years now, and based on this bottle, should continue to provide enjoyment for another 5-10 years at least.
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I just opened my 3rd bottle since my last public note 8 years ago. An absolutely gorgeous bottle of Bordeaux. The wine remains in its prime with little change over the past 8 years. Bravo! 95 points
Still deep garnet that is beginning to brick. Classic Pauillac nose of cassis, tobacco and saddle leather. A bit of Saint Estephe funk mixed in. Austere and correct. The palate follows suit yet lacks the generously and plump aspect of the best bottles. Surprising as there is good fruit on the nose. High acid…better with food. Stern. (91)
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This was an enjoyable example of the 96 Lynch with its typically rich cassis, cedar, pencil, and ganache profile. A wine with a bright future, as I have previously felt.
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Epic Bordeaux for an Epic Birthday!; 9/1/2021-9/12/2021 (Paris & Bordeaux): This is the wine to drink while you are waiting for your 90 and 00 to come around. It is open and ready for business and while I don’t think it’s going anywhere quickly I also don’t think it’s getting any better. It’s a good old aged Bordeaux. Not the power that some of those other vintages have but the secondary is more in the foreground and the background is some black fruit and it’s in a nice spot.
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rated a 95 and in its drinking window by Jane Anson. She mentions cedar, pencil shavings, graphite and tobacco - definitely got all that but less of the cassis and raspberry puree. A little austere for me but my guest for the evening really enjoyed this classic Pauillac. Not really any bricking despite the age - this clearly can go a lot longer.
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Decanted for an hour and a half. This is in a great place right. Fully mature but still showing vibrant fruit. Red currant, tobacco and lead pencil. Medium to full bodied, surprisingly elegant, developing interesting complexity. This lack the drive and layering of the best years but it is a terrific drink for those who like classic mature paulliac.
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One Coravin glass, this Pauillac is drinking really nice right now. Bouquet of blackcurrant, cedar, herbs, orange zest and some smoke. The dusty tannins are still present, overall the palate is quite precise and has some steely mineral character. The acidity is nicely balancing the fruit and the tannins. I would guess the LB will be at this level for another 1-2 decades.
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Ma 4ème bouteille, 1 année après la dernière, très différente cette fois. High fill et bouchon parfait, à peine coloré. Ouvert 2 heures, goûté puis passé en carafe durant 1 heure avant dégustation sur plusieurs heures. Couleur grenat orangé, brillante. Au nez, arômes d'abord très retenus, puis cèdre, fraise des bois (!), épices, cuir, anis, foin, cassis après 4 heures, finalement. En bouche, poids moyen, persistant avec une belle trame acide, moyennement complexe, légèrement herbeux, tannique, long. Sur la base de cette bouteille, très longue à s'ouvrir, je dirais que ce vin a du temps devant lui, mais les bouteilles précédentes étaient bien plus ouvertes. A boire ou à garder, selon ses goûts!
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Last tasted 14 months ago, this is in its peak drinking window and unusually forward for the estate. I actually suspect that this may be at the beginning of a gradual decline. Ripe berry fruit, tobacco and leather are prevalent with a wonderful mature nose that could be from a wine a couple of decades older. Everything with the palate and finish is well balanced and ticks all the boxes but I find the tannin is becoming more prominent as it ages and is beginning to be over intrusive. Minimal decanting is needed. 92+
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The 1996 Lynch Bages drinks really well for my palate. I enjoy the seams of crystalline ripe cherry fruit, ripe tobacco and lynch bage funk with balancing med+ acidity. Some are afraid of where 1996s will be in decades to come.. "will the fruit last".. but I like this wine here today. I enjoyed it on its own and with beef. 93-94
Short one hour decant with some sediment tossed out. Nose: Dried flowers, cherry, dried cedar, lynch bage funk. Palate: med+ acidity, rich crystalline fruit with ripe red cherry and dried raspberry. A smidge of overripe tobacco and big dollop of lynch bage funk. Gentle tannic grip. Med+ lingering finish. Some rusticity comes out at warmer temps and more air.
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One of the best LBs I have drank after 3 hours of breathing smooth, robust with a long enjoyable after taste. A strong 95. If you don’t have it in your cellar get it!!
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Garnet with orange rim. This stank on opening and didn't really produce a pleasant nose until after 24hrs. But what a nose when it did finally open up: Raspberry, spiced plum jam, tobacco leaf, wet saddle and pencil shavings combining into a heady aroma. Palate with a burst of black fruit sweetness on the attack, but overwhelmed by the gravelly puckering tannins on the back of the palate. Very long, slightly bitter finish that left me a bit undecided as to whether this wine was "enjoyable". Certainly serious and complex. I've got a couple more bottles, hopefully the next is a little more generous.
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Goodbye 2020! Perfectly mature with an absolutely fabulous nose of band aid and mud. Delicious. Strong fruit with lots of tobacco, toasted wood, tight cassis, green pepper. Great structure, soft warm fruit. Big finish. This is in a great drinking window, a great spot between old world with some fruit. Still has a decade of upside, but no reason to wait. Just everything I want in a wine.
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very smooth, with typical cab tobacco mid palate, light on fruit and strong tannins still present. will likely drink like this for a while, but unfortunately my last bottle of the 96
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All the joys of a good Pauillac Great traditional nose, plump dark berries that still have plenty of life, pencil and other complexity that my palate is not precise enough to identify - but still enjoyable. Tannins still there to give balance...
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Marvelous Pauillac: Graphite, cassis, cedar, cigar, underlaid with plums, raspberry. Still very fresh, although it took 2 hours to get to it's elegance. Recorked and enjoyed the balance at lunch next day and it was even better: fully integrated, and vibrant, intoxicating mid-palate to finish, medium bodied. 95 day 1, 96 day 2. Would suggest 4-6 hour decant.
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Decanted one hour. Terrific classic nose showing black fruit, lead pencil and a little tobacco. The wine is fully mature with well integrated and resolved tannins. Delicious black currant and plum mixed with savoury notes of tobacco and forest floor. Overall a very strong effort but a little four square and lacking the complexity and depth of the best vintages.
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Like boysenberry jam in a pencil box (in a good way). Vibrant in colour with an evolved nose with cigar smoke and old leather. Ripe dark fruits with plenty of oak. Excellent.
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Immaculate bottle. Popped and poured, and drank over two hours. Classic Pauillac, with cherry on the palate. Holding up well due to good storage, and good stuffing owing to a good vintage. Still, this thing is fully mature and should be drunk in the next couple of years.
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Very nice wine, drinking pretty well. Classic notes of red cherry fruit, some leather. Great nose. One thing to note is that it faded fairly quickly after opening.
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79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot from 90 ha of Garonne Gravel soil. Manual harvest and sorting. Aged 15 months in French oak barrels (70% new). 13% Abv. Owners: Jean-Michel Cazes et famille Director: Jean-Charles Cazes
A(ccuray)=2: Deep garnet. Musculine Pauillac. B(alance)=3: Compact fruit with firm acid and tannic structure. C(omplexity)=2: Dark berries, graphite, tobacco. D(epth)=1: Warm mouthfeel. Bit hollow mid palate and sharp finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,3,2,1]= 8/10
Pristine cork and youthful looking for age.
For story-telling label graphics, see: [https://www.instagram.com/WineTally2020/] [https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/] For a unique multimedia resource, see [https://winetally.wixsite.com/vingnette2020]
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Tasted blind. Bold and tight, unmistakably left bank and the inky quality pulled me toward Pauillac. Restrained yet powerful on the palate, notes of blackcurrant and cedar, evolving into nice tobacco notes towards the end. Excellent bottle.
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1996 Pauillac with Jane Anson (Zoom!): JA chose both Lynch and Pichon Baron for tonight’s tasting because in 1996 they were both run by Jean-Michel Cazes.
79% CS, 13% M, 6% CF, 2% PV. Deep ruby colour - doesn’t appear particularly aged. Really smoky and phenolic on the nose, with sandalwood coming through with air. Tasty forest fruit and plenty of truffle on the palate and a gamey, graphitey finish. The tannins have melted into something wonderful. Maybe a little too smoke-dominated, but full of character.
JA thinks this wine is at peak but has the stuffing to stay on its plateau for a while.
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Tasted blind. Consistent with my previous note. Light color for a Paullac, garnet with brick elements. Grand Pauillac nose with earthy elements and pencil shavings, spices. Light and elegant palate.
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Wow - I blew the call on the last bottle. This is classic, cassis infused, broad shouldered Lynch Bage that is squarely in the window of maturity. Harmonious and edging towards a velvet texture. Long, bold and a whole lot of fun. I’m a fan. (94)
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Dense nose of campfire, cigar box, sweet raspberries, and licorice root tea. Classically structured, yet there is a sense of being unrestricted by gravity. Definitive licorice root tea palate with cider tones and gravelly minerals. Piercing and unapologetic acidity that will maintain it for years to come. We actually just popped and poured this without any air time, and there was not a bit of dilatory development, confirming this is ready to be enjoyed. Hit the spot on a rainy fall Friday night. A wonderful gift.
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A simply gorgeous bottle of Bordeaux that is at the front end of a peak drinking window. Lifted, full aromatics of cedary cherry fruit with green pepper and tobacco accents. Palate is rich with smooth, fine tannin that provides grip and length. Excellent.
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Random Chill Night @ Arcadia!: Wow! This bottle was amazing from the start. Well balanced with enticing savoury green pepper notes. This is textbook greatness from Bordeaux. In its prime. Open up! 95-96
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The Triple Threat "165" Birthday Bash (65/60/40) (Minikahda Club, Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank a glass over an hour. Rich, ripe berry nose, excellent fine tobacco notes after this began to unfurl, dark and dusty. The palate is dense and full bodied, dark fruits, ripe berries, tart, ground tobacco, mineral, interwoven oak and plush tannins with a long finish. This was more ready and inviting than the '95 LMHB tonight. I love the 96's in general and this looks to have a very promising future. Drinks pretty well now with air, but it's going to be even better in a few more years. 93(+)pts.
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Leo's very fine btl from our 65/60/40 Bday Trifecta dinner at Minnikada Club in Minneapolis. Excited to try any 96 Bdx and especial this Lynch. As recently noted by Nanda this this is just entering its prime drinking curve. Stellar example of great Paulliac in the making. Just needs time to further meld the structure but dam tasty and compelling tonight. Another wine I need to seek out for my own cellar. Thanks Leo!
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Kleur: Helder robijnrood met een oranjebruine rand. Aroma / bouquet: Interessant en complex, gelaagd bouquet. Enerzijds nog steeds stoer en krachtig met tonen van cassis, vleesjus, potloodslijpsel en leer. Smaak / Afdronk: Ook in de mond toont deze wijn zich buitengewoon vitaal en stoer. Een friszure aanzet gevolgd door mondvullende en nog steeds aangenaam krachtige tannines die in toom worden gehouden door de relatief bescheiden 13% alcohol. Lange, prettige afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Prachtige klassieke Pauillac, mooi gerijpt maar nog volop vitaal. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 92/100
Color: Bright ruby red with an orange-brown edge. Aroma / bouquet: Interesting and complex, layered bouquet. On the one hand still tough and powerful with notes of cassis, meat gravy, pencil shavings and leather. Taste / Aftertaste: This wine also proves to be extremely vital and robust in the mouth. A fresh tart attack followed by mouth-filling and still pleasantly powerful tannins that are kept in check by the relatively modest 13% alcohol. Long, pleasant finish. General / potential: Beautiful classic Pauillac, nicely matured but still full of vitality. 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Taste / Finish: 17 + Overall / potential: 8 = 92/100
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From 37,5cl, optically perfect cork, but something doesn't smell right from the off. This looks the part, with a beautiful orange penumbra, but WTF, 30 minutes in the decanter and the TCA really blooms. So, dear Château Lynch-Bages, that's 36 EUR (Berry Bros, 2005) down the drain. Good thing it wasn't a 75cl, or even a magnum, let alone one bought at current auction, let alone retail prices, let alone the absurd price you now set en primeur for current vintages, presumably bottled with the same old "traditional" corks used for the 1996 vintage. You think: "out of sight, out of mind". I think: "Two of these bummers from a case of 24 splits (see my TN of 01.10.2008) are definitely two too many, let's hope my remaining 9 turn out to be intact". A dispassionate observer might think: "It's incredible that this TCA/cork thing still seems to be acceptable".
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Perfectly developed. Forest floor, Brett, and a bunch of rich cedar notes. Fantastic 24 year old wine. On the lighter side with 13% alcohol. Light tannins.
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Lynch Bages, 1996 • Medium garnet colour showing its beautiful age. . On the nose, it is gamey, leathery, and very rich in minerals, herbaceous and balanced with star anise, fresh berries and a floral note. . Palates as nose plus ripe blackcurrant, liquorice and silky tannins. It is very elegant and drinking very well now and will continue for a few more years. —
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Classic, fruit a little faded compared to past bottles but still an excellent wine with telltale graphite, blackcurrant and forest leaves notes. Was better now than its 2000 sibling, but the latter will be better when reaches peak.
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A weird showing for this wine. Somewhat Brett-y and still rather primary. None of the leather or tobacco leaf that I was expecting, though it's possible that much was hidden beneath the Brett. Some bricking at the edge was really the only hint at the age of the wine. Still a fine accompaniment to pan seared ribeyes during quarantine.
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Bouteille et bouchon en parfait état, mid-neck, ouvert 1 heure et bu durant 2h1/2. Robe grenat légèrement orangée, encore brillante. Au nez, les arôme sont, cette fois-ci, plutôt dans le registre secondaire, goudron, fumée, épices. En bouche, le vin est parfaitement équilibré, moyennement complexe, suave, avec une belle touche d'acidité et des tanins fondus. Très bonne longueur. A boire durant la prochaine décennie, sur la base de cette bouteille qui était légèrement plus avancée que les 2 précédentes.
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The wine looks purple colored. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like cedar, tobacco, leather and black currant (cassis). It tastes like black currant (cassis). The body is medium. The wine finishes medium with surprisingly upfront tannins. The wine has low acidity.
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Ready to go, this is fully mature. The nose is the highlight of the wine, and is deep ripe black fruit and cigar box. The palate has good depth, but is a little one dimensional, and the finish is lengthy, but unbalanced.
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I would have to say that this was a bit disappointing. Decanted for 2 hrs prior to drinking. No real depth just exceptionally average. 2 bottles remain. Hoping for more with those.
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The Scion allowed us to pluck one of her wines for dinner. While opened prior to dinner, it really didn’t have enough time for a proper slow-ox opening (about 2 hours) and I probably should have decanted it. But if the wine lacked a proper opening, it didn’t appear to suffer much. The core was ox blood opaque while the rim shaded to translucent ox blood then red brick at the very edge of the rim. Lots of cedar on the nose, an almost-juniper scent. Deep cassis, plum and leather. Much the same on the palate with tobo warehouse. PM described the palate as having an aspect of “caramelized root veggies” (and she meant that in a good way). Some licorice crosses the finish. PM described the body as having a “chewy texture” yet the acidity is still bright. Despite being almost a generation old, the tannins are not yet fully resolved. A deep and abiding wine, no doubt. A skirt of sediment on the shoulder. 13% alc. With roasted beef tenderloin with cognac-mushroom sauce. A happy winter solstice. Highly Recommended.
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Coravined one glass 2 hours in advance. Aromatic wonderful “Bordeaux” nose hitting the exact notes you come to expect -- blackcurrant with a rustic lead pencil scent just released from your open cigar box. My personal bias is a great nose on a wine and I wish I could savor this one for hours. Full-bodied dark fruits on the palate shaded ever so slightly to the tart side. Rich currants shine on the mid-palate and linger lightly with fully resolved tannins into a long finish. More leather than velvet on the texture this is a savory and elegant wine delivering the goods. A perfect wine to drink now but showing no signs of thinning and should continue to shine for years to come. I wish I could drink this every night!
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Deep crimson color, hardly any signs of aging. Decanted and waited a couple of hours before drinking. Muted nose of cassis, pepper, pencil lead, new leather. On the palate very tight and masculine, powerful wine with a tremendous structure inhibited by this LB’s young age. Very tannic and long peppery finish. I can see this needing another 10 years at least to reach maturity. Incidentally I tried the wine the next day and it was much more open.
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A bottle bought about 20 years ago and in excellent condition, kept in a wine fridge. Big complex nose of blackcurrant, pencil lead, cedar and pleasant barnyard. Beautifully balanced and mouth filling with just enough tannins left to provide a backbone for the ample fruit. Good long finish. This will age gracefully for many years and last for 30 or more.
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Exactly the elements I search for in an aged claret. Minerality, pencil lead, Cassie, smoke and cedar. Very well balanced wine. Brought to @crustacean in Beverly Hills.
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This is classic Pauillac. The full-bodied, firm, concentrated wine offers cedar chest, cigar box and forest floor, with a touch of herbs that sets off the fresh, bright, red fruits perfectly. This is drinking in its sweet spot.
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Really nice - cassis, ganache, pencil. Very Pauillac profile if without some of the glitz that top vintages of LB can offer. That said, this was not decanted and was opened at the end of a long night. 94+
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From 37,5cl, perfect cork, decanted 90 minutes. Initially closed down tight, this only opened up minimally in the decanter to a compressed, brooding, slightly overripe loganberry/funky dark fruit vibe. More lively, concentrated and evidently chewy-dense than the 2002 tasted alongside, I'm afraid I thought the 2002 was the better drink right now, even if the 1996 is evidently more serious. 90P
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Light bricking at the edge with a garnet core. Rustic, savory nose. There’s pencil shavings, wet stone, leather, black fruit and light green elements underneath. This needs some air. Pure silk on the palate. Well integrated tannins with moderate acidity, medium body, and a long finish. The fruit is a bit muted at first but it slowly emerges over time with air. It’s a great wine at the moment. Will it ever be spectacular? Unlikely, but this probably has a good 5-10 years of pure enjoyment left.
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From 37,5cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour, best after 2 hours. Exactly as noted on 23.02.2019, particularly delicious sour-tannic finish. Top drop. 92-93P
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This ‘96 is drinking wonderfully. There is much life left in this wine. Classic Lynch Bages. The half glass left in the bottle was still vibrant two days later.
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Still a very deep colour, with little browning at the edges. Classic nose. On the palate it is very well balanced with forward fruit backed up with soft tannins. Just a little lacking in concentration on the mid palate. Quite a long finish. Overall, a fine claret which I think is exactly at its peak of maturity. To drink over the next three or four years.
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Wonderful mature claret. Straight from bottle, opened up nicely after 30 min. Cedar tree, wet leaves and some freshly cut green peppers. Savoury and long. Classic old school bordeaux.
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JB @ Noizé (Noizé, London): Blind. Mid ruby to a touch of garnet. Resolved and smooth on the palate. Some mid density soft black currant and a touch of graphite. Gosh, feels more 85 than 96 to me. There’s a pleasant touch of green here too that gets more 78 (albeit with more padding) with air. Smooth and refreshing with a touch of capsicum cut. Lovely. ****
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Just reiterating my note of a couple of months ago, the wine is fully evolved and drinking with a only a short time in the decanter needed. It could be mistaken to be a decade older and is displaying tertiary characteristics. The nose is deep and opulent with mature dark and red berry fruits,. The palate is well balanced but perhaps a little light mid palate, and slightly soured at the end of the finish, but which is lengthy and well balanced. My only reservation is its potential lifespan at this level, with my gut feel being that this is not a wine for the long haul, and will probably look to consume my remaining stock over the next five years.
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Drank at smackdown tasting tonite. Decanted for 90 mins. Nose was wonderful black cherries, cedar and tobacco. Still good black fruit and black cherries, but mostly tertiary in nature now. Gobs of mushrooms, earth and barnyard, Cedar on the nose and palate. Quite long and elegant finish. Not an overly muscular or in your face wine but very nice aged Paullac. #2 WOTN.
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This is a great wine to drink now. After a 45 minute decant it’s very elegant and classic paulliac with a nose of cassis and tobacco and a lovely full to medium bodied palate of black cherry, cedar and tobacco. The issue is this is not a blockbuster wine in terms of concentration and/or sophistication like some other left bank 1996s. But it is really enjoyable and classic right now so drink up. I don’t think getting better.
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Fully mature, this is drinking wonderfully and could be mistaken for a wine a decade older. The nose is opulent with cherry, dark berry fruits, and leather. This continues to the palate where the tannin has resolved but still retained bite. It is well balanced, and the depth and finish are good but do not quite live up to the initial promise. However, this is still the best example of the estate pre millennium after the 1982 and the exceptional 1989 and 1990. A couple of hours in the decanter is recommended.
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A birth year wine for the Scion and our very first opening of her case of wine. A 5.5 hour slow-ox opening seemed to do the trick. On the initial pour, the Scion exclaimed, “It’s an old red brick color,” and so it was. The initial nose was a tired cassis with some tobo. Within minutes the color was deepening to plum and the nose revealed a brighter cassis and tobo warehouse. By dinnertime, the rim was black plum while the luminescent cored appeared magenta. Bright cassis, spicy tobo, mint, cedar cris-cross the palate on attack and mid-palate while licorice and mineral carry the finish. The body is full without being New World big. It’s weight is much heavier than the Druet Grand Mont of the same vintage served side by side (and frankly, no comparison). The depth and complexity cannot be denied. The tannins are almost, but not quite yet fully resolved. A smidge of sediment appeared in the shoulder of the bottle and a fair amount in the final pour. 13% alc. Roasted beef tenderloin under bacon with horseradish sauce on the side for Phoebe’s belated birthday celebration. Highly Recommended.
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From 37,5cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour. Intense ripe blackcurrant, a hint of loganberry, Pauillac cedar and fresh aromatic herbal action. And that’s just the scent. Lush, sweet entry and fat mid-palate, long tingling finish with tannins almost completely resolved. Even in this format, there is some way left to full maturity. Delicious, hedonistic and a clear 92(-93)P
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Je peux reprendre ma note du 2 novembre telle quelle...avec les quelques informations suivantes: Ouvert 2 heures avant consommation Attention à la température de dégustation, je pense que, selon les goûts, on ne devrait pas dépasser les 18 C, moi je préfère aux alentours de 16-17 pour préserver la fraîcheur Très belle bouteille, vraiment parfaite pour la Saint-Valentin
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94. 3 hour decant. Classic Pauillac. Forest floor, dried flowers, graphite and leather on the nose. Palate is balanced with a silky smooth long finish.
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Along with 85 and 86 Lynch Bages, 96 is a highly underrated vintage for the chateau. To be frank, I was not impressed by this wine when I tasted it several years ago. Today, after a few hours of bottle breathing, the wine exhibited leather, cedar, tobacco, pencil shaving and dark currant. On the palate, the tannins have softened with precise sweetness. Very enjoyable classic Paulliac. Clearly the best LB after 89 and 90. Drinking very well now.
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Drinking well, this beauty is in its prime. All the classic features of aged Bordeaux with the acid and fruit in good balance. A little astringency on the back of the palate kept the points down. Must be drunk with food.
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This wine is singing right now. Enjoyed with friends at dinner out for Christmas Eve. Short decant. Big nose of leather, tobacco and still some black fruit and a little gravel/earthiness. Smooth, silky tannins, subtle fruit. This wine is right in its prime drinking window. Very enjoyable. Cork was in great shape.
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Annual BYO. Mid red with some ageing, looks almost burgundian. Very expressive nose of tobacco, cedar, some sous bois and red fruits. Some tannin on the palate but nicely integrated. Blackcurrant, sandalwood with some earthy notes and good acidity. Long leathery finish, Lovely, elegant, old fashioned, unparkerised. Drinking at peak. Our consensus was that the acidity might dominate in the future as the fruit fades so enjoy now.
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Terrfic nose with dusty cedar box, black olive and earth notes. Is there a hint of motor oil in there? The tannins are smoothed out now providing just enough backbone to balance out the medium bodied fruit. Definitely exhibits the vintage. I will drink my last bottle in near future.
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Bouteille et bouchon en parfaite condition, quasiment high fill. Ouvert durant 1 heure puis bu pendant 2 1/2 heures. Couleur grenat légèrement plus claire sur les bords. Dès l’ouverture le nez est prêt avec de beaux arômes sur les fruits rouges, le cèdre, le goudron et les épices (cannelle). En bouche, même topo, le vin est prêt à boire et s’améliore encore dans le verre. Pas le plus complexe, mais procure du plaisir avec une belle allonge, de l’acidité et une jolie note herbacée en finale. A boire sans se presser. 94+
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Beautiful showing. Smooth, lush fruit and great mouthfeel. Tannins have resolved and delicious cigar, bramble and berry taste. This was in no way fading, but is very open and accessible now. I think it is in a reasonably long drinking window, but may not have the stuffing and structure for a truly long life.
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excellent! in a sublime drinking window now. classic pauillac from nose to finish. cedar box, some hints of green bell pepper; bright red fruit balanced acidity and soft long tannins
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1/13. Very good cork. Decanted 1/2 hr. Deep garnet core, pale garnet rim. Nose shows rich dark fruit, notes of earth and cedar, earth becoming more prominent as it warms slightly. Medium/full bodied, quite youthful on the palate, more fruity with cool dark fruit, cedar, intense/deep, fine but still quite form tannic backbone. good length finish. Excellent, no hurry.
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Holiday at Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld; 7/24/2018-7/25/2018 (Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld): "Pencil shavings, cedar, blackcurrant and brambles rather than cassis, leather, sweet spice, initially there was a bit of farmyard but this blew off with time. Juicy, wild blackcurrant, talc textured taninns, quite broad on the mid-palate, a little leathery note to the long finish. Well, it smells and tastes like good quality Bordeaux and I like it. Is it profound? Perhaps not...Would I drink it until they carry me out? Yes, yes I think I probably would.
Matched very well with lamb/hogget, carrot, sunflower seeds."
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Similar to prior note; delicious, drink up but no rush
Continued to improve into the evening & tied with the 89 Cheval Blanc for my WOTN (added a point). Bottle 11/12; will drink my last one in the next year
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Intense nose of ripe plums, malt, tabaco, leather and horse barn. Indeed showing the ripeness of this good/warm vintage for Pauillac vines. Meaty and foresty in the mouth with dense and balanced structure although full-bodied. Aromas of wild berries, malt, chocolate as well as hints of cassis and smoke on the long & smooth finish. Interesting and sophisticated wine, hyped and probably often drunk too early. BoW 18.5/20
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Medium garnet color, some seperation. Classic nose of blackcurrant, tobacco, leather, violets/floral, mineral/stones. Nice secondary notes on the mid palate.
This one was a good (but not great) Lynch Bages on this particular evening. One of my go to wines, a big fan of Lynch Bages so perhaps expecting more. Was lacking some of the extra fruit expression I see from this wine. A bit of an off vintage for them - would drink now as I dont see this evolving from here
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Pnp. Medium garnet. Wood spices, dark fruit, lacking a bit concentration on the mid-palate but might not be a fair assessment as the wine was not decanted and was gone way to quickly to evolve with more air. Medium length. 91+
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Wine is wonderfully mature with near perfect balance and complete integration of flavors, acid and tannin. Tannin is so well connected to the fruit during the mid-palate and the finish. Fruit is full, although not as exuberant as a younger wine. We had this with 2003 Margaux, which showed the exuberance, but not the sophisticated, smooth maturity that the 1996 Lynch-Bages had. Definitely the real deal; full package, and in its prime.
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Fully in the middle of its drinking window, with time in the decanter, this is at its best. The vintage as a whole is unexpectedly becoming an early developer. The nose is the epitome of classic matured left bank Bordeaux with cherry, dark fruit and leather aromas which carry through to the palate where it is balanced with robust resolved tannin. It is a very enjoyable Lynch Bages and one to be savoured, but lacking that little extra that elevates the 1989 and 1990 to such extraordinary levels. One point to emphasise is that the wine is totally ready to drink if sufficiently aerated, and I would see no upside to not consuming this now, but with the structure to stay here for a good while.
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Blind "20 Questions" wine Dinner (Jason and Mariellen's): 80 minute decant, and I should have decanted longer. This is an elegant refined Bordeaux. A lot of graphite, earth and leather. Based on notes here, I thought this would be ready, but my previous experience with LB should have told me that it is NOT. Drink the next bottle in 2022+.
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I bought this wine in Bordeaux in 2000 for I recall about $40. It is really lovely right now but still has more to offer. It has a truly classic make up with pencil , leather, wood spice and farmyard to the fore. It's a very gentle wine, nothing forced or harsh, a very comfortable experience. In short it is what mature Pauillac is all about.A confident ,sophisticated and elegant drink.
I have two more bottles and firmly believe they have a decade left in them.........whether I can resist them that long is quite a different matter.
PS And for some strange geometric reason I really like the quiet simplicity of the black/red/white label.
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Drinking Blind at Jason's (Jason P's, St. Paul, MN): Very dark red/purple hue, 12mm transitional margin. Drank 1 glass blind over an hour plus. Convinced this was Bordeaux and left bank also. Great nose, but a very youthful palate that was not close to as good as the nose. Lots of saddle leather and horse barn, dark fruits, earthy, pencil lead, and traces of mint. The palate is dense, shows its oak and some alcohol at times as well, dark berries, gravel, graphite, wood, wood spice, got better the longer this went in glass. I was really surprised to see I'd never had the '96 LB. Kind of typical for LB to not come out of its shell this young, but a good decant should do wonders to shake it free. 92+ to 93pts tonight, but I fully expect this to be better in 5 years or so.
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What a beautiful mature Pauillac! Great color, faint but clean nose. Was 93 out of the chute, 94 after an hour in decanter, 95 with meat loaf and artichoke, began to fade after two hours. Just lovely and a pleasure to drink, smooth as silk with an underlying sweetness. And I have 5 more :) Will probably last another 10 but it seems perfect now, so I will just drink it.
2/17/20 Another bottle, same review... loved it. She 94, me 95.
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Bordeaux 1996 (semi blind) with a friend (Amsterdam): Aristocratic Lynch Bages and classic Pauillac. With pencil shaving, cherries, some sandalwood, tobacco and leather notes in the nose. And "cold" iron, iodine, and tobacco on the palate.
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Amazing to see this beauty from a medium good vintage in such a beautiful phase. Perfectly riped, without any harsh aging notes, full bodied and a never ending finish. Just beautiful right now - and it will keep for at least 5-10 years more, but why wait, it is perfect right now!
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Decanted for an hour. Nice ruby colour, starting to show hints of burned orange.black fruit and plum on the nose with a touch of pepper. Tobacco ,smoke and earth in the mouth. Nice long finish. Well structured wine.
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Chicago Wine Flock...Don Serving So Many Great Blind Wines/Flights (Park Ridge, IL): Tasted double blind in what turned out to be a Lynch-Bages/ Togni flight. Black fruit in a slightly lighter style from start through middle, but with a firm finish. Very surprised when unveiled. Needs time. I ranked this #7 in the flight, group ranked it #6.
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Stunning tonight. 9 bottle of 12. Clean, fresh, layered nose of green herbs, blackcurrant, cedar and unsmoked pipetobacco. Some undergrowth and wet leaves, champignons with more air. On the palate it is perfectly balanced and tannins are smooth but supportive to make for a stunning finish. A classic LB!
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Deep dark colour with a slight tawn rim. Cassis, cedar spice, black fruits, tobacco leaf, smooth and well integrated. Super smooth, silky, finishes with fine but strong tannins. Delicious blend of plump cassis and cedar spice. Feels quite opened up now, tannin gives it structure but does seem broad. Drink up.
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From 37,5cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour. Profound blood-red with orange reflexes. Generous scent, with oozing road tar, cedar and liquorice much more prominent than the underlying blackcurrant and exotic spice. The entry is thinner and more acidic-oaky than expected (Castillo Ygay, anyone?); the mid-palate has a boat-load of delicious sour-bitter liquorice/pepper action which covers the still very present tannins until the fresh-blood-tinged finish, amazingly tannic/raw/tongue-puckering for a 21-year-old 5th Growth Pauillac from half-bottle. For my palate this is not quite ready yet, or at least needed a much, much longer decant. Better in 5 years? 92P(?)
All this compexity makes this a tricky wine to pair with food. I'd expected more obvious lush cedar/blackcurrant sweetness and fried up some lamb, but the umami fought horribly with the licquorice. Probably it would be more sensible to go for beef, or whatever you'd prefer to eat with a vigorous red burgundy.
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1996 horizontal Bordeaux tasting (Singapore): Medium garnet, the most complex nose of the tasting with some animal notes joining the dark fruit and sous bois, medium length. Nice. 93
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Decanted for an hr, med. ruby with slightly brick rim, red & dark fruit with prominent tobacco, soft/mod. tannins, long finish; delicious & at peak, IMHO, drink in the next few yrs
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very sexy and accessible at that Moment, much cassis and vivid acidity, fun wine at least for the next 10 years, reaching his Peak in my opinion, 94-95
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Over 10 years since I last had this. Mature, some bricking. Classic Pauillac, classic Lynch. Cassis nose, cassis fruit. Best at 3 hours and possibly needed 4. Ripe pure fruit but quite simple. It didn't have the wow factor it had in 2006. Still a very good wine.
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Fragrant forestfloor and lots of cedar. At first very acidic. Acidity dissappaered after 20 minutes. After that Nice mature bordeaux but it Didn't really live up to our expectations. Not bad but expected way more after Reading the earlier comments. This probably should have been enjoyed a couple years earlier. Not sure if this is an less then ideal stored bottle. This should normally easliy reach 20 years of age.
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Another excellent bottle of this. Like many a 96 from the Left Bank, this is highly aromatic and expressive on the nose, showing classic notes of Pauillac-- graphite, earth, cassis, and a touch of sur maturite. The palate medium bodied and still a pinch too young, but it is right on the cusp of full maturity. Seamless, classy, balanced.
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Started very promising but didn t improve at all. It faded after 2 hours in the decanter !!!! A thin and dull wine. Bottle was ok. Not worth the money. Avoid
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Tasted after 2001 and 1999. A bit more evolution in colour. Layered and complex on the nose - spices, tobacco, graphite, dark fruit. On the palate again spicy, great acidity, dense fruit, open but still with nice grip. Quite powerful and very long. Very well balanced. Wonderful. 94-96
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Consistent to my last note. Expressive nose of the complete kaleidoscope of a mature Pauillac. Dark fruit, barnyard, forest floor, lots of cedar wood. The nose reminds us why we drink Bordeaux. The palate is medium bodied with soft, mature tannins. Good freshness and drinkability. This was less than 50 bucks at release, 150 today because they make ca. 350'000 bottles, there is lots of it to go round and still in the market. If you don't want to shell out a thousand Dollars to see what Lafite RS tastes like (see my tasting story on the 20 year Lafite vertical), try a mature Lynch Bages. It is aromatically the closest wine.
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Allowed to breathe in glass 4 hours before tasting, with bouquet sampled every hour. Clear deep garnet color. An austere, closed wine, with some signs of maturity including reticent notes of cigar tobacco and saddle soap. Only after 12 hours of air did some fresh sweet black currants, blackberries, and black cherries finally emerge, along with graphite and unobtrusive mild vanilla and spicy oak. On the palate this seemed balanced and seamless, but hard and angular, with fierce tannins. Held up fine under vacuum stopper in refrigerator for four days, and showed best on day three. Overall the wine has evolved nicely since a previous tasting ten years ago, but still at least five years away from optimal drinking.
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dark opaque red-purple with brown rim excellent dark fruits nose with truffles, leather and sous-bois notes and dark chocolate hints medium-full bodied, soft integrated tannins, excellent balance & harmony, fine structure, delicate complexity, rich dark fine fruity flavours, tobacco, leather, barrel oak, soft earthy finish & aftertaste
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Don't know if it was not stored well. But no signs externally. Capsule fine condition, cork healthy high neck fill. Decanted and drank over at least 2.5 hours. Never really got going. Great nose of jammy fruit pencil lead earth tobacco. But on palate really lacked fruit and expansiveness. Was surprised after reading other's notes. Finished acidic and lacking. I'm assuming bottle storage issues.
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4 very consistent bottles on the evening. Opened and rested for a good hour. We chose not to decant. 6th time we try this wine over the last 4-5 years and always scores 93-95. At this stage its just a classic well made claret, well aged but with good life ahead, cedar, tobacco, earthy. Very much alive and the tannin although has mellowed is still there. Lovely balance too and just a joy. 94-95 once again
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Beautiful nose, palate is still catching up. Leathery with mature red fruit, leather. Tannins feel pretty resolved, but fruit still hiding a bit. Bright acid. A warm wine with some dried herbs, dried flowers. Very nice. Would still give this a little more time.
Really shined with food. Just a gorgeous wine, all about complexity and round fruit and dried herbs. A treat!
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Popped, decanted, and consumed over seven hours. Not nearly the blockbuster that our previous bottle was. Nothing seemed off; there just simply wasn't much to it. Not sure if a flawed bottle, if it's too old, or if we just caught it in a "down" cycle. Quite pleasant, just not . . . much there.
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1-2 hour decant and perhaps my first bottle of this wine that really was on and ready to go. Nose reeks of aged/mature Bordeaux in the best way and palate proved its equal. Tobacco, tea, cedar and graphite but also good ripe red fruits and long lingering finish. Well worth the wait and my original price of admission
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1996 Bordeaux Blind: Pretty much nothing on the nose. Completely flat. Faint cranberry if anything. More or less the same on the palate. No flaws, just nobody home tonight... came back after an hour, and still nope. Totally bizarre as this is usually an extremely consistent and crowd-pleasing bottle. Very peculiar.
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Tobacco, red cherry, currant, pencil lead with bay leaf and cedar notes. Complex and saturated nose. Hints of cinnamon. Very elegant entry with vibrant acidity throughout the length of the palate. Flavors of cedar and tobacco give way to a tea-like finish. Great center weight with a touch of cherry pit flavors. Seem like it could go for many more years.
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This wine started out with a slight green pepper/stems on the nose, but this soon blew off allowing the rich fruit to be fully exposed. Also, the finish seemed a bit harsh and incomplete during the early part of the tasting (full decant for 2 hours prior to tasting). However, this slow starter really came together by hour 5-6. The fruit became big and even. The tannins seemed to settle and the finish became smooth and silky. Extremely delicious. Part of the 1990-2005 vertical. Panel ranked it 4th, I ranked it 3rd.
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Moderately translucent cherry red color with a slightly orange-tinted hue. A bit restrained and light yet very complex bouquet with aromas of savory dark berries, some wizened plum, a little roasted bell pepper, a hint of sous-bois and a touch of freshly cut chili. The palate is juicy but surprisingly gripply and tightly wound with brooding, complex and layered flavors of ripe blackcurrant, cherry, some sour plums, a little crowberry and light leafy hints supported with an undercurrent of graphite and cedar. Surprisingly bright acidity with not-so-ample, but surprisingly grippy and angular tannins that still sport quite the bite. Long, clean and complex, but quite light and restrained finish with delicate flavors of cassis, wet woodlands and sous-bois, some green hints of blackcurrant leaves and underlying notes of sweeter, ripe brambly dark berries.
Not a big wine, but a surprising powerhouse; in a small horizontal of five Left-Bank 1996-ers (others were Cos d'Estournel, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Leoville-Barton and Gruaud-Larose) this was the only wine that didn't seem ready yet. Both the nose and the palate seemed to be in a dumb phase with surprisingly light yet youthful character, leaving the rather tightly wound structure very prominent. Additionally, the wine seemed rather clean and pure as well, with less emphasis on oaked complexity and more prominent, pure fruit character - the oak notes seemed to have integrated completely into the fruit. I wouldn't hurry with the wine, as in its current condition it didn't open up much even after air time of 3-4 hours. Let it rest at least 5 more years; it still shows good room for development. 92-93 now and probably will get better if it opens up later.
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Seductive and attractive nose, classic and light left banker, red berry driven gorgeous palate with supporting tannins, a very strong LB vintage which requires more time in the cellar to rise to the level it is capable of. Outstanding and promising.
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This has now fully entered its drinking window. A beautiful old fashioned wine with lovely fusty aromas of red cherry and vanilla. This follows on through to the palate and ends with a good lingering finish.
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Thursday Night Tasting with Tim and Friends: Classic graphite-minerally-black fruit aromas. Good, understated balance. I would guess that this only just started drinking nicely but I’m thinking this is a bit simple and direct, like 10 years from optimum drinkability. Just for now and for me, good not great, with potential to improve.
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In the bouquet dark forest fruits and vanilla from the beautifully dosed oak. On the palate at first not completely fresh, but that blew off. Classical with cassis and other dark berries, sweet spices, mild acidity and soft tannin. Imho this bottle is already quite mature, but certainly very nice. Many preferred this wine above the Ausone in the same flight. For me and a few others it was the other way around. (The wines were poured blind.)
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OK but not great, neither good / significant fruits or sencondary components on the palate, what was there was more secondary, but a gentle wine without distinction
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Double decanted then SO'd for a few hrs, garnet with a touch of brick on the rim, classic Bordeaux dark fruit with tobacco, soft tannins, mod/long finish; delicious & at peak IMHO but no rush
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Got a small taste during dinner, and I didn't like it as the nose was overripe and sickly. Tried again a few hours later at the after-party and wow, baby! this had come on strong. Deep, ripe, long, perfectly balance with just enough ripeness. Showing classic Pauillac minerals and graphite, this puppy is just beginning to shine and will be a great Lynch in another 10+ years.
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Popped, poured, consumed over next three hours. Started a little tough, but gradually opened and revealed both its charm and its potential. Great balance. Lovely, classic Lynch Bages in the making.
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Lynch Bages dinner at RPM Steak (Chicago, IL): Incredibly dense. Ripe black fruit, with screaming acids. The question, as with a lot of wines from 1996 (including red Burgundy) is whether the fruit will outlive the intense acidity and massive structure. But for now, all I can see is an awesome bottle of Bordeaux with lots of acid and still plenty of red fruit, so no complaints in that department. The high acidity does cause a bit of tartness to the wine, and it does end a little short. But for what there is now, this is eminently enjoyable.
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During a Pauillac themed wine tasting dinner. Expressive nose of the complete kaleidoscope of a mature Pauillac. Dark fruit, barnyard, forest floor. The nose reminds us why we drink Bordeaux. The palate is medium bodied with soft and mature tannins, still good freshness and drinkability. This was the winner of the night.
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Nicely evolved around the rim; the core is quite dark still. Expressive and open on the nose, pencil shavings, tobacco, dark fruit, spices. Very fine. On the palate quite spicy, showing good grip still. Very complex and elegant, fresh and very long. Excellent and drinking very well. My WOTN. 94-96
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Ch. Lynch Bages, Paulliac, 5eme grand cru classe, 1996. At 20 years old this is now fully mature but has the perfect balance of acidity, fruit and tanins to last another 20 years. Delicate nose, black fruits, touch of cedar and floral note. Great harmony and elegance. Subtle cassis, cigar box and pencil lead notes. Tannins soft and well integrated but still persistent. Primary fruit notes still to the fore. Excellent acidity and freshness. This wine is still so youthful, great finesse and verve, long and balanced. 94
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Decanted 2+ hours. Still feels like it has 10-20 years left! Strong notes of graphite, gravel, green pepper and smoked meats. Really complex and rewarding.
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Beautiful nose typical of 1996 Pauillac. Cassis, leather, tobacco, graphite, lead pencil. Dark rich ruby color, needed two hours in decanter to balance out its tannic and solid structure. Medium to full bodied, finishes long and sweet with well resolved tannins. Excellent.
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Classic, leather, tobacco and a touch of meat on the nose, with green pepper becoming more obvious with air. Very nicely resolved but still basically youthful - not getting really mature complexity. A big wine, but sort of stately rather than powerful. Textbook claret and very good.
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Still youthful deep ruby with a hint of lightening at the rim. This was the last of 10 bottles I have had of this over the past 8 years. It has been consistently good throughout with lead pencil, dark currants, cedar and a bit of meatiness on the nose. Tannins pretty much fully resolved with good textural appeal. Full through the mid-palate with a lingering cedar-infused finish. Wish I had a few more bottles as this will go for another 15 years. Love it.
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Out of mag… opened for an hour and after that decanted for an hour. Classic Bordeaux. Pencils, earth and dark red fruit. Thoroughly enjoyed it and wish it lasted longer. Wine has time to go in larger format but in very good place.
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Bordeaux grande maison classique. Equilibre et pas d'exces sur la concentration. Cerise noire, herbes, café, pruneaux, avec pointe de truffe en finale. Tres bon!
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Finally, after two disappointing 1985's (one at the winery) and two equally lame 1989's, I've found a bottle of Lynch worthy of its pedigree. Absolutely textbook: very leafy, pencil, not a ton of fruit but enough cassis to give it a "yum" factor. Translucent crimson, quite lightweight, and the tannin has not receded but softened to the point where this is strikingly accessible now. Not remotely a showstopper, but the last hurrah of traditional "gentleman's claret."
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Wine Group at home: Cassis, cigar, dried herbs. Really elegant in the mouth. Typical Bordeaux style. Medium bodied, fine boned, fully resolved tannins. Excellent wine.
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At close to 20 years of age, I could not believe how young this still seems. With 3 hours of air, the cassis and cigar box characteristics were showing their stuff. There are still some tannins to be resolved. With 4 hours of air, the wine softened, but did not gain in complexity. Classic in style, firm and structured, this is going to age for decades.
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We don't need no stinking Bages! My deceased father-in-law was passionate about Bordeaux, so for the anniversary of his death it felt appropriate to celebrate his life with some slightly-aged Bordeaux. Opened 4 hours before dinner and left open standing in the wine fridge, this started off smelling great but very tight and somewhat ungiving on the palate. After that airtime, and with steak, the wine shown. Both on the nose and in the mouth it was full of band aid, graphite, dark fruits and earth on an elegant frame, ending with a long, silky smooth finish. Really gorgeous and a wonderful way to celebrate my wife's father's life, even if he passed before I met her.
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Sex & power at age 19. Dark ruby color with no sediment, this wine is mature. Years of terrific drinking ahead. cherry, chocolate and graphite nose with a powerful attack and long tasty lingering finish.
If a date, this is a 25 year old Olympic thriller Katarina Witt who matches brains, beauty and sexual prowess to keep you coming back again and again. 93+ points and highly recommended
Nice showing. Dark palate of black currant and plum, softly textured palate, soft tannins, the fruit is just starting to take on a compote quality but not quite there yet. Much softer texturally than I recall from prior bottles, but still plenty dark and youthful with many years left ahead. Fairway with the guys.
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Alors là, on a tous été impressionnés par ce vin qui était exceptionnel, en fait, bien au dessus de son rang. À l'aveugle, on l'aurait sûrement pris pour un Lafite! Il avait tout; du fruit noir à revendre et du poivron sur des tannins bien fondus mais présents, une telle élégance et une magnifique longueur en bouche. En plus, pour les chanceux à qu'il en reste, il tiendra selon moi encore 5 à 10 ans.
Bordeaux WIMPS (La Tromplette, Chiswick): Cedary, touch of farmyard quickly blowing off, mineral, underlying blackcurrant and plum fruit. Medium bodied, savouryrd and black fruits, actually quite elegant with soft tannins, good acidity and minerally notes coming through on the very good length, harmonious finish. Excellent and ready to go ****.
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Decanted 90 mins prior to serving. Lively ruby red with the usual bricking on the edge for a wine this age. Powerful nose of lead pencil, cedar and cassis, later mellowing into a more seamless bouquet of mint, leather, tar and fruits. Very long juicy finish with acidity and tannins still in abundance. A defining performance from this '96.
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Fully mature in secondary stage, still in balance, and delicious in the mouth but finish doesn't keep up with the mid palate...Acidity is keeping it fresh and vibrant.
Decanted an hour, this was a solid wine with dark fruits, earth, and still with some tannin on the finish but in its window and should be there and develop further for some time. Solid Bordeaux. A-
This was my next to last bottle of a case bought en primeur 18 years ago (1996 was the first year I started buying Bordeaux), and bought of course at a tiny fraction of current en primeur prices for this wine (it's too expensive for me now). Whereas quite a few of the other 1996's I still own have started to fade, this one is still singing in tune and there's possibly more to come. Dark fruits and tobacco (so just as you would expect), luscious sipping wine to swirl and enjoy by itself or with good steak. The 1989 is still the finest bottle of wine I have ever tasted, and this isn't in that league, but it isn't that far off. No need to rush opening this - got at least 10 years of plateau drinking in my view.
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This was slightly corked, but showed deep color and seemed like a relatively rich, full bodied wine that would not need a lot of air to open up and get going vs. what I expected for a '96. NR
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Drunk alongside a 1996 Mouton on New Year's Eve 2014, this wine was in stunning form. Rich, complex, great length and plenty to chew on. It unexpectedly, and easily, outclassed the Mouton. And I'd bet it still has a good 7-10 years ahead of it.
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had this side by side with the 86 gruaud larose. rather soft on opening and remained on the velvet side through out the night but gained a bit of bite as the night wore on. A bit easier to drink than the larose but less intriguing.
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Tog med detta vin till en blindprovning och var helt säker på att jag hyllat detta vin tidigare men när jag ser tillbaka så var det bara en 93a senast och denna gång satte jag 93 poäng blint så jag måste misstagit mig. Dock riktigt bra men jag tror denna flaska var bra när den öppnades men under kvällen var det på väg over the hill,
vinet har en grön stjälkig smak mend lakrids och ceder, mjuk härlig smak. Riktigt gott men svårt att mäta sig när det står en Gruaud Larose 1982 brevid så klart.
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Var med i en blindprovning. Var från början helt inne på Bordeaux men landade sedan i att det vara en Bordeauxblandning från Toscana då jag tyckte att jag hittade vissa gröna örtiga italienska toner och lite aceton som jag inte brukar hitta i Bordeaux. Annars hade det ju verkligen allt det man sammanknippar med en Bordeaux som har början till mognad med stall, piptobak, cigarrlåda, cassis, läder, damm och blyerts. I smaken mogen frukt, påtaglig syra och lena fina tanniner. Har druckit detta vin flera gånger tidigare men kände mig inte riktigt hemma i smaken denna gång.
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Nose shows typical & classical Bordeaux, rather fresh, with green herbs, green peppers, licorice, spice, cedar wood, cigar box, tobacco leafs, dust, dry leather, barnyard & pencil lead. The nose started out very fine, but fell off a bit with more time and air in the glass, and lost some of its initial punch. Palate shows high acidity, with dry and fading cassis fruit & red berries, some tobacco and greener notes. I get the feeling that this is a little past peak and on its way down, since the fruit it beginning to fall off and the acidity are taking over. However, need to keep in mind that this is a 1996, with rather high acidity from start, so might just going thru a transition phase? (92 – 93 p)
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Westchester Wine School - Premium Wine Tasting (Bar Lees, Mamaroneck, NY): Drank at WWS tasting. Decanted for 90 minutes, and drank side by side with a 2005 (that was not ready). Dark color, a bit of orange at the rim, medium bodied. Very expressive nose of dark fruit, tar, tobacco, green pepper. On the palate, plenty of fruit, still some tannins but mostly resolved, lots of dark fruit, lead pencil, cassis, tar, tobacco. A mile long! Wonderful, classic bordeaux with great concentration, length, & power. If one were to quibble, one could argue that it perhaps lacks some depth at the back end, but that's really pushing it. A great wine in a great place right now. Easily voted the WOTN. Glad I have a few more in the cellar.
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Garnet. Initially a good Pauillac nose, but decanted for 2 hours. At dinner, much more green herb in the nose, but Pauillac in the rear. Tobacco, leather. Taste was smooth, rich, medium weight. Nice
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In a great place, pretty aromas of dark fruits, black spice, and wet earth. Wonderfully complete and integrated with a beautiful texture. Almost seemless with rich fruits, broad sweet tannins, and backing acidity so well balanced. Long spiced finish. In a great place and see very long life ahead. Good stuff.
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lots of green bell pepper with bright red fruit and balanced acidity. long finish. can go another ten years of aging easily. decanted 2 hours before drinking.
This is a terrific bottle. Everything I ask for in a Pauillac. Pop and pour at Izzy's Steak house. Nose jumps fresh and lively. Great fruit. If this is over the hill I like over the hill. Will drink well for at least a decade.
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Impressive evolution over 3 hours. First, this wine was totally closed down and unappealing. After 2 hours, the nose finally exhibited cassis, forest floor, tobacco, and graphite. Over the ensuing hour, the fruit continued to emerge and the wine just kept improving. If I were to open another bottle, I would wait 3 hours to start drinking -- I would recommend the same. This started as a disappointment, and finished as advertised.
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This bottle confirmed my impression that this wine has started heading downhill. Medium to dark garnet with brick hues. Typical Pauillac nose of cedar, cigar box, pencil shavings, leather and spice but the fruit has started showing some signs of overmaturity. On the palate the wine is medium-bodied and tannins remain quite firm, acidity is medium+ and perfectly integrated but again the fruit is somewhat stewed and some tertiary signs of undergrowth have started to appear. Long aftertaste. Still quite enjoyable, but every bottle that I open seems to me as inferior to the previous one. This was my last bottle anyway.
NOT a Napa Cab. Classic left bank and drinking really well right now. Incredible balance of fruit and terroir. The grilled NY strip steak was a perfect match. Wish I'd bought more to drink in the next 5-7 years.
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60 min decant (this really needs 2 hours)- medium bodied, zero heat, good balance, average finish, should reach prime in 3-5 and should last another 10-15 years. Average value.
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Opened for the boys' Niseko ski dinner as a thank you to our host AJ for organizing every year. Liking this vintage more and more. Still dark ruby and young but really starting to open up on the nose with classic paulliac tobacco and cedar wrapped up in lush blackberry fruit. Touch of leather and kink which is making it a lot more interesting and why you just keep wanting to go back to it! Wonderful balance and freshness and hard to find a better and true glass of left bank Bordeaux than this. Bravo!
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Drinking very well right now. My third bottle in a year. Developed and correct nose of pipe tobacco, cedar/pencil shavings, and some bright fruit notes. Very lifted nose. Medium body with a sweet attack, very well balanced with the acidity carrying the finish. Still some tannins left and they are quite harsh. Once they melt away in 5-10 years this will be outstanding.
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Impromptu dinner at home: Fine and elegant, with developed flavours now. Gentle red and black berry fruits, tobacco, dried herbs, cedar. The acids are there, and keep the palate fresh. Excellent drinking now.
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Confraria - Maio - Bordeaux (Marcão House): Powerful. Special nose of spices, mint and pepper. Prominent acidity and a respectable tannic backbone; a bit rude in his mouth (which I like). Matched very well with the food.
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Opened up beautifully after two hours and continued to improve over the next two. Enjoyable now but should still hold up for 4-5 more years. Silky smooth with earthy, tobacco notes.
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From 37,5cl, good cork. Decanted. This only started to open up after 2 hours. I suggest you shouldn't P+P this unless you are an oligarch and intend to mix it with Coke. Still very primary. Cedar and fragrant cassis, of course. The ripe dark fruit is a tightly pulled reef knot which isn't going to unwind any time soon. Noble, ripe, racy acidity (and some not entirely pleasant volatile ether-like notes) on the mid-palate and the long, finely grained, still pretty tannic finish. Sure, this is a lovely drink now (reflected in its current market price), but for my palate true pleasure is at least 5 years down the road, even in this diminutive format. 75cl owners: please consider opening something else until 2019. 90P(++?)
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orange and red in the body, yellow rim, in the color. dried fruit, plum, currants, dried herbs, black pepper, teriyaki beef, tobacco, burnt wood, ash, dust, on the nose. medium acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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K&L Bordeaux Tasting (K&L, San Francisco): Roasted red pepper, good cherry fruit, slight tobacco; sweet red fruit, good balance, integrated tannins, good red fruit. Solid bordeaux at maturity, will likely have a plateau for years but may not have more development. 91-92
Vertical 1988-2007 LB. The 1996 was the second best after the 1990. Lovely layered clean nose of graphite, underwood and currant. Very lifted nose. Sweet attack and very elegant profile with a tannic backbone to the sweet fruit. Extremely well balanced and long succulent finish. Odd as it may sound with all the praise above, it was still blown away by the fabulous 1990.
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A quintessential Pauillac drinking beautifully now and likely for another decade. Everything is in there that should be- this wine delivers what you expect and in magnificent fashion. Every household should have a case of this downstairs. Carson- order me another first thing!
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textbook Pauillac nose ofcassis, cedar, cigar-box and graphite, with a wave of plums at the end. Marvellously fresh and vibrant mouthful of cassis but also plum and raspberry, beautifully constructed, bright, ripe, but also elegant and distinguished. Outstanding. A word of warning – this tasted quite light on opening, it needs several hours to thicken and open up properly (or probably an hour or two in a decanter). Well, great though the Moussas is, the Bages is just that much better and was definitely our WOTN: 95 pts
Fantastic wine, typical Pauillac with an expressive nose full of minerals like graphite and pencil shavings, cedar and ripe cassis fruit. Balanced and savoury while light on its feet. The only problem was that it was drank alongside the superb Mouton 1996 which was like the Lynch-Bages squared...
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Drank over lunch with friends for my 18th wedding anniversary. Fantastic nose from the beginning, with textbook Pauillac typicity: pencil shavings, cedar, ink, leather and spices. Medium-bodied with fine-grained, resolved tannins, freshness and balance. Long aftertatste. Probably at peak with some life ahead. Great and typical aged left-banker.
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Quick decant, although it did not really need it. Lots of barnyard funk on the nose. Leather, tobacco, graphite, and fading red fruit. Nice but not deserving of a higher rating. I would say drink up.
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En perfekt mogen Bordeaux! Trodde inte att det redan nått dessa mognadstoner. Läder, tobak, cigarrlåda , mörkfrukt och fantastiskt lena tanniner. Riktigt bra vin!
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Mature, resolved, classic yet only satisfying. The color was right, the nose was classic LB pillowy Pauillac, but the flavor impression, while again correct, left the impression of being a bit weak and thin. Lacked any wow factor. Good only. Hopefully just an off bottle. (89)
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Classic left bank Bordeaux. Beautiful nose of graphite, tobacco, cedar and dark fruits. Creamy texture with pure ripe dark fruits, earth and minerals. Drinking very well but no rush. 94 points
Tasted the Lynch Bages 1996 and Pontet Canet 1996 together. While both exhibited mature notes and classic Pauillac nose, the Lynch Bages had a creamier, fuller and more complex nose. On the palate the Pontet Canet was more angular and lean compared to Lynch Bages which had sweeter fruit. Both wines are in good balance. The finish of Lynch Bages is longer.
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Decanted for 1.5 hrs but really only needs 30 minutes. Well secondary and classic. Bricking colour. The nose is full of earthy, tobacco and leather notes open and beautiful. The good news is that on the palate the fruit is quite alive and firm and adds a great second layer of complexity ( unlike the beautiful 89 Gruaud Larosse we tried side by side, Papies 93). A magnificent wine pure, elegant and at probably its peak now and should stay here for a few more years. 93
Mmmm, popped and poured. After an hour this was delicious, well rounded, and long finishing. My teeth are dark purple from letting it linger so long. Plenty of time left but it's drinking quite well right now.
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Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, fairly clear looking. Nose of thistle, dried herbs, a hint of leather and berries. Flavors of berries, cherries and raspberries. Tart acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with air or continue to hold.
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Drank in Dublin. Big blackcurrant nose, good tannins and med- acidity. Initially a little flabby but with time balanced out. Great wine, great night but still not a patch on the 2000.
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This is turning into a classic Lynch Bages even if it will always be lean and a bit angular. It was best straight out of the bottle with really classic Pauillac flavors of graphite minerals, cedarwood and tobacco. Finishes very finely etched with complex notes of graphite and dark spices.
From 375. Showing some maturity at the disc with a deep robe. Nose takes a long time to open - takes two hours to really show up and three to open. Dark fruits, coffee, chocolate; the oak is still integrating. Picks up just a little lavendar and orange peel. What a polished nose. The palate is rich, seamlessly balanced. Shows some ash. Reminds me of a stylistic mix between the '89 and the '90, if not as impressive as either. This is just barely coming into its drinking window from half bottle - it'll take another 5-10 years to really show its potential. Excellent Pauillac.
Bill's Monthly Lunch - June 2013 (Vancouver, BC): This smelt like classic claret (especially when compared with the ’02 Pontet-Canet) with notes of cedar, tobacco, cassis and a hint of bell pepper. Fine tannins with nice acidity add some lift to the easy-going and lighter styled fruit on the palate. Drinking very well now and should continue to do so over the next 5-10 years. Excellent.
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Lynch Bages Dinner (Grand Hyatt Hong Kong): Big rich tertiary nose and palate. Spicy blackcurrant, leather and so smooth in the mouth. Wonderful balance yet still has plenty of structure.
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The wine looks Ruby colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Horsey, Tobacco, and Mineral. It tastes like Black currant (cassis), Forest floor, Tobacco, and Horsey. The body is Medium. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Medium.
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Impressive nose of red and black fruit, spice, tobacco, coffee and herbs. Great palate full of sweet dark fruit and nice grip. Nice and vibrant. Has upside potential. Lingering long finish.
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This wine gets better each time I taste it and this is the best showing yet! Cigar box, cassis, blackberries, earth, tobacco and forest floor notes are finally starting to emerge. The tannins are softening, leaving a fleshy, soft, juicy, rich, pure, ripe, fruit filled wine. As good as this is today, it's only going to get better with a few more years of bottle age.
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Shiny, quite deep garnet with slightly brownish tinge. Intense and very aromatic, forest floor, red fruit, chocolate, later dark fruit and cinnamon. Good acidity, a bit indistinct fruit on the palate, matchbox, tobacco, ash. Rather confusing, hard to see how much potential is left there. Somehow disappearing on the midpalate, but then re-emerging with some juiciness. Long, dark cherry and tobacco aftertaste with some bitterness.
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Decanted for 2 hours; Medium bodied; Mature wine with plenty of minerals and tobacco, and hints of leather and lead pencils; Paired very well with the lamb rack. Not as powerful or concentrated as other Lynch Bages but very pleasant.
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Glorious, deep and rich right out of the bottle, but softened up with an hour in the decanter. The second half of the bottle, while lovely, was less impressive and just didn't pack as much punch and the reported score represents the average...
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From 750ml. A nice showing, lovely fruit. Softer and more reserved than many 96 bdx, but classic and a wine that can be opened now if desired (but no hurry).
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Right on the mark. Mature but lively, with melting but present tannins providing structure to large red and black fruit, with soy sauce/unami and classic cedar notes. Tastes exactly like it should, and while I think it will continue to mature, I doubt it will improve from here.
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Opened pop and pour at wine store. Waaaay too tight. Well everyone had to taste so I allowed. I thought it was great as other notes expressed, however, I will reserve my comments and score until tomorrow when I drink the remaining half.
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Ruby in color and just starting to fade ever so slightly on the edges. 13% ABV. Cedar, pencil and sweet pipe tobacco on the nose. Pure black currants, cassis, graphite, cigar box, wet earth, mushrooms, smoke, leather and coffee on the palate. Textbook Pauillac! The wine is rich, young and taut. Great texture and mouthfeel. There are definitely some secondary characteristics developing here but there is still a great sweetness of fruit that shines through. Well stored bottles of this wine will easily age gracefully for another 10-20 years.
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From 37,5cl, inferior cork with seepage almost quarter-way back, but no harm done. It is ESSENTIAL to decant this wine for at least an hour - only after two hours did it really open up and show all the cedar-blackcurrant-spice stuff other CT TNs praise and the astonishing, perfect balance which makes it seem weightless despite its very real substance. If you are fortunate enough to have this lovely wine in your cellar, or to be able to afford to drink it in a restaurant, whether or not to pop a cork now is almost a moral dilemma. Yes, given sufficient air time it is delicious right now. But no, I am quite certain that it isn't showing as well now as it will do in 5 to 15 years time, even from 37,5 cl. As a person predisposed to giggle at old-school wine-bores and their wine-necrophilia it hurts me to say so, but: if only you can bear to delay your gratification another year... another five years... even longer... you will be richly rewarded. 92P(+)
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this is why Bordeaux is all about balance. Still much fruit left as the tannins have mellowed to a wonderful mineral/earth balance. Has more time left but is delicious now.
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Four bottles drunk amongst eleven of us over lunch. Each bottle was consistent - all were stunning. None were decanted (no decanters available), though the bottles were opened 2-3 hours before tasting. Showing a little brick at the edge, nose is tobacco and perhaps some mint. Great length, very together. Plenty of time left to try the remaining 8 in the case!
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Barnyard, cedar and cigar box aromas, pencil lead, earth, and hints of plums and spice, meaty...fruit is muted. Restrained and austere, elegant and traditional style.
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Five Decades of Lynch Bages with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): Another consistently great left bank 1996 9this is the 4th time we try this wine) ! Quite a bit f browning in colour, looks a lot older than 96. Ever the classical nose and what a beautiful nose. Light earth, dark fruit, cedar, mint. On the palate it is solid, with good fruit, vibrant, good soft tannin, complex and in perfect balance. Simply superb 94-95. Came second on the night behind the majesty of the 85 Much like with the 1996 horizontal we have been to a month or so ago, and we documented in CT, 1996 is a stunner of a year and what great Bordeaux is all about.
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Lynch-Bages 1996, Pauillac FÄRG Klar Färg: Medel – granat Kant: 2 mm tonar ut mot vattenklar Intensitet: medel Färgar glaset? en aning Gardiner: mycket tunna
DOFT Korrekt Doftintensitet: medelintensiv Doft: frukt - mörka bär, björnbär, rotfrukter, potatisgratäng, cigarrlåda, te, tobak Utveckling: under utveckling, nästan moget
SMAK Torrt/sött: torrt Syra: medel + syra Tanniner: medel, finkorniga Alkohol: medel, märks i en viss halkighet Fyllighet: Medel + fylligt Smakstyrka: Medel + Smak: frukt - röda bär, apelsin, virke Textur/balans/bubblighet: Eftersmak: Lång
SLUTSATSER Kvalitet: defekt, dålig, okej, bra, mycket bra, enastående Drickabilitet: för ungt, går att dricka nu men kan lagras, drick nu – lagra inte, för gammalt Geografi: Pris: billigt 65, mellanpris 66–120, dyrt 121–300, premium + 300
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From 37,5cl. Decanted 1.5 hours. This excellent wine has surprised and puzzled me before and it is doing so again this evening. Everything - scent, entry, mid-palate, finish, is sweet, shiny, buffed, polished and complacent, no edges. I won't go over all over the "cedar, tobacco" stuff again, take it as given. The point is, all the interesting things cower behind a sweet, fat, purring, Cheshire-Cat-like grin which persists longer than the finish of the wine does (John Tenniel, I salute you!) I could do with a bit more cut, edge, and above all, balancing acidity. Is this a 37,5cl thing? Or a typical mature Lynch Bages feature (I remember finding the 1982, 1985 and 1986 a bit too sweet and complacent for my taste about 5 years ago)? I'm going to keep on at this, one 37,5cl bottle per year, and if it doesn't get more interesting by 2017, then the rest of the case gets sold on to someone who appreciates this style more than I do. 90(?)P
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Very decent, and peaking right now. Typical Lynch Bages colour and taste. Fresh oak and dark fruit, with subtile layer of charcoal and truffle. I would not wait longer than 2 to 3 years to drink this wine.
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True or False: Would I Lie to you? A Fine wine Tutored Tasting & Panel Game (Berry Bros & Rudd, London): Blind tatsed. Cedar, tobacco, light earth as textbook as it gets for a well aged left bank bordeaux. To the point we went on to say this is Pontet Canet 1996. Well secondary and absolutely a wonderful wine. This is the third time we try this wine this year and it is consistently a great wine. Another beautiful wine from 96. 93-94 this time
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Decanted, drink side by side with 96 Latour 2nd label, brick red rim showing well aged, showing some secondary bouquet, black currant, cassis, earthy, creamy vanilla, tannin is bit coarse compared to Latour 2nd label but still refined, long lasting finish.
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We had the 1986, 1996 and 2006 together, three decades of LB! The 2006 was very sweet on the nose, almost Rhone-like and without the typical cassis, cedar, lead pencil and green pepper. More primary fruit and almost international in style. The 1996 was the best wine at this time. Totally classic nose of cedar, black currant and sweet pipe tobacco. Medium body with an elegant structure, very good balance and long finish. Probably peaking, but will remain at this plateau for 10+ years. The 1986 had one more layer on the nose compared to 1996 with coffee and some earhty element, but lacked a bit fruit, or rather the fruit was still compressed by the tannins. No signs of oxidization or tiredness, so this one will certainly live for 10-20 years more, and if the fruit holds up, it might be more balanced once the last tannins melt away.
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Required decanting like 1 hour to open up and settle at this stage. 1996 Medocs are now coming into game and are wonderfull wines. These are the ones to buy. Colour is still dark, some bricking maybe and glossy. The nose is textbook bdx, with good fruit, cedar and some earth. On the palate it is very much alive yet it is starting to show the greatness hiding all these years. Another great showing from what will definitely be a superb wine in 5yrs. 95 drink frm now but it will continue to improve. WOW!
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Had a discusssion about this wine with a friend who found the wine underwhelming, but I think the wine has to be taken in context of year and region. It is a "classic paulliac'. Initial palate is austere with real lead in the pencil. The immediate reaction is "will the fruit or body of the wine come through and intergarte with teh tannins - which are totally dominant at the start. The answer is yes. It takes time, a good deal of time, but the inegration occurs with several hours of exposure to open air. My take is that this wine will be a classic in about 15-20 years time. Not now and not in this decade. So for anyone married in 1996, this will be a good 30th anniversary wine, a great 40th annivbersary wine, and a fading 50th anniversary wine. That isn't to say you can't enjoy it now. the last paulliac that had as much lead in it as this was the 1983 Lafite, and it was only just coming into its own 3 years ago.
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Wow. Nose is textbook Bordeaux , and just about to add secondary notes. Cedar and red fruit , leather notes. On the palate it is vibrant and alive long and with evident tannins. This is a great wine but still needs 5yrs before it develops into the beauty it can be.95+ drink in 5yrs. Long life ahead of this.
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Outstanding nose. Cigar box, spice, leather, even a pain de epice notes at one point. Jumps from the glass is an accurate description. Palate carries the same noets, along with the currant and dark fruit flavors, and mineraliity too. Tannins and acidity are still there, but nicely balanced. The wine is drinking beautifuuly, but is still in its ascendency.
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Fete de Bordeaux (Centro, Toronto): More subdued than the '01 with pronounced vegetables on the nose, especially mushroom. Wet animal fur. I preferred the 2001 with the meal but this is a wine of contemplation.
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Acker Merrall 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux Dinner (Balsan - Chicago IL): Big aromas of oak spice and black cherry and plum. Dense, dark and brooding on the palate, clearly very backward but still balanced in that the tannins didn't seem harsh, acidity didn't protrude and primary fruit was prominent. Good spice came through on a very long finish. Again, hold for another decade.
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2 bottles kindly brought by William Midwood to a grouse dinner with Charlotte. Decanted 3 hours. Not a generous wine tonight; lovely dark colour but unyielding on both nose & palate. Dry, diffuse and a little sharp on the finish. Quite hard work. We turned to the barsac with some relief.
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From 375ml. This is just delicious, exactly what I want in Bordeaux. Muscular, dark, tobacco fruit with a wash of sweetness, yet pillow soft, silky and friendly with a nose to die for. Actually it reminds me of the 1985 but a bit darker. Lovely toasted oak, flowers, and a hint of bitter finish. Fine tannins still a little too present. From half bottle this is a little on the young side of its drinking window. A wonderful peek at what this wine will be from 750 when it comes around in perhaps another 3-5 years. A fine way to say farewell to our house in Brooklyn. Consumed from a paper cup, as the movers took everything else. A-
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Stunning. Ever so slight brick at the edge. The nose is all tobacco. Tasting it, after 2 hours in the decanter, it's silky smooth with an enormous length. The flavour is perhaps cherry with maybe a little mint giving it some sharpness.
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outer layer of tobacco, cigar...mouth watering juicy smooth, yet dry, balanced structure...very very pleasant and drinkable...the bottle was too easy to finish by myself...was hoping for more bite, but tannin was starting to come out near the end. delicious.
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Ruby with hints of slight bricking around the edges, this maturing wine displays scents of cedar wood, damp earth, cassis, mushroom and cigar box aromas. The wine is full bodied, tannic and concentrated. In the mouth, it's like taking a big bite of juicy Cabernet Sauvignon. This is developing nicely and will continue improving for at least another 20 more years.
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Medium ruby color with strong Pauillac earth and truffle on the nose. The medium bodied silky texture just caresses the palate with flavors of dark cherry, tobacco, pencil shavings, black tea, truffle mushrooms, and thyme. Very soft and smooth tannins on the finish, but this has enough structure, density and ripeness that can make it last another 10 years. Drink now until 2021.
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Julian S-M's 1996 Bordeaux (Hawksmoor, London): Lovely nose in the cool, minty spectrum. very elegant and harmonious. Lovely energy and lift. All there. Nicely persistent. More open than the Palmer but non-the-less, this has time in hand. ***(*1/2)
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Opened in a restaurant as birthday celebration. Decant for 1 hour. Dark ruby red colour, honey-like consistency coating the glass. Impressive bouquet sweet cassis, ripe blackberry, smoke, barbeque meat, and lead pencil notes and forest floor, earthy. Palatal velvet feel, leathery silk, cigar-box, strong and structured tannin with balanced acid. Impressive medium creamy finish. Cellar potential for 5 or more years. A7P7C6
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Delicious! This wine was delightful right from the git go. the colour is a beautiful crystal garnet. No bricking just beautiful. All of the points for color. The nose is earth, graphite, spice, pepper, mushroom. smoke, meat. The flavors are that of a mature and classy Bordeaux. Excellent balance, everything working together. Really mellow and delicious. Graphite, earth, mature tart fruit, mushroom, grilled meat, pepper and spice. I have to believe that this wine is is in prime time. I have one more bottle and will try to keep my hands off for another year.
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Tasted blind. Huge pencil shavings, some green bell pepper. Cool sous-bois, blackberries. Very fine powdery tannins. Very good - though I thought it to be a St. Estephe.
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Drinking in a sweet spot now they should last another 8-10 years at least. Dark, generous fruit with somewhat firm tannins. We were going to have this with a big filet but we weren't hungry so we skipped the steak and drank this for dinner instead! Good choice....
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From 37,5 cl. Remarkable development over the two hours after opening. At cellar temperature, on opening, closed down tight, with little scent and a thin, crabby, tannic palate. After 40 minutes in decanter an unpleasantly powerful smell of what I believe is politely called "barnyard", but to my nose is just a nasty mixture of manure, carpet glue and methane gas; the massively sugary entry lacks purity and is way out of line with the savoury, tannic, Pauillac elements on the mid palate and an unattractively dry, tongue-furring finish. 2 hours after opening (and paired with a steak) this moody prima donna of a claret finally settles down (and reminds me strongly of Lynch Bages 1985). Still more "barnyard" than anything else on the nose, but some of the more disturbingly defecatory elements have subsided, letting some sexy, balsamic, deep, savoury, spice box notes peep through. Surprisingly no cedar or tobacco aromas. The palate is more linear now, freshly planed cedar-wood on the entry; very sweet mid-palate, great warm balsamic length on the finish, which is for me the aspect which pushes this (just) into the 90+P league this evening. I saw this wine on a restaurant menu at 345€ the other night, which really scares me in retrospect, not merely because I bought these bottles for the equivalent of 72€/75cl, but because I can hardly imagine how somebody paying that stupendous amount of money would actually ever experience what this wine has in store (how many people will call in advance and get it decanted in adequate time?) At 2:30 hours, finally the tobacco comes through, but the palate is still developing, the sweetness is again out of balance with the tannins, and the finish is drying once more. What a rollercoaster. What a fascinating wine. Revisit this time next year... 90P(?)
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Two years since my last bottle which showed surprisingly soft, this one is showing very nicely - vigorous black fruits, tannins that are softening but still need a few years to fully resolve, which still give structure and frame the palate nicely, the palate softening and approaching a smooth, cohesive place. Silky mouthfeel, with some underlying tension against the still unresolved tannin and the hearty fruit. No harm in drinking this now, although it's more like a teenager that is showing potential but you know will be much more impressive with a few years. Lunch with cousin Dave at Rothmann's.
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Tobacco box and forest floor and a tannic pinch give way with decanting to a rich complex Bordeaux with delicious black fruit, sweet cassis, and royal power. Ready now and good for twenty years.
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Delivers everything I'd want in a left bank claret. Powerful cassis and blackberry fruit combining seamlessly with vivid graphite, cedar and tobacco leaf accents; quite ripe and powerful but impeccably balanced. Drinking beautifully right now after a quick double decant. Fantastic.
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Definitely old world. Green pepper, cedar, leather, white pepper and nice restrained cabernet fruit. Did not have the explosiveness of the last bottle I had. Not sure if the extended decant was the problem, or just not a great bottle. Was a nice bottle, but nothing special
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2nd and last bottle from my cellar consumed at local byob w/lamb. Popped and poured after an hour. I liked it, but not as much as first bottle. Still dark purple and nice nose of plum and herbs. Earthy smooth, balanced palate with sour cherry, cedar, crushed stones and a hint of tar. No tannins, but alas not a lot of fruit either. Probably will live on for a long time, but ready to drink now.
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Drank alongside the 1995. Loved both, but found more fruit and complexity here. The fruit and tannins stood out, with the cedar, leather and lead pencil providing 'Oscar-worthy' supporting roles. Crowd favorite which featured M-Rothschild, and Gruaud LaRose
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Paper filtered and decanted leaving a fine residue of silt in the filter and yielding a wine of dark purple with a rich aroma of wood and dark fruit, cassis and spices. This was a very rich and full wine with a lingering finish on the palate and an extraordinary depth of flavor. Drank it with a '95 which seemed almost like a Pinot by comparison to the richness and body of the '96. Drinking beutifully now, but, probably, unlike the 95, could stand another year or three in the bottle to start exploding.
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Had it side by side with Pontet Canet 1996. The Lynch Bages was more sexy and forward. Better and fuller nose og graphite, blackberries, leather and smoke. Very, very nice bouquet!! Sweet attack and full bodied. Mature tannins which are still there in considerable amount. This great LB will continue to evolve for at least 10 years and will keep for 20+
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One of the great Lynch Bages. This wine never dissapoints. It has it all: A nose to die for (a consistent hallmark of this wine), with great ripe cabernet fruit, ripe tannins. Classic Pauillac.
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Very nice. Consistent with my previous note; big nose and palate with black currents, pencil, earth and cigar box. Nice balance, powerful yet elegant. Not quite as much going on as the '96 Calon Segur.
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From 375cl. Massive cedar/lead pencil scent immediately on opening, rather diminished after 90 minutes in decanter. Very typical hard-core Lynch Bages, at a good stage for the more raunchy elements of its personality (MENTHOL!) Not appropriate for the slow-cooked beef casserole tonight - would have been much better with sharply grilled steak or lamb chops - bring on the umami. 91P
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Medium to light ruby color, just a bit of brick at the rim. This took an hour in the glass to shed an uninviting, dry mineral edge, and overtones of barnyard and yeast, eventually revealing a classic if fading nose of cigar box, spice, charcoal, and very muted dark fruit. The profile improved through the palate, with smoke and cherry coming forward. Considerable acidity lends an interesting sourness to the fruit, almost a dill pickle juice quality, with some remaining tannins emerging on the warm and lingering finish. Overall quite restrained. Not great now, some upside over the next 3 to 6 years, but this may not get any better. I won't buy any more at the current price.
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nose immediately conjures up classic pauillac dominated by cedar, #2 lead pencil, plum, cassis and a sweet and full bodied finish - seemed more on the restrained side and not fully showing all it has to offer but still enjoyable - great future ahead still
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Lynch Bages vertical (Morton's NYC): Strong sweet fruit with high toned acidic tannins. Long finish. Muscular with a sweeter fruit than older vintages, but with good structure. I believe this will round out well, but still needs time. B+
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Very good but still needs time, berry coffee nose with undertones of, not unpleasant, earth vegatal characteristics. recommend decanting an hour or more. classy wine.
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When opened, there was an expressive oaky and sweet grapy fragrance. Exploded a very impressive bouquet after 5 mins. Could already feel the silkiness when I poured the wine. colour: black, opaque, orange rim, good even legs 1st nose: extremely sweet candied cassis, very ripe black berry, smoky but grapy, a very little trace of being meaty and liquorish, finish with obvious lead pencil note 2nd nose: even more lead pencil, Nose: 95 Palate when just opened: rich, medium to full bodied, a bit meaty, lead pencil, chewy, strong and structured tannin but silky, very balanced with some acidity ------------------------------------------------------------------- After 3 hours decanting, showed cute pretty even legs. Can smell that all the flavours have emerged. 1st nose: creme de cassis, ripe and grapy, liquorice, less sweet but more creamy 2nd nose: exciting sweet creme de cassis, bouquet of fruitcake plus liqourice, hint of herbs, soft alcoholic scent Palate: creamy and rich, candied black fruit, lead pencil, hint of leather, trace of roasted herbs, chewy and concentrated, silky and powerful, medium to full bodied, smooth and sweet tannin and right acidity, extremely balanced Finish: long pure sweet finish, 40+ secs. Overall: Mellow. A real Bordaux wine. Good with red meat as it is powerful. At peak in my opinion. 94+
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Nice wine, good Bdx aromatics, but would like to smell a bit more stink to the nose, still pretty correct aromas. Palate is still a bit tight, but drinks fine now. Think this will improve with time. Check again in 2012.
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Definitive Lynch Bages. Lots of ripe black and red fruit, tannins on the back end that are becoming well integrated, and the sense of strong BDX. Like a slightly less complex 1989. Will keep improving for a while, but all about power and not grace.
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Tasted January 13, 2010 at a retail tasting. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of tobacco, smoke, black cherries and black berries. Flavors of black berries and tart cherries. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium body. Drink or hold.
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Smoke and cedar prefumes the glass. However found that it was a bit thin on fruit and slightly hollow mid palate, ready to drink, not sure it'll get any better.
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A fine demonstration of cabernet character, pleasing elements of tobacco and graphite, all robed in tastefully done oak. Elements in nice balance, with young but well-integrating tannins. Lots of patrician, classic, left bank style.
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Angela's Birthday Party (Crown Wine Cellars, Hong Kong): Decanted for 4 hours. Black opaque colour with slightly purple translucency at the edges. Touch of initial barnyard on the nose but quickly replaced by very distinctive pencil lead backed up by shy traces of cassis. Fantastic fresh, fruity palate of precise rich blackcurrents and some blackberries immediately framed on the back end by precise acidity and understated but balancing slightly reticennt drying tannins. Very impressive length and good resonance in the head on the finish. It seems to be just entering its proper drinking window and is the epitome of good claret. Great stuff.
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Wedding wine consumed on our anniversary, over dinner at FCC. This is hitting on all cylinders, great fruit,some earthiness, lots of depth and complexity. Every bit as good as we remember from our wedding, with added nuance and class from bottle age.
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Open opening this was incredibly bretty with just a little green bean poking out above the barnyard. After three hours in the decanter it sprang to life with complex characteristics of damp earth, old saddle leather, grilled herbs, plum, a cherry top-note, rock dust and licorice. Wonderful weighting on the palate with a fresh, bracing finish. There are modest tannins that add nicely to the texture. At this point, a demanding wine that draws you in but then pushes you away. Should hit the start of its peak window in 5 years.
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Dark purple black. Great nose of leather, barnyard, black currant, pencil shavings, spiice, really lovely. Softer and more ebolbed than I expected on the palate, mid to fullish weight, great interplay of black fruits, a bit of funkiness, and spice. Long finish. Great with grilled rib-eyes.
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Popped and poured. Dark purple. An enjoyable nose of black fruits, lead pencil and a tad of funk (in a good way). Fine palate of black currant, black cherry, mushroom and charcoal. Balanced and integrated from start to fine finish. Ready to drink, but with years to go. In time this could be as good as the 89 I had recently. Some sediment. An outstanding wine that was very good with loin lamb chops.
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12.5%. I have had this several time and I poured this last of the four. It felt like coming home. Warm and comfort. M trying to not be bias, but can't find any reason to deny this is my favourite of the four bottle by at two notches. Opaque purple colour with bouquet of chocolate, creme de cassis, blackcurrant, pencil lead, and dark red cherries. A lot more dimension and notes when compared to the others. Mid-weight plummy fruit and expressive, complex secondary flavors of mushrooms, tobacco, and herbs. Long finish, still high tannins, wonderful sweetness, massive richness on the mid-palate, and abundant power, density, and ripeness. Glad that I have more of this beauty. It would be brilliant idea to pit this against 1989, 1990 and 2000. Anyone game for this vertical of finest Lynch Bages?
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Berry Bros & Rudd - Bordeaux Psyche (Berry Bros, London): Nose: cigarbox, leather, brambles Mouth: Tannic and meaty, some fruit there but still quite closed, for me, almost austere but not in a bad way. Good mouth feel and a lovely long finish. Rating reflects relative price as well - if it was a bit cheaper it would be 93-94.
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I opened and double decanted immediately before serving. this wine was wonderful right then and continued to open up for a few hours. It had everything you deisre from a Lynch Bages. The wine seemed to be in great shape and I anticipate it will last several years longer.
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best showing yet for this wine- decanted for about 45 minutes- finally shedding baby fat and tannins- spectacular lynch bages- smoky and fruit and sweet tannins- not quite a t prime time yet but this is gonna last a long time- one of the better ones- better than '89/90? for me, maybe so. better than the '00? not yet.
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With Randy. This wine is really quite satisfying and in a good place. Unmistakable Bordeaux palate featuring black fruit, cassis, sweet earth, melted truffle and a bit of Pauillac graphite. There is an upfront lushness, creaminess even, a slightly diluted midpalate and then a fuller, more expressive finish. The texture here is surprisingly resolved, with a creaminess to the mouthfeel and softer tannin. Drinking quite well now. Could this possibly be at peak? The softness of the tannins would suggest that, yet the dilute midpalate asks for more cellar time to bulk up and gain some more depth. Overall, this comes across not as a firm, young Bordeaux, but one that has softened with age and is already approachable; a Lynch Bages that is at this point after only 12 years, from a structured vintage, is surprising.
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Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux 1996 Vintage (Rodwell House): A subdued nose that slowly releases whiffs of chocolate, pressed red flowers, ripe blackcurrant, mineral and cigar box. Medium-bodied, the texture is soft and round initially but builds to a more soft mineral, silky but then crushed velvet tannins that gives a beautiful lightweight structure to the wine. The mineral is that touch of lemon acidity but the wine stays its course with some Pauillac lead pencil, more linear frame that leads to a long finish. A fresh and lingering wine that I really enjoyed if perhaps a little compact and tighter than expected.
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opened to celebrate inauguration decanted 2 hours still dark with primary aromas of dark fruit and little underbrush. Initially smooth entry finished with medium tannins and medium to long length. This seems still young but there is pleasure there. If I had another bottle, I would hold for 3-5 years.
remainder placed in 1/2 bottle and corked and resampled 2 days later, with similar profile but slight fall off in aromatics...makes me think this has upside to storage (goes from a 90 to 92 on my rating)
5+13+16+8=92
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Lynch Bages Tasting (Don's House): This bottle was decanted about 3 hours before it was tasted. Beautiful wine and my second place WOTN. Definitely the most aromatic of the wines tasted with an explosive nose of cassis and dark fruit. Like the '89 this wine continued to develop and improve over the course of the evening. Delicious layers of earth, spice and fruit with excellent balance and the backbone to go more years.
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Ruby color with no signs of bricking. Intoxicating nose of classic Pauillac scents, with cigar box, leather, earth, cherries, graphite and stinky socks. The palate is light to medium weight with sour red fruit and hints of cedar. The finish is smooth and silky and has very nice length. Overall this is what I look for in an aged Pauillac. For me the funk in this wine is one of the things that make it special and unique. Wonderful aromas of earth and stinky aged cheeses. This is not a fruity wine with gobs of oak and was never meant to be. Classic Bordeaux through and through.
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New Year's Eve at Steve & Barb's house. Decanted 4 hours. Light purple in the glass, this had a great mouthfeel. Very creamy with red berries and a long finish. Beautifully matched with Barb's beef tenderloin. 50+13+13+9+9 = 94
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Typical brett filled skunk of a Bordeaux of a certain age of a certain place...and it makes me wretch. Fortunately, this stops short of brett-wretch, but still, all respect to CT's host, brett is a flaw and this stuff has it in spades. One wonders how this would be without the brett because it seems to have some nice lively (12-year old?) fruit and a bit of mint (Martha's?) and even some earth, not "terrior (ie-brett)' but a nice earthy resonance. But the brett gets in the way and there is nothing worse than storing a wine for 10 years and having it smell and taste like horse dung on a hot day. Fortunately, newer Bordeaux's have cleaned up their act at least a bit. Now if we can just get the Rhone to follow suit.
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Smooth, full bodied, opened up nicely after several hours, truly a classic Bordeaux blend where Cabernet dominates and leaves you wishing you had more in the bottle
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Nose: Saddle leather and tobacco were the first notes to impress me. Plenty of cassis and black fruit ensemble joined in a supporting cast by charred oak with a spritz of vanillins. Herb wisps also accompany what is my favorite nose when compared/contrasted to the 1995.
Palate: Intense dark fruitiness to the point where you also feel like you are consuming a floral liquid as well. Not surprisingly, the tannins are still in place and should smooth further in time. Cassis party with some mint components and great spices and some lead pencil notes. Mouth coating and lush.
Overall: More approachable than the 1995 and very fruit forward and lush. 93-94 points.
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Lynch Bages Vertical 1961-2005 (Sweets and Savories, Chicago IL): nose: great contrast to the 95, where the 95 was a bit more new world driven, this is just pure, unadulturated bordeaux. Just on the nose alone it screams bordeaux and pauillac with a good healthy dose of cigar tobacco, cedar box, black and dark red cherries, spice tones, pencil lead, and some tones of slightly worn leather
taste: the tannins of 96 are certainly present. While not hard edged, they are plump and firm. More full bodied with a good dose of power providing classic flavors of cigar tobaccco, cedar planks, black and dark red cherries, pencil lead and bits of cassis
overall: if you want something that is just quintessential bordeaux, this is it. There is nothing for a pure new world fan to like about this, and everything for an old world fan to love. Nose and palate are well balanced with a full body to them along with the firm tannins and medium+ acidity. This will be a long term wine and has some good upside. Enjoyable now, but it needs a good decant to get going, this will be a lot more fun in 10 years
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Extremely bretty. If I didn't know I was drinking a glass of wine I'd have been sure I was turning the stable compost. Bottle held up nicely over three days in the cellar, but I never found anything astonishing, only a very good bord with a lot of stuffing.
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Mildly corked. Immediate musty scent. Straight after opening startlingly brilliant taste, but after decanting the nasty smell predominates. In mouth, 4 hours later: deep, intense sour cherry fruit with excellent robust tannins. Long and the quality shows through the mouldy small and mould taste. A bit like an old blue cheese. 86P
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Not giving much this evening. Pooped and poured was not the way to go. Dark and brooding color. Very slight nose of Paulliac and the same for the palate. Needs lots of time, 4 or 5 more years minimum, based on this bottle. I believe it is all there, waiting to break the shell.
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Good, but not great. Might be entering a dead period, or might be that we had it after a 1987 Heitz MV, which was rich and delicious. Very dry cherry flavors, with earth and mineral. Well balanced, might just need time.
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Tasted Blind showing a nice crimson hue with little to no signs of bricking at the edge. With scents of funk, earth, leather, smoke, pencil shavings and graphite this wine screamed of Pauillac. In the mouth there was a nice caressing of the palate with flavors of black currants, cedar, tobacco, and bakers chocolate at the tail end. I couldn't get enough of this wine...absolutely lovely and a long life ahead for this wine.
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Bruce brought this to a wine dinner. Simply explosive aromas of dark currant, cedar, pencil shavings and warm leather. Beautiful and profound wine, at a great drinking window right now. Opened up in the glass and became even more expressive as the evening progressed.
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Tried this wine with thirtyoneknots...a little more impressed with it then he was. Fabulous nose when opened, rich cassis with some damson (at last a chance to use 'damson'). Tried after roughly an hour and for a few hours more. Elegant, but solid (yup...its a Lynch-Bages alright). I have always been struck by the consistency of LB, and once again, a classic representation of what Pauillac should be, at least at a minimum. It took an oddly long time for the trademark cedar and pencil-box characteristics to emerge, but emerge they did. Definite sense that this wine was nowhere near at its peak, which is not surprising. Yet another wine once considered "second" in the estimation of many that has seen its stock rise to the point where it is climbing into ominous price ranges like so many Bordeauxs. If you want to explain Pauillac to a newbie, do it with Lynch-Bages.
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Decanted for sediment and left in for 1 hour, then returmed to bottle for transport, poured back in decanter upon arriving and left in for around 3 hours. Very integrated and still youthful on the palate, though showing a tinge of the color an aged wine will bring. Very nice fruit but not a lot of earthyness that I might expect from an aged Bordeaux. I would imagine this has a long way to go yet, and while extremely pleasant, it doesn't excite me the way some wines do. That said, much, much better than the 96 Leoville-Barton tasted a few weeks ago.
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For Mom's 70th birthday dinner - very good wine but I could have used a little more charm - tobacco, cedar, sour cherries - still has a good amount of tannin but reasonably good to go.
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From a Bordeaux tasting at BBR. Only a quick sketchy note taken at the time. Circa €160 per bottle. For me this was the wine of the tasting, narrowly beating off the 1995 Leoville Barton and the 1994 Trotanoy (the other wines tasted were the 2004 Villa Bel Air Blanc, the 2001 Berry's Own St Estephe (Phelan-Segur), the 2001 du Tertre, the 1997 Magdelaine, and a 2002 Berry's Own Sauternes (Suduiraut)). Decanted 1 hour. Distinctive Lynch Bages Pauillac nose of cassis (always juicy yet dry!) and graphite shavings. Excellent balance on the palate, great length. Super.
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Based on previous bottles, I thought these were ready to drink. This was more reticent than I remembered, and probably begged for more bottle age. Still, a nice Pauillac with black currents, pencil lead, cigar box.
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Kitchen Tasting Group does Lynch Bages: Deep blackish red color. Expressive nose offering syrupy red fruit, tobacco, mushroom and smoke. Awesome. In the mouth the texture is thick but silky. Dark fruit complemented by tobacco and coffee. This is still very tannic. Nice length on the finish. This is a great bottle of wine.
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Tasting Group Dinner - Lynch Bages (JP's American Bistro, Minneapolis): Redder fruit than the 2000. Mid-weight plummy fruit and expressive, complex secondary flavors of mushrooms, tobacco, and herbs. Long finish. Seems to be coming into its own. I was expecting this to be dense, blockbuster, and hugely concentrated, but it was actually quite elegant and full of finesse.
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A very attractive bright and deep ruby color and a very expressive nose, with scents of kirsh, leather, tar, forest floor, pepper and ripe red fruits. On the palate is silky and powerfull. Full-bodied with still high tannin, this wine is realy a sleeping beauty! Harmonius with wonderfull flavors of licorice, currants, plums, cherries, red forest fruits, minerals and spices. Everything you want from a masculin Bordeaux. Endless peppery aftertaste. Nice!!!
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The nose was closed down when tried but the flavours seemed open and ready. Still this wine didn't seem to match the reviews I'd read before or since and I wonder if there might have been something off with the bottle.
50+5+10+16+8=89
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Good nose. Floral with raspberries. Smooth and musty earthy. Not as deep as I would like but nice strucutre. Boudeax lovers would favor it. Drinking well right now.
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Still quite dark. Nice earthy aromas, a touch of light pipe tobacco. Very silky in the mouth, not a rough edge. Medium bodied with black cherries and some savory notes. Tannins seem fully integrated. Decent acidity still present. 30 second finish. My note seems a little unfocused to me and I think it is a reflection of my impression of the wine.
FWIW: Decanted 1.5 hours,poured back into bottle, brought to Lucques (LA) Went nicely with saddle of lamb.
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96 lynnch bages vs 96 penfolds bin 707 vs 95 insignia..no losers in the bunch. Around the world theme . Similar vegative nose. Insignia was #1 at the table. Lynch the classic and the penfolds was just very good
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Powerful bramble and cedar scent leaps out of bottle(!) even at cellar-cool-12C. Utterly delicious on opening: sharp cherry acidity and plenty of gently sweet pungent fruit.
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Seattle Tasting Group does Pauillac (Seattle, WA): Wow, the most impressive wine of the night to this point. This didn't get much air, just a quick double-decant about 2 hours before service. It definitely started out a bit reticent but then opened to show cassis, charcoal and menthol. Mmm, this has a rich mid-palate, gorgeously balanced, taut, young, a bowl of cherries. Impeccable. This finishes out beautifully. Fantastic showing for a terrific young wine!
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My previous impressions remain unchanged; at a nice stage. Beautiful synergy between fruit (black currents) and secondary (earthy) aromas and flavors. Nice balance, very elegant.
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At a great stage. Beautiful synergy between fruit (black currents) and secondary (earthy) aromas and flavors. Nice balance, very elegant. Four glasses breathing filled the entire room with that special maturing bordeaux bouquet.
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Gamey pungency on the nose that segues to cedar as the wine opens up. Remains firm in the mouth with plenty of drying tannin and a taciturn personality that's the very opposite of seductive. The fruit is still young but kind of tart. Mostly the wine just flexes its muscles and growls. No fun today.
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Great color, with intense black fruit, road tar (a la Ch Michelin), and great balance with the substantial tannins. Has 5+ yrs easy. Top 5 out of 33 wines.
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Tasted September 30, 2006 at an offline. Opened and decanted about 1 hour before serving in a Riedel restaurant series tasting glass. Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose is still a little tight dominated mostly by Kirsch with a touch of dried herbs and leather. Flavors of blackberries, graphite, white pepper and just a touch of bitters on the finish. Medium acidity with firm tannins and full bodied. This one is just about at the start of its’ drinking window but I’d recommend holding another 3-4 years to be safe. No hurry. It has many years ahead.
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1996 Bordeaux Tasting at CWS (Southlake, Texas): Classic wine with what I call the “Lynch-Bages” characteristics definitely present that I have problems putting into words—sort of a mixture of lead pencil and earthy herbs. I really want to visit this winery to see what grows in the vineyards and vicinity. It is a very unique flavor that I’ve picked out in all the well cared for Lynch-Bages wines I have had. This wine just seems like it is entering its drinking window, and it will evolve greatly in the future. Lots of upward potential.
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Glorious wine. Pleasant but a bit one dimensional when first decanted but opened up beautifully after an hour and supreme after 2. Very forward for a 10 year old Bordeaux - not fully mature but quite approachable. A very soft, lush wine. Supreme Pauillac aromas of blackcurrants and lead pencils, same flavour. Became richer and fuller over time, a touch of menthol too. This will be better in 5 years but is a rewarding drink now. Anyone who loves Bordeaux should have at least one or two bottles of this in their cellar. A potential 96 score in a few years.
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Lola Tasting: Blind Red 8 - Chocolatey sweet nose. Sweet concetrated dark fruit with some mocha. Good. N good guesses on this one either. This turned out to be a good tasting and the food at Lola was the best it has been for me in many visits.
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Deep coloring of garnet, headed toward brick. Powerful aromas of earth, truffle, perhaps a bit of mushroom? Astringent but pleasant tannins. Long, long finish.
Probably needed more air time.
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1996 Bordeaux Horizontal: 1996 Horizontal. Nicely complex. Leather, toast. Not as open as some of the other wines. On day 2 this was still holding up very well. Long life ahead. Not quite ready yet. B++
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An Eclectic Group of Cabernets: The second of two French wines in an eclectic blind tasting of cabernet. This wine had a big dose of the funk that would not blow off. Most could recognize a mature, well developed, rich palate beneath the barnyard with currents and minerals and tobacco - but too many couldn’t overlook the persistent unclean odor. Based on previous posts I have to think this was an off bottle. NR
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Brought to Jeff's wine dinner at Ibiza in New Haven. Still a very young wine & we probably should have given it more air, but this struck me as pretty balance, powerful and complex. Has a long way to go and should be a real treat when the tannins integrate more!
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Extraordinary. Wonderful nose of cassis and lead pencil with a slight alcoholic heat. Great aromas after an hour of decanting. Full round fruit with tannins that are already manageable. Will clearly be even better over time, but very enjoyable now. Deep, terrific color. Nice finsh.
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Still a baby, even though this was decanted for three hours and was in 375 format. This is a beautiful wine though. Tons of tobacco and lead pencil wafting through a huge mouthful of dark berries. Give this a few more years and if you've got mags or larger, you better be VERY patient.
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1996 Bordeaux Blend: Cinq Cepages vs Lynch Bages (Tahoe Dollar Point): Wonderful wine, great density and richness, full flavored fruits with substantial tannins in the mouth feel. Initially closed up but opened up with decanting; this is a classic Lynch Bages with years of pleasure ahead. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and Petit Verdot.
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This bottle was very different than the bottle I had a few months ago. Very closed, way too young to drink. This was all coffee, from nose to toes, it was like bathing in coffee grounds in a cedar tub. Occasionally some cherry fruit would poke through but this bottle was dominated by earth tones. I love Lynch Bages, this time it came up short...
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Beautiful color! Classic Pauillac cedar on the nose. Wonderfull black currant flavors with a zippy touch of pepper. Nicely balanced. Excellent now, better in 2-4 years.
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Very nice. This wine still appears young and seems to have a lot of life left. It is very dark and tastes of blackberries, currants and plums. It also has an essence of herbs in it. The tannins are firm but do not overweigh the fruit and there is a nice long finish. All in all seems to represent a good Bordeaux well.
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Lots of cassis, pencil, sour cherry. Full & woody, a little flat. Tannins are tame but fruit hasn't come forward yet. Bits of herb. Lead pencil. Tobacco leaf. Fruit a little dry. B-
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I have a lot of '96 Medocs socked away in storage - but tonight I finally tasted one of them from a friend's bottle. This blew me away - from the incredibly pure and ripe nose of cassis fruit to the wonderfully creamy texture of the mid-palate and the long, rich finish. I'm glad I have some of this, but this tasting makes me think I need to get some more.
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Wine tasting. Good black fruit, but clearly obscured by big tannins and acidity today. This needs lots more time, but the structure is way bigger than the fruit for now.
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Ruby-red appearance. I was very surprised by the amount of secondary nuances in the bouquet. Sure, lots of dark berries, but also forest floor and cigarbox. This wine smells really good. And very convincing it is, flowing through the mouth in that subtle understated, yet compelling and complex Bordeaux-motion. Maybe a bit "narrow" in structure. The fruit is sweet and seductive, and the fruit-acid seems to suggest good longevity in this wine. But it is remarkably evolved for a 96 classified growth. To me this is just lacking a bit in fruit-concentration, dimension and complexity. The finish could be a tad longer and more tinkling. But it sure is a nice wine.
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Now I’m confused. I think I’m tasting acids but maybe it’s a lack of acid and too much tannin (unbalanced)? I guess I should give this one another try. Maybe a couple more bottles and wait several years, Parker seems to really like this one...
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Rich, concentrated cassis, mint and bitter chocolate nose. Medium-full bodied with excellent structure. Fruity and balanced with firm tannins and a long, toasty finish. Will drink well over the next 10 years.
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4/1/2024 - Tao wrote: 93 Points
The black currant fruits as well as the bell pepper fruits fighting hard for the attention, also, the leathery notes joining the party, are quite interesting! The palate is in my view slightly courser than the modern vintage like the 2000, for example! Still a bit closed at the moment! Takes perhaps another decade to develop!
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3/30/2024 - RobinTeo wrote: 91 Points
The one with Old Bordeaux (Praelum): Quite true to the vintage. By this time we had ascertain this was the 95 vs 96 flight and this was definitely a 1996. Graphite, black soil and dark berries bouquet with a silky and balanced palate with a dense core of fruit and slight residual sweetness - on any other night, this would have been quite a lovely drink but in the company of greats, this stood out as a little lacking.
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3/16/2024 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 96 Points
Pronounced nose intensity with notes of leather, spices, toast, black fruits, coffee. Medium+ acidity and medium+ tannin. Tannin is integrated. Drinking well now and can last many years ahead. Decanting 2-3 hours is recommended personally.
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3/1/2024 - etyc Likes this wine:
Decanted for ~2hrs, this set the stage for the next flight of the '95 Lafite & '96 Cheval. Classic Pauillac nose of graphite, indian-ink, tobacco. Tannins appeared to have been almost fully resolved, this showed good freshness with a tinge of pepper on the palate. Should be even more interesting when it gains more secondary/tertiary development. A nice drop, regardless...
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2/27/2024 - Wine_Hoarder Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bottle sourced from The Wine Society. Really lovely bottle, perhaps light on fruit but, let's be realistic, this is 30 years old. Full of other interesting flavours: tomato leaf, mushroom, forest floor, leather, plum, black cherry. I highly recommend this, and a real treat as I rarely open something so old. Drink but no rush to drink. Serve it with food at the lighter end of the red-wine-pairing spectrum. Simply cooked but anything would do (veg / meat). I will update shortly on a typical WineHoarder mid-week pairing - sausage & lentil casserole. I love sausages, that is my main message.
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1/31/2024 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with previous notes
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1/23/2024 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 89 Points
Past bottles of this vintage have been spectacular, but this sourced bottle was not up to par with prior experiences. Light on fruit, no redeeming secondary flavors ... Hopefully bottle variation. Procured from Benchmark.
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1/4/2024 - angelcyn Does not like this wine:
As many on here at similar ages say rightly, time to open many of these wines while one can, in this case I have outlasted this bottle as it is definitely on a downward spiral, muddy rim and flat fruit all point one way, I shall have to start drinking the likes of these more often and more frequently!
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12/30/2023 - lovemycab Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted and enjoyed over 2 hours at a restaurant. Tannins fully resolved. Secondary notes with tobacco, cedar, cassis. Acquired from a friend who has stored since purchasing on futures so storage was perfect.
This followed a 1996 Talbot, which was nice, but this was on another level!
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12/30/2023 - hkbob Likes this wine: 95 Points
Garnet with a rusty sheen. Pungent nose of cedar, iodine, garrigue and tobacco. Drinking beautifully with mostly secondary fruit flavours gliding seamlessly across the palate. Fully resolved tannins and everything in perfect harmony. Good length on the finish. Ready to go with a short decant. One of the best showings yet for this vintage. Lovely.
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11/21/2023 - steveiiiiii wrote:
No clear fault but not in sync with other notes here. This bottle seemed to be over the hill with little fruit left and with a watery feeling on mid palate. Did not dislike but did not impress at all.
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10/12/2023 - Eric Wright Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pnp. Clearly high quality. Elegant mix of secondary and tertiary. A bit dusty on the nose initially. And flat on the palate. Suggesting it may be over the hill.
Last of the bottle 2-2.5 hours later...much more depth and elegance. Recommend 1-1.5 hour decant
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9/30/2023 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 99 Points
Strong mature fruit, velvet smooth in texture, essentially no tannins, super long finish. I've sampled this wine multiple times in the last 17 years, and this bottle, which I acquired by inheritance, was subjectively the best showing since I the first bottle I opened in 2006. The previous 3 bottles I had, all from WineBid, lacked the strong fruit backbone that made this bottle so spectacular. This bottle was absurdly delicious and reminded me why I fell in love with this wine so many years ago.
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9/27/2023 - mchern02 wrote: 94 Points
2 hours in decanter and really hit stride at hour 4.
Beautiful notes of cedar, current, licorice, blackberry and black currant. Medium body with resolved tannins and light acidity; elegant and suave, not a deep a texture but a pretty one with good length and very approachable. At a plateau but very solid with 3-4 hour+ decant
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9/4/2023 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 93 Points
At Beakys.
Magnum.
Deeply coloured.
Rich intense fragrance, cassis, blood, cedar, tar.
Sweet berries and lightly cedary, rich dark spices add an edge, well balanced, good acidity, youthful structure. Delicious now, no doubt the magnum assisting.
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9/1/2023 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
A couple hours of slow-ox. So youthful and exuberant with classic and intense Left Bank notes of pencil lead, tobacco leaf and bell pepper interlaced with plum fruit. Still lots of structure that is mostly but not fully integrated. Long life ahead.
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8/27/2023 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
PnP
Subtle on the nose with pretty red and blue fruit and some woody/savory components.
Texturally beautiful with medium weight, med+ acid and med tannin.
Drinking great and holding up without issue. The acidity is the only thing that seems a bit unbalanced. That said, it’ll continue to drink well for 10+ years.
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8/19/2023 - Stevie_chams91 wrote: 94 Points
Was amazing. Still fruity held up for 3 + hours
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7/28/2023 - timewithwine Likes this wine:
This wine hasn’t changed much in the past several year (a good thing that shows its longevity). Still “blood red” is the descriptor that best captures the color in the glass. “Seamless” best describes every aspect of this wine from its nose of cedar, mineral, graphite, cassis, plum, and blackberry, to the palate (tracking the nose) to the oh-so-long finish. While nose that is not explosive, it remains beguiling. The tannins are beginning to integrate but still big, yet not angular at all. While not at all primary, this wine has miles to go before it hits maturity. More sediment than a few years ago, but surprisingly not all that much. 13% alc. With grilled beef ribeye (from Meating Place). 07.28.23. Highly Recommended.
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7/16/2023 - bluepeter2020@outlook.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still drinking beautifully, with the fruit a bit subdued. Mod bricking at the edge. A: Cedar and earth P: subdued black fruit and ripe plum, cedar, pencil shavings, mod acid, soft tannins. Definitely still has some life in it, maybe 1-2 years. The sediment was minimal based on its 27 year age.
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7/13/2023 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Commanderie Exec Committee Meeting (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank a glass over 2 hours. This came out of the gate retty ready to play tonight. Bold, with impressive fruit and concentration; ripe red berries, cassis, lacquer, earthy, truffle, a lttle syrupy and dense on the palate with plush tannins, scorched earth and excellent length. I keep saying this is in a nice spot, but it is only going to get better over time.
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6/2/2023 - SARED wrote: 94 Points
Bordeaux vs. Napa 101 (Bobby Vans 54th Street (Thanks Danny!)): Double decanted a few hours before dinner. I wonder if it got a little bit too much air as the nose and palate were less powerful than the last bottle I had tried. Overall, mature example of Bordeaux and a great bottle to share with friends. LB did very well in 1996.
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6/1/2023 - JohnLI Likes this wine: 97 Points
Revisited after 18 months. Opened 3 hours prior. Still brick red rim. At first nose a bit closed but then opened up. This is a wonderful Pauillac. Dominant blackberry fruit but so sweet. Everything in balance. Absolutely delicious and wonderful wine. Can’t wait to drink again.
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5/22/2023 - burg++23 wrote: 92 Points
Nice cigar box nose, the acidity is quite pronounced now, light on the palate
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5/7/2023 - honest bob wrote: 94 Points
From 37,5cl, decanted off gritty sediment 1 hour. Such bottle variation in this format: after 3 inferior bottles, here's one to top even the stellar half noted here on 23.08.2019. Still v. dark purple. Fabulously pure and ripe cassis, cedar and ink-well L-B scent; quite big-bodied entry, luscious purring tannins right from the start; dark, pure purple fruit - more blackberry than blackcurrant on the mid-palate, but thnning out again to some great cassis retronasal action on the finish. Virile, structured, complex, multi-layered and simply delicious. Finally this feels like a fully-mature and balanced wine to me. 94(+)P
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4/14/2023 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
We have been fortunate to have tried this wine 6 times over the last decade and definitely over the years we have seen some variability in its greatness. But this time it was a bit dry and we are not sure if it’s a result of the fruit going away or this bottle was a bit tired.The nose is beautiful, classic and the highlight of the wine. The palate dries out at the end ( this is where St Juliens are better as the juicier fruit holds very well vs the austerity of the Paullacs) 91-92 and better attack this sooner as really the golden years of Lynch Bages are post the 2000 mark.
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4/13/2023 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very little fruit left in this bottle, but secondary characteristics are spectacular
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4/2/2023 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 88 Points
På pappret ett fantastiskt vin, men i afton levererade den "bara" som en mycket bra Bdx.
Missnöjd.
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3/25/2023 - WST Likes this wine:
Brief TN's from last night's B-day party:
Screams "look at me, I'm a classy mature Pauillac!"
Dark fruit, pipe tobacco and cigar box, peat.
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3/23/2023 - RayOB wrote: flawed
Drank at 67
Sadly gone
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3/22/2023 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich and velvety on the attack with a touch of funk. Followed by the purity and strength of structure of Lynch. A very nice Bordeaux, still quite young, years in front of it. The fruit is all blackberry, accompanied by forest floor. Long and complex. Drinking beautifully now and will improve over the next 5 years.
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3/6/2023 - Chimer Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for 3 hours, Colour still deep, classic lead pencil graphite nose, super purity and intensity, the flesh has dropped off this a bit but I'm sure it will return in time. This has wonderful clarity of flavour and brilliant intensity on the long fine finish - so much zip. This has at least a decade of life in it, probably more.
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2/10/2023 - winepaw Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well and should continue to be in a very nice drinking window for several more years. Best of tasting against 5 other mature Bordeaux. Maturing, but still ample, enjoyable dark fruit, soft tannins and smooth finish. Preferred over 1996 Pontet-Canet which was a bit lighter in body and less complex
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1/14/2023 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points
13% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Deep, slightly translucent and moderately evolved black cherry color with a brick-orange rim. The nose is instantly noticeable for an aged Bordeaux but with a slightly sharp and pungent undertone; there are aromas of smoky, chili-driven chipotle character and roasted game along with notes of ripe blackcurrants, some tobacco nuances, a little bit of beef jerky, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, a hint of savory old wood and a ferrous touch of blood. The wine feels silky, textural and quite resolved on the palate with a moderately full body and layered flavors of ripe blackcurrants and gravelly minerality, some evolved notes of salt-cured beef and meat stew, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, a little bit of blood, a hint of earth and a sweeter touch of dried redcurrants. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity, whereas the tannins feel surprisingly sparse, silky and fully resolved. The finish is dry, textural and silky with a long, harmonious aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants and crunchy redcurrants, some evolved meaty tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of meat consommé and a herbaceous touch of chili or even smoky chipotle.
A harmonious and moderately evolved Bordeaux quite close to its peak. Surprisingly, this wine seemed noticeably younger and less evolved when I tasted this vintage seven years ago, and I thought it was a bit closed but it had a lot of potential for further evolution. However, now, as the wine has aged some and definitely evolved, I'm not sure if the wine has gotten qualitatively any better. It doesn't feel as closed, but the wine has only developed some meaty notes and evolved its herbaceous chili notes into more pungent, smoky chipotle tones. While adding some tertiary complexity, I'm not sure if I prefer them compared to how the wine was earlier. Furthermore, as the tannins have mellowed down with age, I feel the wine was a bit lacking in structure - the wine came across a bit more evolved and slightly underwhelming compared to other 1996 Bordeaux wines we tasted at the same time. Of course this all might be just because of bottle variation - maybe we had a better bottle seven years ago? Who knows. Even if this wasn't as terrific as the bottle we had tasted earlier, this was still a thoroughly enjoyable Pauillac with some age. While getting quite evolved, I'd say there is no hurry with this wine. Even if it doesn't evolve much from here, it will keep for a long time.
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12/29/2022 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Talking Bordeaux (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Very dark red/purple color. Slow-O for a couple hours. I'll stand by my notes from about 2 years ago; this young LB is drinking nicely already with some air, but it is going to be better down the road. Now how far down that road is the question. I'd probably sit on them for another 3+ years or really give them some air unless you have a very long evening to watch it evolve. Notes of charcoal, scorched earth, tobacco, cassis, slightly herbal with dried oak, deeply layered a bit firm. This just kept getting better and better in the glass all night. 93pts tonight and 93 to 95(+)pts potential.
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12/24/2022 - golby24 wrote: 94 Points
Delicious, still well balanced with good acidity and fruit and secondary tastes to finish off.
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12/23/2022 - mayfield Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delightful wine. Benefits from a 30 min decant. Doesnt have the power and opulence of 2000, 2005, 2009 and some of the more recent vintages under Jean Charles, but is very well made, and very Lynch.
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12/19/2022 - NickA wrote: flawed
Gareth's "best of the 80s and 90s" (Hawksmoor Guildhall): Was really looking forward to this, as it was excellent when I last drank it, but alas it was sufficiently corked that the lovely wine underneath couldn't really be enjoyed.
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12/19/2022 - Paul D wrote: flawed
Gareth's Bordeaux Dinner - Hawksmoor Guildhall - Best of 80s and 90s (Hawksmoor, Guildhall, London): Corked.
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11/30/2022 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle had almost no perceptible fruit, all secondary characteristics. Didn't bother me, but others at the table were not so impressed. Might be some bottle variation, as other bottles sampled in recent years have been more balanced.
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10/13/2022 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fully mature, this is in its prime drinking window and still benefits from an hour or two in the decanter. The nose is mature with notes of plum, blackcurrant and cedar. The palate is developed and integrated with excellent balance and the finish is harmonious and pushing 30 seconds. My only barrier to a higher rating is a lack of depth end palate and on the finish. 93+
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9/16/2022 - sastewart wrote: 95 Points
Opened 3 hours aheadClassic left bank Bordeaux. Beautiful nose of graphite, tobacco, cedar and dark fruits. Creamy texture with pure ripe dark fruits, earth and minerals. Drinking at peak. 95points.
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8/28/2022 - angelcyn Likes this wine:
At my age time to start opening these, medium colour in glass nice graduated rim, nose of black fruits took awhile to come out but aromatic when it did, medium bodied again black fruits and little else, good balance but this is not a complicated wine for those who like to delve, decent drink but to me an average Lynch Bages if there is such a thing, given a couple of hours decant which briought the aromas out but changed little on the palate.
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8/18/2022 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Opened and decanted for a few hours. Black plum and cassis with harmonious structure in the near background. Very balanced and very good length. Best I can ever recall from this wine, that seems to have finally reached its happy place.
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8/6/2022 - wfm Likes this wine: 95 Points
Much better this time. Decanted for 30 mins. All of the classic Bordeaux notes had come together beautifully.
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6/18/2022 - WineGuyFL wrote: 92 Points
I thought this wine would be in a little better place by now. It was decanted for two hours before dinner. The last glass was consumed about two hours later......for a total of about four hours. The last glass was not any better. The wine was not bad. It was OK, but just not what I expected. It has been well stored, so I doubt it status is my fault. I wish I could figure this one out.
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5/31/2022 - MRichman wrote:
Still a bit stiff and could open up more. Great solid, grippy fruit. After a while and some air the wine opened up beautifully. Decant and aerate if drinking now. Excellent with further potential.
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5/30/2022 - Brad Tsai Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened and drank memorial weekend. Decanted for 30 minutes. Burgundy color, nice floral and dark fruit on the nose. Medium body, tobacco, leather, currant and loads with dark fruit long finish. No wonder they said sleeper for this vantage. I’ll give it thumbs up!!!
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5/30/2022 - Brad Tsai Likes this wine: 95 Points
We enjoyed this with family. It is fruit forward (currant, licorice) with a smokey leather and tobacco finish. It is complex and full bodied with a rich burgundy color.
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5/15/2022 - MikePemulis Likes this wine: 95 Points
In an awesome spot right now. Great bouquet on opening, so smooth with the fruit feeling really precise. Not nearly as much tertiary flavors as a bottle of '89 we had a few weeks ago. This is definitely in my preferred sweet spot (totally mellowed tanins with the fruit profile still predominating vs the leather / tobacco profile). If the 2000 starts drinking like this in 5 years or so it will be killer.
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5/15/2022 - WST Likes this wine:
Charity Wine Function for Whatcom Hospice House (Samish Hill, Bellingham, WA): I loved this wine, although it could have used a longer decant or more time in the cellar. Very classic; dark fruit and cassis, tobacco box. Tannins add texture.
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4/29/2022 - Anders Danielsen Lie wrote: 90 Points
Klassisk bordeauxnese med litt grønne toner. CS frukt, tobakk, seder, blyant. God vin men mtp forventninger er smaken mest skuff med litt vandig midtparti, syretørr med kort utgang og overflatisk frukt. Volatil med aromatisk kollaps dagen etter åpning. Muligens ikke perfekt flaske men manglende fokus i frukten avslører at den nok aldri var helt minneverdig
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4/4/2022 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slow ox for two hours. Black fruit and tobacco on the nose. The palate is medium to full bodied, very classic and balanced. Lovely black fruit, tobacco and lead pencil. This doesn’t blow you mind with complexity or length but for a mature classic bordeaux it’s a good choice.
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3/22/2022 - Cailles wrote: 93 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: At first , the nose was rather muted. With time and swirling it opened up revealing dark fruits and some burnt sugar notes. I guess with more time or a proper decant the nose could have been even better. The palate shows dark berries, minerality some herbs. Not much tertiary development yet and not a lot of depth, nor great precision. With time a few more nuances popped up. The tannins have melted and lost the rough edges, the acidity is high and there is a touch of creaminess which overall leads to good drinking flow. There are better 96s out there but liked this Lynch (92/93 pts). This came in the same flight as the 1995 which, like so many other 95s, is very weak (the 95 vintage has been overrated in the 90s, I think today, the market has catched up and no longer rates as highly).
Decanting: This will need 2-3 hours in a decanter.
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3/16/2022 - JulianSkeels wrote: 93 Points
Lots of interest - but a touch green, tomato stem alongside graphite, cedar and new tobacco. Also lacks density in the mouth - bit watery and without the creaminess of top Lynch vintages. Didn’t hold up well when recorked for a few days. Drink soon. Relatively disappointing
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3/14/2022 - sirpat00 wrote: 93 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:
This didn‘t exactly have world-class precision with pretty blurry, hard to discern aromas. That said, complexity was there if you fully focus. Tobacco, cigar box and wood, a bit of spice, mixed dried berries as well as perfumed and floral dimensions. A juicy palate with good tension, good balance and overall very high drinkability.
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3/6/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Cedar, tobacco leaf, pepper, red currants are there for the taking on the nose. With an hour of air, the wine softens and develops more secondary nuances, finishing with a savory edge to the spicy red berries in the finish.
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3/3/2022 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
wine buddies monthly meeting at Adina's (at Adina's): quite good, though not excellent - due to vintage, probably
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2/20/2022 - MRichman wrote:
Delicious. This is now ready to drink. Dark fruit, smoky, well resolved tannins. Kind of a dense, serious wine. Excellent.
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2/12/2022 - jayw wrote:
Plenty of fruit and, unfortunately, a touch of brett, but not too bad. Tannins are fully integrated. Short finish. Okay nose. It was fine with roast lamb dinner, but nothing special.
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2/9/2022 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ikke dekantert. Super flaske, ikke i nærheten av å ha nådd toppen, men heller ikke ung, herlig frukt, syre og tanniner der de skal være, litt spiss, men gjennomgående herlig nese. Gøy!
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1/23/2022 - SoCal wrote:
Unfortunately this wine is declining. My last bottle and I am glad that previous ones were in better shape. Drink now.
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1/16/2022 - zimmy07 Likes this wine: 90 Points
I was hoping for fireworks from this wine. Wine still has life left for sure but just a rather average result. Classic cedar, pencils shavings with integrated dark fruit, but nothing really special. I would have guessed a $30 bottle of Bordeaux. I love Lynch Bages, one of my favorites, but this was not on point. Just an off bottle as other 1996 Boardeuaxs have been excpetional of late..
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1/2/2022 - bobadopolis Likes this wine:
Predominant taste of brett which was difficult to look past. This vintage has otherwise been excellent in the past.
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12/27/2021 - JohnLI Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank at Wine Club. Went down very well. Brick red rim. Lovely nose of pencils and cassis, drinking beautifully at the moment. Plenty of time still, at least 5 years
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12/25/2021 - Weinberg Falls wrote: 91 Points
I'm really struggling to fall in love with this despite it being a class act. Wonderful nose but the palate is just so austere and unforgiving. A tough old lady, whether there is a heart of gold here still remains to be seen.
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12/25/2021 - honest bob wrote: 88 Points
From 37,5cl, decanted 1 hour. Closed, crabby, vaguely red-fruit-oaky scent; entry and mid-palate dominated by very high acidity—fruit? yes, something red-purple but alas not identifiable—tannic carapace; short finish. On the sterner side of Pauillac as usual, but I think of Lynch Bages as being more boisterous than this dour, sour customer. Wonder where my remaining half bottles are heading, as there has been such major bottle variation so far, and look forward to opening a 75cl next year to compare. 88-89P(?)
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12/20/2021 - hkbob Likes this wine: 94 Points
The '96 Lynch Bages has been a consistent performer for many years now. Excellent Pauillac typicity with its cassis, pencil lead, tobacco, earth and cedar-tinged nose and finish. This glides effortlessly across the palate, its fully resolved tannins leading to a lingering, cashmere finish. Always a treat.
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12/5/2021 - malbrecht wrote: 94 Points
Really nice wine. Very expressive nose reveals cassis, cedar, and graphite. Opens with blackberry and cassis, transitioning to a singing back end of forest bark, leather, and graphite that lingers for quite some time. Nicely resolved tannins. Still lots of fruit on the front end and I imagine this will go for another 10-15 years at least.
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11/21/2021 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
In an early drinking window with abundant plum and cherry fruit accented by cedar, bell pepper, tobacco leaf and mulch. Loads of fruit but the structure isn’t yet seamless so there’s a grit to the back palate and finish. An outstanding mid-aged Bordeaux drinking a decade younger than its age. Better in 5-10 years.
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11/7/2021 - tbabes wrote: 94 Points
Double decanted two hours before dinner. Deep garnet with no bricking. Classic Paulliac bouquet, with notes of cedary cassis, black truffle, crushed stones; hints of campfire and earth. Medium bodied, ripe tannins, quite structured but in balance; impressive delineation on the savory finish. Still has upside.
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11/6/2021 - RockinCabs wrote: 95 Points
Absolutely beautiful showing. Pristine cork and neck fill on this bottle.
Nose: fragrant and precise blackberry, boysenberry, graphite, cedar, beef blood and florals. Deep nose with many layers. Palate: Over sevreral hours this revealed a lot. Plum, blackberry, cassis, graphite and cedar lead tge way, but the wild nature of Lynch is pesent here. Not quite to the level of tge 89/90, but really starting to fire on all cylinders.
This is a no miss wine in the 1996 vintage if you are doing a 25 yr check in this fall.
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11/6/2021 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 97 Points
Spectacular on opening, probably slightly improved after a couple hours of air. Unbelievable vintage for LB. This wine has been phenomenal for about 15 years now, and based on this bottle, should continue to provide enjoyment for another 5-10 years at least.
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10/14/2021 - sastewart wrote: 95 Points
I just opened my 3rd bottle since my last public note 8 years ago. An absolutely gorgeous bottle of Bordeaux. The wine remains in its prime with little change over the past 8 years. Bravo! 95 points
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10/8/2021 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smuldrekork. Meget pen fra første glass. Andre dag vagt strammere, men stadig pen.
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9/26/2021 - dbkitc wrote: 91 Points
Still deep garnet that is beginning to brick. Classic Pauillac nose of cassis, tobacco and saddle leather. A bit of Saint Estephe funk mixed in. Austere and correct. The palate follows suit yet lacks the generously and plump aspect of the best bottles. Surprising as there is good fruit on the nose. High acid…better with food. Stern. (91)
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9/12/2021 - Orange Tsian wrote: 93 Points
刚开瓶有一些混合着皮毛的皮革味，气味复杂，感觉还攥在一起，没有打开。除了西梅干和黑醋栗之外，还有烟熏、烟丝、肉味，甘草和复合香料粉的味道，中后段有枸杞根、轻微泥土、浓奶油的味道，层层叠叠，富有力量感，就是还稍微有点嫩树枝和青椒味。入口酸度很高，具有修长的线条感，单宁多且有力量感，还没舒展，盘捉口腔，带来紧致。风格正派，结构好，集中度高，黑醋栗、黑莓、黑樱桃等浓郁又细腻，也有力量感，口中略有绵密的香草奶油，甘草，雪松等，略带青植物味。
醒酒器两小时后，整体变得开放起来，嗅觉开头部分有微臭的动物性味道和野味。皮革、雪茄，不少香料，果味反而变得不是那么明显。入口感觉整体舒展开来，结构正大而有坚实感，成熟而有恰到好处的甜美感，富有活力的力量感。单宁成熟细腻，宽阔地铺展。黑果和雪茄、雪松等交融在一起，加以些许香草奶油和香料修饰，恰到好处的饱满，通体合一。倏忽一缕紫罗兰香潜游，舒展的花瓣，吹散后被风干，慢慢消失在余韵里。（93/100）
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9/11/2021 - englishman's claret wrote:
This was an enjoyable example of the 96 Lynch with its typically rich cassis, cedar, pencil, and ganache profile. A wine with a bright future, as I have previously felt.
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9/10/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Epic Bordeaux for an Epic Birthday!; 9/1/2021-9/12/2021 (Paris & Bordeaux): This is the wine to drink while you are waiting for your 90 and 00 to come around. It is open and ready for business and while I don’t think it’s going anywhere quickly I also don’t think it’s getting any better. It’s a good old aged Bordeaux. Not the power that some of those other vintages have but the secondary is more in the foreground and the background is some black fruit and it’s in a nice spot.
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9/4/2021 - Mchiarot Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nicely integrated tannins, dark fruit and leather. Beautiful with grilled tomahawk ribeye
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8/2/2021 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dekantert. Nydelig fra første glass. Nydelig også dag 2.
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6/25/2021 - Get Real Likes this wine: 92 Points
rated a 95 and in its drinking window by Jane Anson. She mentions cedar, pencil shavings, graphite and tobacco - definitely got all that but less of the cassis and raspberry puree. A little austere for me but my guest for the evening really enjoyed this classic Pauillac. Not really any bricking despite the age - this clearly can go a lot longer.
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6/23/2021 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ikke dekantert. Ekstrem spenst, spiss frukt, syren er der, muligens dominerende. Herlig nese. Super dag 2, ingenting som dominerer.
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5/31/2021 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour and a half. This is in a great place right. Fully mature but still showing vibrant fruit. Red currant, tobacco and lead pencil. Medium to full bodied, surprisingly elegant, developing interesting complexity. This lack the drive and layering of the best years but it is a terrific drink for those who like classic mature paulliac.
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5/27/2021 - Rico100 wrote: 98 Points
Drank at fuck covid party - and it held up to some of the big boys - really nice and drinking well now. Wish I had more.
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4/20/2021 - herbaceous Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic - very fresh, still a bit tight on the finish, coffee.
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4/11/2021 - Klugi Wine wrote: 93 Points
One Coravin glass, this Pauillac is drinking really nice right now.
Bouquet of blackcurrant, cedar, herbs, orange zest and some smoke. The dusty tannins are still present, overall the palate is quite precise and has some steely mineral character.
The acidity is nicely balancing the fruit and the tannins. I would guess the LB will be at this level for another 1-2 decades.
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4/10/2021 - Ericsson Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ma 4ème bouteille, 1 année après la dernière, très différente cette fois.
High fill et bouchon parfait, à peine coloré. Ouvert 2 heures, goûté puis passé en carafe durant 1 heure avant dégustation sur plusieurs heures.
Couleur grenat orangé, brillante.
Au nez, arômes d'abord très retenus, puis cèdre, fraise des bois (!), épices, cuir, anis, foin, cassis après 4 heures, finalement.
En bouche, poids moyen, persistant avec une belle trame acide, moyennement complexe, légèrement herbeux, tannique, long.
Sur la base de cette bouteille, très longue à s'ouvrir, je dirais que ce vin a du temps devant lui, mais les bouteilles précédentes étaient bien plus ouvertes.
A boire ou à garder, selon ses goûts!
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3/31/2021 - djhammond Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last tasted 14 months ago, this is in its peak drinking window and unusually forward for the estate. I actually suspect that this may be at the beginning of a gradual decline. Ripe berry fruit, tobacco and leather are prevalent with a wonderful mature nose that could be from a wine a couple of decades older. Everything with the palate and finish is well balanced and ticks all the boxes but I find the tannin is becoming more prominent as it ages and is beginning to be over intrusive. Minimal decanting is needed. 92+
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3/5/2021 - SARED Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 1996 Lynch Bages drinks really well for my palate. I enjoy the seams of crystalline ripe cherry fruit, ripe tobacco and lynch bage funk with balancing med+ acidity. Some are afraid of where 1996s will be in decades to come.. "will the fruit last".. but I like this wine here today. I enjoyed it on its own and with beef. 93-94
Short one hour decant with some sediment tossed out. Nose: Dried flowers, cherry, dried cedar, lynch bage funk. Palate: med+ acidity, rich crystalline fruit with ripe red cherry and dried raspberry. A smidge of overripe tobacco and big dollop of lynch bage funk. Gentle tannic grip. Med+ lingering finish. Some rusticity comes out at warmer temps and more air.
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2/13/2021 - preid wrote: 98 Points
Just love this wine! Dark ruby color. Dark fruit, peppers, cedar wood, pencil shavings. Perfect balance. Soft tannins. Long. Fantastic wine!
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1/31/2021 - drhophad3 wrote: 89 Points
Deep red color with surprising amount of fruit. Notes of cherry, blackberry, graphite, tobacco. Still drinking very well. Good density and body.
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1/22/2021 - dlcolester Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the best LBs I have drank after 3 hours of breathing smooth, robust with a long enjoyable after taste. A strong 95. If you don’t have it in your cellar get it!!
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1/19/2021 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 95 Points
Don’t decant ... balanced Lynch Bages, like it, happy to have more in my wine cellar.
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1/2/2021 - Weinberg Falls wrote: 91 Points
Garnet with orange rim. This stank on opening and didn't really produce a pleasant nose until after 24hrs. But what a nose when it did finally open up: Raspberry, spiced plum jam, tobacco leaf, wet saddle and pencil shavings combining into a heady aroma. Palate with a burst of black fruit sweetness on the attack, but overwhelmed by the gravelly puckering tannins on the back of the palate. Very long, slightly bitter finish that left me a bit undecided as to whether this wine was "enjoyable". Certainly serious and complex. I've got a couple more bottles, hopefully the next is a little more generous.
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12/31/2020 - MRichman wrote:
Goodbye 2020! Perfectly mature with an absolutely fabulous nose of band aid and mud. Delicious. Strong fruit with lots of tobacco, toasted wood, tight cassis, green pepper. Great structure, soft warm fruit. Big finish. This is in a great drinking window, a great spot between old world with some fruit. Still has a decade of upside, but no reason to wait. Just everything I want in a wine.
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12/24/2020 - jswine15 Likes this wine: 92 Points
very smooth, with typical cab tobacco mid palate, light on fruit and strong tannins still present. will likely drink like this for a while, but unfortunately my last bottle of the 96
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12/19/2020 - mjdixon Likes this wine: 94 Points
All the joys of a good Pauillac
Great traditional nose, plump dark berries that still have plenty of life, pencil and other complexity that my palate is not precise enough to identify - but still enjoyable.
Tannins still there to give balance...
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12/14/2020 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 96 Points
Marvelous Pauillac: Graphite, cassis, cedar, cigar, underlaid with plums, raspberry. Still very fresh, although it took 2 hours to get to it's elegance. Recorked and enjoyed the balance at lunch next day and it was even better: fully integrated, and vibrant, intoxicating mid-palate to finish, medium bodied. 95 day 1, 96 day 2. Would suggest 4-6 hour decant.
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12/10/2020 - SARED wrote: 95 Points
94-95
Am glad to have tasted this. Doesn't reach that resonance for me of the '89, but a lot cheaper!
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11/25/2020 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted one hour. Terrific classic nose showing black fruit, lead pencil and a little tobacco. The wine is fully mature with well integrated and resolved tannins. Delicious black currant and plum mixed with savoury notes of tobacco and forest floor. Overall a very strong effort but a little four square and lacking the complexity and depth of the best vintages.
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11/23/2020 - mrgarreth Likes this wine: 93 Points
Like boysenberry jam in a pencil box (in a good way). Vibrant in colour with an evolved nose with cigar smoke and old leather. Ripe dark fruits with plenty of oak. Excellent.
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11/22/2020 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Immaculate bottle. Popped and poured, and drank over two hours. Classic Pauillac, with cherry on the palate. Holding up well due to good storage, and good stuffing owing to a good vintage. Still, this thing is fully mature and should be drunk in the next couple of years.
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11/22/2020 - SonnyChiba wrote: 92 Points
Very nice wine, drinking pretty well. Classic notes of red cherry fruit, some leather. Great nose.
One thing to note is that it faded fairly quickly after opening.
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11/20/2020 - WineTally Likes this wine:
79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
from 90 ha of Garonne Gravel soil.
Manual harvest and sorting.
Aged 15 months in French oak barrels (70% new).
13% Abv.
Owners: Jean-Michel Cazes et famille
Director: Jean-Charles Cazes
A(ccuray)=2: Deep garnet. Musculine Pauillac.
B(alance)=3: Compact fruit with firm acid and tannic structure.
C(omplexity)=2: Dark berries, graphite, tobacco.
D(epth)=1: Warm mouthfeel. Bit hollow mid palate and sharp finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,3,2,1]= 8/10
Pristine cork and youthful looking for age.
For story-telling label graphics, see:
[https://www.instagram.com/WineTally2020/]
[https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/]
For a unique multimedia resource, see
[https://winetally.wixsite.com/vingnette2020]
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11/13/2020 - Rani Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted blind. Bold and tight, unmistakably left bank and the inky quality pulled me toward Pauillac. Restrained yet powerful on the palate, notes of blackcurrant and cedar, evolving into nice tobacco notes towards the end. Excellent bottle.
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11/11/2020 - NickA Likes this wine: 94 Points
1996 Pauillac with Jane Anson (Zoom!): JA chose both Lynch and Pichon Baron for tonight’s tasting because in 1996 they were both run by Jean-Michel Cazes.
79% CS, 13% M, 6% CF, 2% PV. Deep ruby colour - doesn’t appear particularly aged. Really smoky and phenolic on the nose, with sandalwood coming through with air. Tasty forest fruit and plenty of truffle on the palate and a gamey, graphitey finish. The tannins have melted into something wonderful. Maybe a little too smoke-dominated, but full of character.
JA thinks this wine is at peak but has the stuffing to stay on its plateau for a while.
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10/22/2020 - Collector1855 wrote: 97 Points
Tasted blind. Consistent with my previous note. Light color for a Paullac, garnet with brick elements. Grand Pauillac nose with earthy elements and pencil shavings, spices. Light and elegant palate.
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10/10/2020 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux 1996 Left bank versus 1998 Right bank (more or less) (By SK In Vught Aan het Fornuis): Green herbs, dark berries and bell pepper in the bouquet. On the palate herbs as well, red and dark berries, good acidity and slightly sticky, unripe tannin.
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9/26/2020 - dbkitc wrote: 94 Points
Wow - I blew the call on the last bottle. This is classic, cassis infused, broad shouldered Lynch Bage that is squarely in the window of maturity. Harmonious and edging towards a velvet texture. Long, bold and a whole lot of fun. I’m a fan. (94)
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9/18/2020 - Doc90 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dense nose of campfire, cigar box, sweet raspberries, and licorice root tea. Classically structured, yet there is a sense of being unrestricted by gravity. Definitive licorice root tea palate with cider tones and gravelly minerals. Piercing and unapologetic acidity that will maintain it for years to come. We actually just popped and poured this without any air time, and there was not a bit of dilatory development, confirming this is ready to be enjoyed. Hit the spot on a rainy fall Friday night. A wonderful gift.
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8/29/2020 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
A simply gorgeous bottle of Bordeaux that is at the front end of a peak drinking window. Lifted, full aromatics of cedary cherry fruit with green pepper and tobacco accents. Palate is rich with smooth, fine tannin that provides grip and length. Excellent.
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8/29/2020 - dnnk88 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Random Chill Night @ Arcadia!: Wow! This bottle was amazing from the start. Well balanced with enticing savoury green pepper notes. This is textbook greatness from Bordeaux. In its prime. Open up! 95-96
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8/25/2020 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
The Triple Threat "165" Birthday Bash (65/60/40) (Minikahda Club, Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank a glass over an hour. Rich, ripe berry nose, excellent fine tobacco notes after this began to unfurl, dark and dusty. The palate is dense and full bodied, dark fruits, ripe berries, tart, ground tobacco, mineral, interwoven oak and plush tannins with a long finish. This was more ready and inviting than the '95 LMHB tonight. I love the 96's in general and this looks to have a very promising future. Drinks pretty well now with air, but it's going to be even better in a few more years. 93(+)pts.
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8/25/2020 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
Leo's very fine btl from our 65/60/40 Bday Trifecta dinner at Minnikada Club in Minneapolis. Excited to try any 96 Bdx and especial this Lynch. As recently noted by Nanda this this is just entering its prime drinking curve. Stellar example of great Paulliac in the making. Just needs time to further meld the structure but dam tasty and compelling tonight. Another wine I need to seek out for my own cellar. Thanks Leo!
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8/17/2020 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 92 Points
Kleur: Helder robijnrood met een oranjebruine rand. Aroma / bouquet: Interessant en complex, gelaagd bouquet. Enerzijds nog steeds stoer en krachtig met tonen van cassis, vleesjus, potloodslijpsel en leer. Smaak / Afdronk: Ook in de mond toont deze wijn zich buitengewoon vitaal en stoer. Een friszure aanzet gevolgd door mondvullende en nog steeds aangenaam krachtige tannines die in toom worden gehouden door de relatief bescheiden 13% alcohol. Lange, prettige afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Prachtige klassieke Pauillac, mooi gerijpt maar nog volop vitaal. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 92/100
Color: Bright ruby red with an orange-brown edge. Aroma / bouquet: Interesting and complex, layered bouquet. On the one hand still tough and powerful with notes of cassis, meat gravy, pencil shavings and leather. Taste / Aftertaste: This wine also proves to be extremely vital and robust in the mouth. A fresh tart attack followed by mouth-filling and still pleasantly powerful tannins that are kept in check by the relatively modest 13% alcohol. Long, pleasant finish. General / potential: Beautiful classic Pauillac, nicely matured but still full of vitality. 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Taste / Finish: 17 + Overall / potential: 8 = 92/100
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8/15/2020 - LB88 wrote: 91 Points
Not quite ready. Has tannins and structure to wait for another few years
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8/8/2020 - honest bob wrote: flawed
From 37,5cl, optically perfect cork, but something doesn't smell right from the off. This looks the part, with a beautiful orange penumbra, but WTF, 30 minutes in the decanter and the TCA really blooms. So, dear Château Lynch-Bages, that's 36 EUR (Berry Bros, 2005) down the drain. Good thing it wasn't a 75cl, or even a magnum, let alone one bought at current auction, let alone retail prices, let alone the absurd price you now set en primeur for current vintages, presumably bottled with the same old "traditional" corks used for the 1996 vintage. You think: "out of sight, out of mind". I think: "Two of these bummers from a case of 24 splits (see my TN of 01.10.2008) are definitely two too many, let's hope my remaining 9 turn out to be intact". A dispassionate observer might think: "It's incredible that this TCA/cork thing still seems to be acceptable".
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7/25/2020 - AaronMaxwell Likes this wine: 92 Points
Perfectly developed. Forest floor, Brett, and a bunch of rich cedar notes. Fantastic 24 year old wine. On the lighter side with 13% alcohol. Light tannins.
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6/10/2020 - Joey Hunter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lynch Bages, 1996
•
Medium garnet colour showing its beautiful age.
.
On the nose, it is gamey, leathery, and very rich in minerals, herbaceous and balanced with star anise, fresh berries and a floral note.
.
Palates as nose plus ripe blackcurrant, liquorice and silky tannins. It is very elegant and drinking very well now and will continue for a few more years.
—
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5/20/2020 - Rani Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic, fruit a little faded compared to past bottles but still an excellent wine with telltale graphite, blackcurrant and forest leaves notes. Was better now than its 2000 sibling, but the latter will be better when reaches peak.
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5/10/2020 - Radboy wrote: 94 Points
Drinking surprisingly well. Held up well over a three hour drinking window. Great nose
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5/8/2020 - MLipton wrote:
A weird showing for this wine. Somewhat Brett-y and still rather primary. None of the leather or tobacco leaf that I was expecting, though it's possible that much was hidden beneath the Brett. Some bricking at the edge was really the only hint at the age of the wine. Still a fine accompaniment to pan seared ribeyes during quarantine.
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3/17/2020 - dnnk88 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wine night @ CHL: This was enjoyable tonight. Open up
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3/16/2020 - Ericsson wrote: 93 Points
Bouteille et bouchon en parfait état, mid-neck, ouvert 1 heure et bu durant 2h1/2.
Robe grenat légèrement orangée, encore brillante.
Au nez, les arôme sont, cette fois-ci, plutôt dans le registre secondaire, goudron, fumée, épices.
En bouche, le vin est parfaitement équilibré, moyennement complexe, suave, avec une belle touche d'acidité et des tanins fondus.
Très bonne longueur.
A boire durant la prochaine décennie, sur la base de cette bouteille qui était légèrement plus avancée que les 2 précédentes.
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2/24/2020 - bwr Likes this wine: 92 Points
The wine looks purple colored. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like cedar, tobacco, leather and black currant (cassis). It tastes like black currant (cassis). The body is medium. The wine finishes medium with surprisingly upfront tannins. The wine has low acidity.
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1/17/2020 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ready to go, this is fully mature. The nose is the highlight of the wine, and is deep ripe black fruit and cigar box. The palate has good depth, but is a little one dimensional, and the finish is lengthy, but unbalanced.
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1/16/2020 - hprphf wrote: 92 Points
Nice array of Pauillac notes, woody pencil box, cigar, dark and restrained fruit, somewhat thin. 92
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1/3/2020 - wfm wrote: 89 Points
I would have to say that this was a bit disappointing. Decanted for 2 hrs prior to drinking. No real depth just exceptionally average. 2 bottles remain. Hoping for more with those.
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12/21/2019 - timewithwine wrote:
The Scion allowed us to pluck one of her wines for dinner. While opened prior to dinner, it really didn’t have enough time for a proper slow-ox opening (about 2 hours) and I probably should have decanted it. But if the wine lacked a proper opening, it didn’t appear to suffer much. The core was ox blood opaque while the rim shaded to translucent ox blood then red brick at the very edge of the rim. Lots of cedar on the nose, an almost-juniper scent. Deep cassis, plum and leather. Much the same on the palate with tobo warehouse. PM described the palate as having an aspect of “caramelized root veggies” (and she meant that in a good way). Some licorice crosses the finish. PM described the body as having a “chewy texture” yet the acidity is still bright. Despite being almost a generation old, the tannins are not yet fully resolved. A deep and abiding wine, no doubt. A skirt of sediment on the shoulder. 13% alc. With roasted beef tenderloin with cognac-mushroom sauce. A happy winter solstice. Highly Recommended.
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12/19/2019 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine: 96 Points
Coravined one glass 2 hours in advance. Aromatic wonderful “Bordeaux” nose hitting the exact notes you come to expect -- blackcurrant with a rustic lead pencil scent just released from your open cigar box. My personal bias is a great nose on a wine and I wish I could savor this one for hours. Full-bodied dark fruits on the palate shaded ever so slightly to the tart side. Rich currants shine on the mid-palate and linger lightly with fully resolved tannins into a long finish. More leather than velvet on the texture this is a savory and elegant wine delivering the goods. A perfect wine to drink now but showing no signs of thinning and should continue to shine for years to come. I wish I could drink this every night!
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12/6/2019 - the player Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep crimson color, hardly any signs of aging. Decanted and waited a couple of hours before drinking. Muted nose of cassis, pepper, pencil lead, new leather. On the palate very tight and masculine, powerful wine with a tremendous structure inhibited by this LB’s young age. Very tannic and long peppery finish. I can see this needing another 10 years at least to reach maturity. Incidentally I tried the wine the next day and it was much more open.
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11/30/2019 - wineforth Likes this wine: 96 Points
A bottle bought about 20 years ago and in excellent condition, kept in a wine fridge. Big complex nose of blackcurrant, pencil lead, cedar and pleasant barnyard. Beautifully balanced and mouth filling with just enough tannins left to provide a backbone for the ample fruit. Good long finish. This will age gracefully for many years and last for 30 or more.
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11/29/2019 - havana4 🍾🍇 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Exactly the elements I search for in an aged claret. Minerality, pencil lead, Cassie, smoke and cedar. Very well balanced wine. Brought to @crustacean in Beverly Hills.
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10/20/2019 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank in Leadville with Brooks. Decanted for 2 hours. Spectacular
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10/18/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
This is classic Pauillac. The full-bodied, firm, concentrated wine offers cedar chest, cigar box and forest floor, with a touch of herbs that sets off the fresh, bright, red fruits perfectly. This is drinking in its sweet spot.
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10/17/2019 - jdlee1232 Likes this wine: 97 Points
The jury was unanimous -- this wine was stellar
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9/23/2019 - curtr Likes this wine:
Continued to improve in the glass. Was best after 2 hours. Had more depth than the 2001. Should drink well for another 5-7 years.
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9/22/2019 - englishman's claret wrote: 94 Points
Really nice - cassis, ganache, pencil. Very Pauillac profile if without some of the glitz that top vintages of LB can offer. That said, this was not decanted and was opened at the end of a long night. 94+
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9/1/2019 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
From 37,5cl, perfect cork, decanted 90 minutes. Initially closed down tight, this only opened up minimally in the decanter to a compressed, brooding, slightly overripe loganberry/funky dark fruit vibe. More lively, concentrated and evidently chewy-dense than the 2002 tasted alongside, I'm afraid I thought the 2002 was the better drink right now, even if the 1996 is evidently more serious. 90P
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8/25/2019 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
Light bricking at the edge with a garnet core.
Rustic, savory nose. There’s pencil shavings, wet stone, leather, black fruit and light green elements underneath. This needs some air.
Pure silk on the palate. Well integrated tannins with moderate acidity, medium body, and a long finish.
The fruit is a bit muted at first but it slowly emerges over time with air.
It’s a great wine at the moment. Will it ever be spectacular? Unlikely, but this probably has a good 5-10 years of pure enjoyment left.
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8/21/2019 - honest bob wrote: 93 Points
From 37,5cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour, best after 2 hours. Exactly as noted on 23.02.2019, particularly delicious sour-tannic finish. Top drop. 92-93P
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8/7/2019 - le fouloir wrote: 94 Points
This ‘96 is drinking wonderfully. There is much life left in this wine. Classic Lynch Bages. The half glass left in the bottle was still vibrant two days later.
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8/6/2019 - Richard Nabavi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted alongside the '86.
Still a very deep colour, with little browning at the edges. Classic nose. On the palate it is very well balanced with forward fruit backed up with soft tannins. Just a little lacking in concentration on the mid palate. Quite a long finish. Overall, a fine claret which I think is exactly at its peak of maturity. To drink over the next three or four years.
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7/23/2019 - ZaphodB Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brick red. Very elegant nose, some notes of coffee. Mouthfeel is full bodied, powerful, still shows lots of fresh fruit, specifically black currants.
Powerful yet elegant, and really an amazing piece of wine in a perfect drinking moment! However, this will probably also last for many more years.
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6/24/2019 - UTPK wrote:
Wonderful mature claret. Straight from bottle, opened up nicely after 30 min. Cedar tree, wet leaves and some freshly cut green peppers. Savoury and long. Classic old school bordeaux.
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6/4/2019 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
JB @ Noizé (Noizé, London): Blind. Mid ruby to a touch of garnet. Resolved and smooth on the palate. Some mid density soft black currant and a touch of graphite. Gosh, feels more 85 than 96 to me. There’s a pleasant touch of green here too that gets more 78 (albeit with more padding) with air. Smooth and refreshing with a touch of capsicum cut. Lovely. ****
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5/15/2019 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just reiterating my note of a couple of months ago, the wine is fully evolved and drinking with a only a short time in the decanter needed. It could be mistaken to be a decade older and is displaying tertiary characteristics. The nose is deep and opulent with mature dark and red berry fruits,. The palate is well balanced but perhaps a little light mid palate, and slightly soured at the end of the finish, but which is lengthy and well balanced. My only reservation is its potential lifespan at this level, with my gut feel being that this is not a wine for the long haul, and will probably look to consume my remaining stock over the next five years.
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4/28/2019 - Frank Schneider wrote: 95 Points
So much better than my last bottle ! Here it is ! The full forest floor thing with dark berrys , leather and herbs. A point ! Drink
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4/21/2019 - popopdrops wrote: 86 Points
Ikke helt. Lever ikke opp til andre omtaler. Ikke noe å sette fingeren på. Men altså. Avstår fra planlagt kjøp av en ny kasse.
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4/7/2019 - Honeyburst Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely stunning. Perfect balance, mature, yet fresh fruit - and loads of it. I just wish I had more. Must go hunting.
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3/12/2019 - cephomer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank at smackdown tasting tonite. Decanted for 90 mins. Nose was wonderful black cherries, cedar and tobacco. Still good black fruit and black cherries, but mostly tertiary in nature now. Gobs of mushrooms, earth and barnyard, Cedar on the nose and palate. Quite long and elegant finish. Not an overly muscular or in your face wine but very nice aged Paullac. #2 WOTN.
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3/11/2019 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a great wine to drink now. After a 45 minute decant it’s very elegant and classic paulliac with a nose of cassis and tobacco and a lovely full to medium bodied palate of black cherry, cedar and tobacco. The issue is this is not a blockbuster wine in terms of concentration and/or sophistication like some other left bank 1996s. But it is really enjoyable and classic right now so drink up. I don’t think getting better.
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2/28/2019 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fully mature, this is drinking wonderfully and could be mistaken for a wine a decade older. The nose is opulent with cherry, dark berry fruits, and leather. This continues to the palate where the tannin has resolved but still retained bite. It is well balanced, and the depth and finish are good but do not quite live up to the initial promise. However, this is still the best example of the estate pre millennium after the 1982 and the exceptional 1989 and 1990. A couple of hours in the decanter is recommended.
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2/23/2019 - timewithwine wrote:
A birth year wine for the Scion and our very first opening of her case of wine. A 5.5 hour slow-ox opening seemed to do the trick. On the initial pour, the Scion exclaimed, “It’s an old red brick color,” and so it was. The initial nose was a tired cassis with some tobo. Within minutes the color was deepening to plum and the nose revealed a brighter cassis and tobo warehouse. By dinnertime, the rim was black plum while the luminescent cored appeared magenta. Bright cassis, spicy tobo, mint, cedar cris-cross the palate on attack and mid-palate while licorice and mineral carry the finish. The body is full without being New World big. It’s weight is much heavier than the Druet Grand Mont of the same vintage served side by side (and frankly, no comparison). The depth and complexity cannot be denied. The tannins are almost, but not quite yet fully resolved. A smidge of sediment appeared in the shoulder of the bottle and a fair amount in the final pour. 13% alc. Roasted beef tenderloin under bacon with horseradish sauce on the side for Phoebe’s belated birthday celebration. Highly Recommended.
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2/23/2019 - honest bob wrote: 92 Points
From 37,5cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour. Intense ripe blackcurrant, a hint of loganberry, Pauillac cedar and fresh aromatic herbal action. And that’s just the scent. Lush, sweet entry and fat mid-palate, long tingling finish with tannins almost completely resolved. Even in this format, there is some way left to full maturity. Delicious, hedonistic and a clear 92(-93)P
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2/14/2019 - Ericsson wrote: 94 Points
Je peux reprendre ma note du 2 novembre telle quelle...avec les quelques informations suivantes:
Ouvert 2 heures avant consommation
Attention à la température de dégustation, je pense que, selon les goûts, on ne devrait pas dépasser les 18 C, moi je préfère aux alentours de 16-17 pour préserver la fraîcheur
Très belle bouteille, vraiment parfaite pour la Saint-Valentin
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1/25/2019 - Arcturus wrote: 94 Points
94. 3 hour decant. Classic Pauillac. Forest floor, dried flowers, graphite and leather on the nose. Palate is balanced with a silky smooth long finish.
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1/25/2019 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 93 Points
Along with 85 and 86 Lynch Bages, 96 is a highly underrated vintage for the chateau. To be frank, I was not impressed by this wine when I tasted it several years ago. Today, after a few hours of bottle breathing, the wine exhibited leather, cedar, tobacco, pencil shaving and dark currant. On the palate, the tannins have softened with precise sweetness. Very enjoyable classic Paulliac. Clearly the best LB after 89 and 90. Drinking very well now.
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1/13/2019 - CGWIND Likes this wine: 96 Points
Amazing. The nose just jumped out of the glass. So rich and lively. Drinking wonderfully now- could continue on for years.
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12/31/2018 - achasd Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking well, this beauty is in its prime. All the classic features of aged Bordeaux with the acid and fruit in good balance. A little astringency on the back of the palate kept the points down. Must be drunk with food.
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12/25/2018 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is singing right now. Enjoyed with friends at dinner out for Christmas Eve. Short decant. Big nose of leather, tobacco and still some black fruit and a little gravel/earthiness. Smooth, silky tannins, subtle fruit. This wine is right in its prime drinking window. Very enjoyable. Cork was in great shape.
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12/21/2018 - Adrian Wood Likes this wine: 95 Points
Annual BYO. Mid red with some ageing, looks almost burgundian. Very expressive nose of tobacco, cedar, some sous bois and red fruits. Some tannin on the palate but nicely integrated. Blackcurrant, sandalwood with some earthy notes and good acidity. Long leathery finish, Lovely, elegant, old fashioned, unparkerised. Drinking at peak. Our consensus was that the acidity might dominate in the future as the fruit fades so enjoy now.
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12/6/2018 - Radboy wrote: 94 Points
Terrfic nose with dusty cedar box, black olive and earth notes. Is there a hint of motor oil in there? The tannins are smoothed out now providing just enough backbone to balance out the medium bodied fruit. Definitely exhibits the vintage. I will drink my last bottle in near future.
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11/16/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior notes after a 1 hour double decant; delicious, mature Bordeaux, drink up (last bottle of my case)
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11/2/2018 - Ericsson Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bouteille et bouchon en parfaite condition, quasiment high fill.
Ouvert durant 1 heure puis bu pendant 2 1/2 heures.
Couleur grenat légèrement plus claire sur les bords. Dès l’ouverture le nez est prêt avec de beaux arômes sur les fruits rouges, le cèdre, le goudron et les épices (cannelle).
En bouche, même topo, le vin est prêt à boire et s’améliore encore dans le verre. Pas le plus complexe, mais procure du plaisir avec une belle allonge, de l’acidité et une jolie note herbacée en finale.
A boire sans se presser.
94+
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10/24/2018 - SteelerFan wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful showing. Smooth, lush fruit and great mouthfeel. Tannins have resolved and delicious cigar, bramble and berry taste. This was in no way fading, but is very open and accessible now. I think it is in a reasonably long drinking window, but may not have the stuffing and structure for a truly long life.
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10/7/2018 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 95 Points
excellent! in a sublime drinking window now. classic pauillac from nose to finish. cedar box, some hints of green bell pepper; bright red fruit balanced acidity and soft long tannins
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10/4/2018 - Myownscale wrote: 78 Points
Nose:
Bit closed
Palate:
Tannic, a bit old, too old tasting for us
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9/2/2018 - Paul D Likes this wine: 92 Points
1/13. Very good cork. Decanted 1/2 hr.
Deep garnet core, pale garnet rim. Nose shows rich dark fruit, notes of earth and cedar, earth becoming more prominent as it warms slightly. Medium/full bodied, quite youthful on the palate, more fruity with cool dark fruit, cedar, intense/deep, fine but still quite form tannic backbone. good length finish. Excellent, no hurry.
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7/30/2018 - Sen4469 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very nice mature wine. The nose was great as well as the taste. Excellent wine.
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7/24/2018 - chatters wrote:
Holiday at Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld; 7/24/2018-7/25/2018 (Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld): "Pencil shavings, cedar, blackcurrant and brambles rather than cassis, leather, sweet spice, initially there was a bit of farmyard but this blew off with time. Juicy, wild blackcurrant, talc textured taninns, quite broad on the mid-palate, a little leathery note to the long finish. Well, it smells and tastes like good quality Bordeaux and I like it. Is it profound? Perhaps not...Would I drink it until they carry me out? Yes, yes I think I probably would.
Matched very well with lamb/hogget, carrot, sunflower seeds."
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4/20/2018 - Cikgoo Likes this wine: 93 Points
After 30min this came alive! Earthy at first but great depth later with black fruit and power of pauillac
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4/15/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior note; delicious, drink up but no rush
Continued to improve into the evening & tied with the 89 Cheval Blanc for my WOTN (added a point). Bottle 11/12; will drink my last one in the next year
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4/12/2018 - Nels+ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Intense nose of ripe plums, malt, tabaco, leather and horse barn. Indeed showing the ripeness of this good/warm vintage for Pauillac vines. Meaty and foresty in the mouth with dense and balanced structure although full-bodied. Aromas of wild berries, malt, chocolate as well as hints of cassis and smoke on the long & smooth finish. Interesting and sophisticated wine, hyped and probably often drunk too early.
BoW 18.5/20
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4/1/2018 - winemaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
Double decanted 5 hours prior to tasting. Earthy, tobacco, with a tiny hint of Brett which gave it a tiny hint of leather. Long finish.
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3/2/2018 - Rajens wrote:
Bordeauxsällskapet
Härligt utvecklad Blygare i smaken 18-
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2/23/2018 - walkerjfw wrote: 92 Points
Final night dinner/PNV week - our annual "mostly non Cab" rinse to the week's tastings... (Ad Hoc, Yountville CA): Mid flight, drank this one next to the 1990 Dominus. Had been splash decanted (from memory)
Medium garnet color, some seperation. Classic nose of blackcurrant, tobacco, leather, violets/floral, mineral/stones. Nice secondary notes on the mid palate.
This one was a good (but not great) Lynch Bages on this particular evening. One of my go to wines, a big fan of Lynch Bages so perhaps expecting more. Was lacking some of the extra fruit expression I see from this wine. A bit of an off vintage for them - would drink now as I dont see this evolving from here
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2/18/2018 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pnp. Medium garnet. Wood spices, dark fruit, lacking a bit concentration on the mid-palate but might not be a fair assessment as the wine was not decanted and was gone way to quickly to evolve with more air. Medium length. 91+
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2/11/2018 - up4wine wrote: 94 Points
Wine is wonderfully mature with near perfect balance and complete integration of flavors, acid and tannin. Tannin is so well connected to the fruit during the mid-palate and the finish. Fruit is full, although not as exuberant as a younger wine. We had this with 2003 Margaux, which showed the exuberance, but not the sophisticated, smooth maturity that the 1996 Lynch-Bages had. Definitely the real deal; full package, and in its prime.
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1/24/2018 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fully in the middle of its drinking window, with time in the decanter, this is at its best. The vintage as a whole is unexpectedly becoming an early developer. The nose is the epitome of classic matured left bank Bordeaux with cherry, dark fruit and leather aromas which carry through to the palate where it is balanced with robust resolved tannin. It is a very enjoyable Lynch Bages and one to be savoured, but lacking that little extra that elevates the 1989 and 1990 to such extraordinary levels. One point to emphasise is that the wine is totally ready to drink if sufficiently aerated, and I would see no upside to not consuming this now, but with the structure to stay here for a good while.
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1/20/2018 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Blind "20 Questions" wine Dinner (Jason and Mariellen's): 80 minute decant, and I should have decanted longer. This is an elegant refined Bordeaux. A lot of graphite, earth and leather. Based on notes here, I thought this would be ready, but my previous experience with LB should have told me that it is NOT. Drink the next bottle in 2022+.
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1/19/2018 - ESCO wrote: 92 Points
A classy drop.
I bought this wine in Bordeaux in 2000 for I recall about $40. It is really lovely right now but still has more to offer. It has a truly classic make up with pencil , leather, wood spice and farmyard to the fore. It's a very gentle wine, nothing forced or harsh, a very comfortable experience. In short it is what mature Pauillac is all about.A confident ,sophisticated and elegant drink.
I have two more bottles and firmly believe they have a decade left in them.........whether I can resist them that long is quite a different matter.
PS And for some strange geometric reason I really like the quiet simplicity of the black/red/white label.
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1/17/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Drinking Blind at Jason's (Jason P's, St. Paul, MN): Very dark red/purple hue, 12mm transitional margin. Drank 1 glass blind over an hour plus. Convinced this was Bordeaux and left bank also. Great nose, but a very youthful palate that was not close to as good as the nose. Lots of saddle leather and horse barn, dark fruits, earthy, pencil lead, and traces of mint. The palate is dense, shows its oak and some alcohol at times as well, dark berries, gravel, graphite, wood, wood spice, got better the longer this went in glass. I was really surprised to see I'd never had the '96 LB. Kind of typical for LB to not come out of its shell this young, but a good decant should do wonders to shake it free. 92+ to 93pts tonight, but I fully expect this to be better in 5 years or so.
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1/2/2018 - Franck Trutet Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent for my Christmas dinner and my son 21st!
Ripe fruit, the mouthful was velvet with the right acidy!
Touch of green pepper but Wow!
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12/31/2017 - jacodav Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted two hours. Beautiful, full bodied and smooth. Great to wait and have a special bottle to start 2018
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11/16/2017 - seijaro Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a beautiful mature Pauillac! Great color, faint but clean nose. Was 93 out of the chute, 94 after an hour in decanter, 95 with meat loaf and artichoke, began to fade after two hours. Just lovely and a pleasure to drink, smooth as silk with an underlying sweetness. And I have 5 more :) Will probably last another 10 but it seems perfect now, so I will just drink it.
2/17/20 Another bottle, same review... loved it. She 94, me 95.
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11/1/2017 - Ary Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bordeaux 1996 (semi blind) with a friend (Amsterdam): Aristocratic Lynch Bages and classic Pauillac. With pencil shaving, cherries, some sandalwood, tobacco and leather notes in the nose. And "cold" iron, iodine, and tobacco on the palate.
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10/16/2017 - DrZett Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing to see this beauty from a medium good vintage in such a beautiful phase. Perfectly riped, without any harsh aging notes, full bodied and a never ending finish. Just beautiful right now - and it will keep for at least 5-10 years more, but why wait, it is perfect right now!
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9/24/2017 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decant for 90 min
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9/22/2017 - europat55 wrote: 93 Points
Nose: A/A- Palate: A-
Part of 6 decades of Lynch Bages vertical tasting
My #3, Group's #3 (56 pts). Tastes blind
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9/16/2017 - PimpDaddy2Kool Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth and silky. This wine is in a great place now.
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9/8/2017 - demiurg wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful, classic Pauillac. Shows no sign of age and should good for many more years. I wish I had more in my cellar.
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9/3/2017 - Jaber Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour. Nice ruby colour, starting to show hints of burned orange.black fruit and plum on the nose with a touch of pepper. Tobacco ,smoke and earth in the mouth. Nice long finish. Well structured wine.
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8/31/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Chicago Wine Flock...Don Serving So Many Great Blind Wines/Flights (Park Ridge, IL): Tasted double blind in what turned out to be a Lynch-Bages/ Togni flight. Black fruit in a slightly lighter style from start through middle, but with a firm finish. Very surprised when unveiled. Needs time. I ranked this #7 in the flight, group ranked it #6.
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8/25/2017 - UTPK wrote:
Stunning tonight. 9 bottle of 12. Clean, fresh, layered nose of green herbs, blackcurrant, cedar and unsmoked pipetobacco. Some undergrowth and wet leaves, champignons with more air. On the palate it is perfectly balanced and tannins are smooth but supportive to make for a stunning finish. A classic LB!
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8/5/2017 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep dark colour with a slight tawn rim.
Cassis, cedar spice, black fruits, tobacco leaf, smooth and well integrated.
Super smooth, silky, finishes with fine but strong tannins. Delicious blend of plump cassis and cedar spice. Feels quite opened up now, tannin gives it structure but does seem broad. Drink up.
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7/15/2017 - honest bob wrote: 92 Points
From 37,5cl, perfect cork, decanted 1 hour. Profound blood-red with orange reflexes. Generous scent, with oozing road tar, cedar and liquorice much more prominent than the underlying blackcurrant and exotic spice. The entry is thinner and more acidic-oaky than expected (Castillo Ygay, anyone?); the mid-palate has a boat-load of delicious sour-bitter liquorice/pepper action which covers the still very present tannins until the fresh-blood-tinged finish, amazingly tannic/raw/tongue-puckering for a 21-year-old 5th Growth Pauillac from half-bottle. For my palate this is not quite ready yet, or at least needed a much, much longer decant. Better in 5 years? 92P(?)
All this compexity makes this a tricky wine to pair with food. I'd expected more obvious lush cedar/blackcurrant sweetness and fried up some lamb, but the umami fought horribly with the licquorice. Probably it would be more sensible to go for beef, or whatever you'd prefer to eat with a vigorous red burgundy.
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7/8/2017 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 93 Points
1996 horizontal Bordeaux tasting (Singapore): Medium garnet, the most complex nose of the tasting with some animal notes joining the dark fruit and sous bois, medium length. Nice. 93
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7/1/2017 - Radboy wrote: 94 Points
Terrific! Drink up!
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6/24/2017 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for an hr, med. ruby with slightly brick rim, red & dark fruit with prominent tobacco, soft/mod. tannins, long finish; delicious & at peak, IMHO, drink in the next few yrs
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6/18/2017 - jacodav wrote: 90 Points
Drink now!!!
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6/11/2017 - shaferguy91 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Terrific.
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5/29/2017 - NJwineguy wrote: 94 Points
Really pleasant
Still lots of fruit - at its prime
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5/27/2017 - batas wrote: 93 Points
Good freshness. Very pleasant
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5/16/2017 - ocwineo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent wine plenty of fruit impeccably balanced wish I had more
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5/12/2017 - nm10 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Perfect cork, and still a deep red colour. Classic Pauillac nose with oodles of cassis, blueberries, and charcoal. 40 second finish. Fantastic!
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4/30/2017 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 94 Points
16 different vintages of Lynch bages (Bend's place): Tasting 16 different vintages of LB, not blind, all of them decanted from Gabriel glas
flight with 95 and 98
very sexy and accessible at that Moment, much cassis and vivid acidity, fun wine at least for the next 10 years, reaching his Peak in my opinion, 94-95
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4/9/2017 - kevin h wrote: 92 Points
Over 10 years since I last had this. Mature, some bricking. Classic Pauillac, classic Lynch. Cassis nose, cassis fruit. Best at 3 hours and possibly needed 4. Ripe pure fruit but quite simple. It didn't have the wow factor it had in 2006. Still a very good wine.
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3/31/2017 - danckie wrote: 90 Points
Fragrant forestfloor and lots of cedar. At first very acidic. Acidity dissappaered after 20 minutes. After that Nice mature bordeaux but it Didn't really live up to our expectations. Not bad but expected way more after Reading the earlier comments. This probably should have been enjoyed a couple years earlier. Not sure if this is an less then ideal stored bottle. This should normally easliy reach 20 years of age.
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3/23/2017 - blanquito wrote: 93 Points
Another excellent bottle of this. Like many a 96 from the Left Bank, this is highly aromatic and expressive on the nose, showing classic notes of Pauillac-- graphite, earth, cassis, and a touch of sur maturite. The palate medium bodied and still a pinch too young, but it is right on the cusp of full maturity. Seamless, classy, balanced.
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3/10/2017 - Frank Schneider wrote: 91 Points
Started very promising but didn t improve at all. It faded after 2 hours in the decanter !!!! A thin and dull wine. Bottle was ok. Not worth the money. Avoid
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3/4/2017 - winelover1808 wrote: 93 Points
yum. classic pauillac nose of pencil lead, tobacco. just a great wine. still super enjoyable.
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3/1/2017 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
Tasted after 2001 and 1999. A bit more evolution in colour. Layered and complex on the nose - spices, tobacco, graphite, dark fruit. On the palate again spicy, great acidity, dense fruit, open but still with nice grip. Quite powerful and very long. Very well balanced. Wonderful. 94-96
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2/22/2017 - Collector1855 wrote: 96 Points
Consistent to my last note. Expressive nose of the complete kaleidoscope of a mature Pauillac. Dark fruit, barnyard, forest floor, lots of cedar wood. The nose reminds us why we drink Bordeaux. The palate is medium bodied with soft, mature tannins. Good freshness and drinkability. This was less than 50 bucks at release, 150 today because they make ca. 350'000 bottles, there is lots of it to go round and still in the market. If you don't want to shell out a thousand Dollars to see what Lafite RS tastes like (see my tasting story on the 20 year Lafite vertical), try a mature Lynch Bages. It is aromatically the closest wine.
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2/14/2017 - Javachip wrote: 91 Points
Allowed to breathe in glass 4 hours before tasting, with bouquet sampled every hour. Clear deep garnet color. An austere, closed wine, with some signs of maturity including reticent notes of cigar tobacco and saddle soap. Only after 12 hours of air did some fresh sweet black currants, blackberries, and black cherries finally emerge, along with graphite and unobtrusive mild vanilla and spicy oak. On the palate this seemed balanced and seamless, but hard and angular, with fierce tannins. Held up fine under vacuum stopper in refrigerator for four days, and showed best on day three. Overall the wine has evolved nicely since a previous tasting ten years ago, but still at least five years away from optimal drinking.
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1/23/2017 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Not as good as previous bottle.
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1/22/2017 - colin107 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Typical claret. Needs time to open up.
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1/22/2017 - Sovinator Likes this wine: 93 Points
Showing very well. Seemed to be at maturity in my view. Classic Bordeaux - thoroughly enjoyed
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1/11/2017 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
dark opaque red-purple with brown rim
excellent dark fruits nose with truffles, leather and sous-bois notes and dark chocolate hints
medium-full bodied, soft integrated tannins, excellent balance & harmony, fine structure, delicate complexity, rich dark fine fruity flavours, tobacco, leather, barrel oak, soft earthy finish & aftertaste
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1/9/2017 - Saadissimo Likes this wine: 96 Points
A real ambassador for Pauillac wines. Probably at peak. Soft and seductive. Drink up!
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1/5/2017 - no leashes wrote: 91 Points
Drinking very nicely.
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12/25/2016 - jeanclaude wrote: 89 Points
Don't know if it was not stored well. But no signs externally. Capsule fine condition, cork healthy high neck fill. Decanted and drank over at least 2.5 hours. Never really got going. Great nose of jammy fruit pencil lead earth tobacco. But on palate really lacked fruit and expansiveness. Was surprised after reading other's notes. Finished acidic and lacking. I'm assuming bottle storage issues.
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12/11/2016 - 7nuahs Likes this wine: 95 Points
KT's. Very nice wine. I would buy it.
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12/8/2016 - CellarBord Likes this wine: 94 Points
great character, big depth & intensity, a treat with venison with braised red cabbage.
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12/4/2016 - aresy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Minor spiced black currant. Semi-sweet.
Oaked: not overwhelm.
Tanin: moderate.
Acidity:6/10.
Very mature but still with character. Love it
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12/3/2016 - Papies wrote: 94 Points
4 very consistent bottles on the evening. Opened and rested for a good hour. We chose not to decant.
6th time we try this wine over the last 4-5 years and always scores 93-95. At this stage its just a classic well made claret, well aged but with good life ahead, cedar, tobacco, earthy. Very much alive and the tannin although has mellowed is still there. Lovely balance too and just a joy. 94-95 once again
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11/10/2016 - MRichman wrote:
Beautiful nose, palate is still catching up. Leathery with mature red fruit, leather. Tannins feel pretty resolved, but fruit still hiding a bit. Bright acid. A warm wine with some dried herbs, dried flowers. Very nice. Would still give this a little more time.
Really shined with food. Just a gorgeous wine, all about complexity and round fruit and dried herbs. A treat!
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11/6/2016 - guido23 wrote: 91 Points
Popped, decanted, and consumed over seven hours. Not nearly the blockbuster that our previous bottle was. Nothing seemed off; there just simply wasn't much to it. Not sure if a flawed bottle, if it's too old, or if we just caught it in a "down" cycle. Quite pleasant, just not . . . much there.
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11/5/2016 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior note; delicious, mature Bordeaux & ready to drink
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10/26/2016 - Mr T wrote:
1-2 hour decant and perhaps my first bottle of this wine that really was on and ready to go. Nose reeks of aged/mature Bordeaux in the best way and palate proved its equal. Tobacco, tea, cedar and graphite but also good ripe red fruits and long lingering finish. Well worth the wait and my original price of admission
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10/25/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 89 Points
1996 Bordeaux Blind: Pretty much nothing on the nose. Completely flat. Faint cranberry if anything. More or less the same on the palate. No flaws, just nobody home tonight... came back after an hour, and still nope. Totally bizarre as this is usually an extremely consistent and crowd-pleasing bottle. Very peculiar.
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10/19/2016 - manga wrote: 95 Points
Tobacco, red cherry, currant, pencil lead with bay leaf and cedar notes. Complex and saturated nose. Hints of cinnamon. Very elegant entry with vibrant acidity throughout the length of the palate. Flavors of cedar and tobacco give way to a tea-like finish. Great center weight with a touch of cherry pit flavors. Seem like it could go for many more years.
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10/6/2016 - up4wine wrote: 92 Points
This wine started out with a slight green pepper/stems on the nose, but this soon blew off allowing the rich fruit to be fully exposed. Also, the finish seemed a bit harsh and incomplete during the early part of the tasting (full decant for 2 hours prior to tasting). However, this slow starter really came together by hour 5-6. The fruit became big and even. The tannins seemed to settle and the finish became smooth and silky. Extremely delicious. Part of the 1990-2005 vertical. Panel ranked it 4th, I ranked it 3rd.
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9/30/2016 - forceberry wrote: 93 Points
13% alcohol.
Moderately translucent cherry red color with a slightly orange-tinted hue. A bit restrained and light yet very complex bouquet with aromas of savory dark berries, some wizened plum, a little roasted bell pepper, a hint of sous-bois and a touch of freshly cut chili. The palate is juicy but surprisingly gripply and tightly wound with brooding, complex and layered flavors of ripe blackcurrant, cherry, some sour plums, a little crowberry and light leafy hints supported with an undercurrent of graphite and cedar. Surprisingly bright acidity with not-so-ample, but surprisingly grippy and angular tannins that still sport quite the bite. Long, clean and complex, but quite light and restrained finish with delicate flavors of cassis, wet woodlands and sous-bois, some green hints of blackcurrant leaves and underlying notes of sweeter, ripe brambly dark berries.
Not a big wine, but a surprising powerhouse; in a small horizontal of five Left-Bank 1996-ers (others were Cos d'Estournel, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Leoville-Barton and Gruaud-Larose) this was the only wine that didn't seem ready yet. Both the nose and the palate seemed to be in a dumb phase with surprisingly light yet youthful character, leaving the rather tightly wound structure very prominent. Additionally, the wine seemed rather clean and pure as well, with less emphasis on oaked complexity and more prominent, pure fruit character - the oak notes seemed to have integrated completely into the fruit. I wouldn't hurry with the wine, as in its current condition it didn't open up much even after air time of 3-4 hours. Let it rest at least 5 more years; it still shows good room for development. 92-93 now and probably will get better if it opens up later.
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9/15/2016 - Lype Likes this wine: 93 Points
Seductive and attractive nose, classic and light left banker, red berry driven gorgeous palate with supporting tannins, a very strong LB vintage which requires more time in the cellar to rise to the level it is capable of. Outstanding and promising.
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9/15/2016 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has now fully entered its drinking window. A beautiful old fashioned wine with lovely fusty aromas of red cherry and vanilla. This follows on through to the palate and ends with a good lingering finish.
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8/11/2016 - Force5 wrote: 91 Points
Thursday Night Tasting with Tim and Friends: Classic graphite-minerally-black fruit aromas. Good, understated balance. I would guess that this only just started drinking nicely but I’m thinking this is a bit simple and direct, like 10 years from optimum drinkability. Just for now and for me, good not great, with potential to improve.
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7/9/2016 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
In the bouquet dark forest fruits and vanilla from the beautifully dosed oak. On the palate at first not completely fresh, but that blew off. Classical with cassis and other dark berries, sweet spices, mild acidity and soft tannin. Imho this bottle is already quite mature, but certainly very nice. Many preferred this wine above the Ausone in the same flight. For me and a few others it was the other way around. (The wines were poured blind.)
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6/20/2016 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 90 Points
OK but not great, neither good / significant fruits or sencondary components on the palate, what was there was more secondary, but a gentle wine without distinction
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5/29/2016 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Double decanted then SO'd for a few hrs, garnet with a touch of brick on the rim, classic Bordeaux dark fruit with tobacco, soft tannins, mod/long finish; delicious & at peak IMHO but no rush
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4/26/2016 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 96 Points
100th Meeting of the George H Rezak Society (Kendall College Chicago IL): Out of a dbl magnum, beautiful color, deep nose, floral, lovely flavor, lasting on the palate, big mouthful, wow. group #4 and my #1.
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4/2/2016 - blanquito wrote: 94 Points
Got a small taste during dinner, and I didn't like it as the nose was overripe and sickly. Tried again a few hours later at the after-party and wow, baby! this had come on strong. Deep, ripe, long, perfectly balance with just enough ripeness. Showing classic Pauillac minerals and graphite, this puppy is just beginning to shine and will be a great Lynch in another 10+ years.
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3/22/2016 - rsbeck wrote: 94 Points
Popped, poured, consumed over next three hours. Started a little tough, but gradually opened and revealed both its charm and its potential. Great balance. Lovely, classic Lynch Bages in the making.
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3/2/2016 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Lynch Bages dinner at RPM Steak (Chicago, IL): Incredibly dense. Ripe black fruit, with screaming acids. The question, as with a lot of wines from 1996 (including red Burgundy) is whether the fruit will outlive the intense acidity and massive structure. But for now, all I can see is an awesome bottle of Bordeaux with lots of acid and still plenty of red fruit, so no complaints in that department. The high acidity does cause a bit of tartness to the wine, and it does end a little short. But for what there is now, this is eminently enjoyable.
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2/28/2016 - BradE wrote:
375ml. Drank well, but from half it's hard to give it the air it needs.
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2/20/2016 - Collector1855 wrote: 96 Points
During a Pauillac themed wine tasting dinner. Expressive nose of the complete kaleidoscope of a mature Pauillac. Dark fruit, barnyard, forest floor. The nose reminds us why we drink Bordeaux. The palate is medium bodied with soft and mature tannins, still good freshness and drinkability. This was the winner of the night.
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2/15/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
Nicely evolved around the rim; the core is quite dark still. Expressive and open on the nose, pencil shavings, tobacco, dark fruit, spices. Very fine. On the palate quite spicy, showing good grip still. Very complex and elegant, fresh and very long. Excellent and drinking very well. My WOTN. 94-96
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2/13/2016 - Leigh Johnson wrote:
Ch. Lynch Bages, Paulliac, 5eme grand cru classe, 1996. At 20 years old this is now fully mature but has the perfect balance of acidity, fruit and tanins to last another 20 years. Delicate nose, black fruits, touch of cedar and floral note. Great harmony and elegance. Subtle cassis, cigar box and pencil lead notes. Tannins soft and well integrated but still persistent. Primary fruit notes still to the fore. Excellent acidity and freshness. This wine is still so youthful, great finesse and verve, long and balanced. 94
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2/12/2016 - matthewearl Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2+ hours. Still feels like it has 10-20 years left! Strong notes of graphite, gravel, green pepper and smoked meats. Really complex and rewarding.
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2/7/2016 - the player Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful nose typical of 1996 Pauillac. Cassis, leather, tobacco, graphite, lead pencil. Dark rich ruby color, needed two hours in decanter to balance out its tannic and solid structure. Medium to full bodied, finishes long and sweet with well resolved tannins. Excellent.
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2/6/2016 - CGWIND wrote: 96 Points
Great. Plenty of life left in this. Classic Lynch bages flavors. Opened nicely.
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2/3/2016 - abh wrote:
Classic, leather, tobacco and a touch of meat on the nose, with green pepper becoming more obvious with air. Very nicely resolved but still basically youthful - not getting really mature complexity. A big wine, but sort of stately rather than powerful. Textbook claret and very good.
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1/7/2016 - hkbob Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still youthful deep ruby with a hint of lightening at the rim. This was the last of 10 bottles I have had of this over the past 8 years. It has been consistently good throughout with lead pencil, dark currants, cedar and a bit of meatiness on the nose. Tannins pretty much fully resolved with good textural appeal. Full through the mid-palate with a lingering cedar-infused finish. Wish I had a few more bottles as this will go for another 15 years. Love it.
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1/3/2016 - Radboy wrote: 93 Points
Old world wine all the way.
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12/31/2015 - fatboi Likes this wine: 93 Points
Out of mag… opened for an hour and after that decanted for an hour. Classic Bordeaux. Pencils, earth and dark red fruit. Thoroughly enjoyed it and wish it lasted longer. Wine has time to go in larger format but in very good place.
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12/28/2015 - FrancoisD Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bordeaux grande maison classique.
Equilibre et pas d'exces sur la concentration.
Cerise noire, herbes, café, pruneaux, avec pointe de truffe en finale.
Tres bon!
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12/21/2015 - MHolt Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine demands your attention. Excellent from start through finish.
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12/16/2015 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decant for one hour and drink in 1 hour
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12/15/2015 - cooberp Likes this wine: 91 Points
Finally, after two disappointing 1985's (one at the winery) and two equally lame 1989's, I've found a bottle of Lynch worthy of its pedigree. Absolutely textbook: very leafy, pencil, not a ton of fruit but enough cassis to give it a "yum" factor. Translucent crimson, quite lightweight, and the tannin has not receded but softened to the point where this is strikingly accessible now. Not remotely a showstopper, but the last hurrah of traditional "gentleman's claret."
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11/10/2015 - BradE wrote:
From 375ml. It's always a good day with Lynch Bages. A nice vintage for them.
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11/8/2015 - fizz wrote: 93 Points
Wine Group at home: Cassis, cigar, dried herbs. Really elegant in the mouth. Typical Bordeaux style. Medium bodied, fine boned, fully resolved tannins. Excellent wine.
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11/8/2015 - AlanM68 Likes this wine: 94 Points
In stunning form after 2 hours in the decanter. Tertiary flavours beginning to emerge but no need to rush to drink remaining bottles.
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10/10/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
At close to 20 years of age, I could not believe how young this still seems. With 3 hours of air, the cassis and cigar box characteristics were showing their stuff. There are still some tannins to be resolved. With 4 hours of air, the wine softened, but did not gain in complexity. Classic in style, firm and structured, this is going to age for decades.
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10/8/2015 - Vinotas wrote:
We don't need no stinking Bages! My deceased father-in-law was passionate about Bordeaux, so for the anniversary of his death it felt appropriate to celebrate his life with some slightly-aged Bordeaux. Opened 4 hours before dinner and left open standing in the wine fridge, this started off smelling great but very tight and somewhat ungiving on the palate. After that airtime, and with steak, the wine shown. Both on the nose and in the mouth it was full of band aid, graphite, dark fruits and earth on an elegant frame, ending with a long, silky smooth finish. Really gorgeous and a wonderful way to celebrate my wife's father's life, even if he passed before I met her.
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10/6/2015 - dharrison93 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sex & power at age 19. Dark ruby color with no sediment, this wine is mature. Years of terrific drinking ahead. cherry, chocolate and graphite nose with a powerful attack and long tasty lingering finish.
If a date, this is a 25 year old Olympic thriller Katarina Witt who matches brains, beauty and sexual prowess to keep you coming back again and again.
93+ points and highly recommended
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9/20/2015 - Redteeth wrote:
This bottle was in good shape and was a big Bordeaux with just a hint of earth on the nose.
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9/17/2015 - Pknut wrote:
Nice showing. Dark palate of black currant and plum, softly textured palate, soft tannins, the fruit is just starting to take on a compote quality but not quite there yet. Much softer texturally than I recall from prior bottles, but still plenty dark and youthful with many years left ahead. Fairway with the guys.
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8/29/2015 - millesime66 wrote: 97 Points
Alors là, on a tous été impressionnés par ce vin qui était exceptionnel, en fait, bien au dessus de son rang. À l'aveugle, on l'aurait sûrement pris pour un Lafite! Il avait tout; du fruit noir à revendre et du poivron sur des tannins bien fondus mais présents, une telle élégance et une magnifique longueur en bouche. En plus, pour les chanceux à qu'il en reste, il tiendra selon moi encore 5 à 10 ans.
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6/25/2015 - Paul D wrote:
Bordeaux WIMPS (La Tromplette, Chiswick): Cedary, touch of farmyard quickly blowing off, mineral, underlying blackcurrant and plum fruit. Medium bodied, savouryrd and black fruits, actually quite elegant with soft tannins, good acidity and minerally notes coming through on the very good length, harmonious finish. Excellent and ready to go ****.
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5/12/2015 - Nitwits Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted 90 mins prior to serving. Lively ruby red with the usual bricking on the edge for a wine this age. Powerful nose of lead pencil, cedar and cassis, later mellowing into a more seamless bouquet of mint, leather, tar and fruits. Very long juicy finish with acidity and tannins still in abundance. A defining performance from this '96.
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3/2/2015 - Purple Tooth wrote: 92 Points
Fully mature in secondary stage, still in balance, and delicious in the mouth but finish doesn't keep up with the mid palate...Acidity is keeping it fresh and vibrant.
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3/2/2015 - DSR Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hrs. Wonderful classic Pauillac nose, great balance, and long finish. Drinking beautifully right now.
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2/16/2015 - Simple palate Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vibrant, complex effortlessly balanced - at its peak, still has many years ahead.
The magnum emptied rather fast.
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2/10/2015 - MC wrote:
Decanted an hour, this was a solid wine with dark fruits, earth, and still with some tannin on the finish but in its window and should be there and develop further for some time. Solid Bordeaux. A-
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1/29/2015 - no leashes wrote: 92 Points
Red and black cherry, currant, cassis flavors, beautifully integrated, smooth and well balanced. Delicious.
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1/25/2015 - mwanasheria Likes this wine: 95 Points
As nice as always. Coffee, leather, earth, cassis, still some greenness. I keep coming back. Great.
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1/23/2015 - TheMajor Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was my next to last bottle of a case bought en primeur 18 years ago (1996 was the first year I started buying Bordeaux), and bought of course at a tiny fraction of current en primeur prices for this wine (it's too expensive for me now). Whereas quite a few of the other 1996's I still own have started to fade, this one is still singing in tune and there's possibly more to come. Dark fruits and tobacco (so just as you would expect), luscious sipping wine to swirl and enjoy by itself or with good steak. The 1989 is still the finest bottle of wine I have ever tasted, and this isn't in that league, but it isn't that far off. No need to rush opening this - got at least 10 years of plateau drinking in my view.
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1/13/2015 - MC wrote:
This was slightly corked, but showed deep color and seemed like a relatively rich, full bodied wine that would not need a lot of air to open up and get going vs. what I expected for a '96. NR
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1/1/2015 - AlanM68 wrote: 95 Points
Drunk alongside a 1996 Mouton on New Year's Eve 2014, this wine was in stunning form. Rich, complex, great length and plenty to chew on. It unexpectedly, and easily, outclassed the Mouton. And I'd bet it still has a good 7-10 years ahead of it.
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1/1/2015 - lolo66 wrote: 90 Points
had this side by side with the 86 gruaud larose. rather soft on opening and remained on the velvet side through out the night but gained a bit of bite as the night wore on. A bit easier to drink than the larose but less intriguing.
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12/24/2014 - mwanasheria wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful Lynch-Bages with all the ingredients that we look out for. Earth, graphite, cassis, plums, cedar, smoke. A very elegant Lynch.
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12/20/2014 - MWiking wrote: 93 Points
Tog med detta vin till en blindprovning och var helt säker på att jag hyllat detta vin tidigare men när jag ser tillbaka så var det bara en 93a senast och denna gång satte jag 93 poäng blint så jag måste misstagit mig. Dock riktigt bra men jag tror denna flaska var bra när den öppnades men under kvällen var det på väg over the hill,
vinet har en grön stjälkig smak mend lakrids och ceder, mjuk härlig smak. Riktigt gott men svårt att mäta sig när det står en Gruaud Larose 1982 brevid så klart.
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12/18/2014 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 92 Points
Var med i en blindprovning. Var från början helt inne på Bordeaux men landade sedan i att det vara en Bordeauxblandning från Toscana då jag tyckte att jag hittade vissa gröna örtiga italienska toner och lite aceton som jag inte brukar hitta i Bordeaux.
Annars hade det ju verkligen allt det man sammanknippar med en Bordeaux som har början till mognad med stall, piptobak, cigarrlåda, cassis, läder, damm och blyerts. I smaken mogen frukt, påtaglig syra och lena fina tanniner. Har druckit detta vin flera gånger tidigare men kände mig inte riktigt hemma i smaken denna gång.
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12/18/2014 - Ramberg wrote: 93 Points
Nose shows typical & classical Bordeaux, rather fresh, with green herbs, green peppers, licorice, spice, cedar wood, cigar box, tobacco leafs, dust, dry leather, barnyard & pencil lead.
The nose started out very fine, but fell off a bit with more time and air in the glass, and lost some of its initial punch.
Palate shows high acidity, with dry and fading cassis fruit & red berries, some tobacco and greener notes.
I get the feeling that this is a little past peak and on its way down, since the fruit it beginning to fall off and the acidity are taking over.
However, need to keep in mind that this is a 1996, with rather high acidity from start, so might just going thru a transition phase?
(92 – 93 p)
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12/18/2014 - Patrik H Likes this wine: 93 Points
On the nose, Green herbs, stems, cedar
On the palate, Soft, cherries, acetone, oil, with a very nice acidity
Medium + finish
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12/9/2014 - cephomer Likes this wine: 95 Points
Westchester Wine School - Premium Wine Tasting (Bar Lees, Mamaroneck, NY): Drank at WWS tasting. Decanted for 90 minutes, and drank side by side with a 2005 (that was not ready). Dark color, a bit of orange at the rim, medium bodied. Very expressive nose of dark fruit, tar, tobacco, green pepper. On the palate, plenty of fruit, still some tannins but mostly resolved, lots of dark fruit, lead pencil, cassis, tar, tobacco. A mile long! Wonderful, classic bordeaux with great concentration, length, & power. If one were to quibble, one could argue that it perhaps lacks some depth at the back end, but that's really pushing it. A great wine in a great place right now. Easily voted the WOTN. Glad I have a few more in the cellar.
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12/7/2014 - Harry Cantrell Likes this wine: 93 Points
Garnet. Initially a good Pauillac nose, but decanted for 2 hours. At dinner, much more green herb in the nose, but Pauillac in the rear. Tobacco, leather. Taste was smooth, rich, medium weight. Nice
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11/20/2014 - clayfu wrote:
really full bodied savory red fruit on the palate with a nice component of tobacco and spice. Drinking nicely.
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11/17/2014 - KenK Likes this wine: 95 Points
In a great place, pretty aromas of dark fruits, black spice, and wet earth. Wonderfully complete and integrated with a beautiful texture. Almost seemless with rich fruits, broad sweet tannins, and backing acidity so well balanced. Long spiced finish. In a great place and see very long life ahead. Good stuff.
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11/16/2014 - winelover1808 wrote: 93 Points
lots of green bell pepper with bright red fruit and balanced acidity. long finish. can go another ten years of aging easily. decanted 2 hours before drinking.
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11/16/2014 - Mike V Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a terrific bottle. Everything I ask for in a Pauillac. Pop and pour at Izzy's Steak house. Nose jumps fresh and lively. Great fruit. If this is over the hill I like over the hill. Will drink well for at least a decade.
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10/18/2014 - S-C-S Likes this wine: 94 Points
Happiness - drink it now, I"m happy, that I have 15 bottles in my cellar.
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10/17/2014 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 92 Points
Impressive evolution over 3 hours. First, this wine was totally closed down and unappealing. After 2 hours, the nose finally exhibited cassis, forest floor, tobacco, and graphite. Over the ensuing hour, the fruit continued to emerge and the wine just kept improving. If I were to open another bottle, I would wait 3 hours to start drinking -- I would recommend the same. This started as a disappointment, and finished as advertised.
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10/3/2014 - Yiannis wrote: 92 Points
This bottle confirmed my impression that this wine has started heading downhill. Medium to dark garnet with brick hues. Typical Pauillac nose of cedar, cigar box, pencil shavings, leather and spice but the fruit has started showing some signs of overmaturity. On the palate the wine is medium-bodied and tannins remain quite firm, acidity is medium+ and perfectly integrated but again the fruit is somewhat stewed and some tertiary signs of undergrowth have started to appear. Long aftertaste. Still quite enjoyable, but every bottle that I open seems to me as inferior to the previous one. This was my last bottle anyway.
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9/23/2014 - BradE wrote:
From 375ml. Give this some air, and its a terrific Lynch Bages.
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9/13/2014 - BordeauxBoy Likes this wine: 95 Points
NOT a Napa Cab. Classic left bank and drinking really well right now. Incredible balance of fruit and terroir. The grilled NY strip steak was a perfect match. Wish I'd bought more to drink in the next 5-7 years.
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9/10/2014 - doctornoah wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful, elegant, aromatic. Blind would have guessed Margaux over Paulillac. This is round and balanced and will last quote a bit longer
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8/31/2014 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 94 Points
60 min decant (this really needs 2 hours)- medium bodied, zero heat, good balance, average finish, should reach prime in 3-5 and should last another 10-15 years. Average value.
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8/28/2014 - dchain Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened for the boys' Niseko ski dinner as a thank you to our host AJ for organizing every year. Liking this vintage more and more. Still dark ruby and young but really starting to open up on the nose with classic paulliac tobacco and cedar wrapped up in lush blackberry fruit. Touch of leather and kink which is making it a lot more interesting and why you just keep wanting to go back to it! Wonderful balance and freshness and hard to find a better and true glass of left bank Bordeaux than this. Bravo!
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8/23/2014 - UTPK wrote:
Drinking very well right now. My third bottle in a year. Developed and correct nose of pipe tobacco, cedar/pencil shavings, and some bright fruit notes. Very lifted nose. Medium body with a sweet attack, very well balanced with the acidity carrying the finish. Still some tannins left and they are quite harsh. Once they melt away in 5-10 years this will be outstanding.
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8/16/2014 - fizz wrote: 92 Points
Impromptu dinner at home: Fine and elegant, with developed flavours now. Gentle red and black berry fruits, tobacco, dried herbs, cedar. The acids are there, and keep the palate fresh. Excellent drinking now.
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6/11/2014 - shaferguy91 wrote: 94 Points
No decant. Drinking very well now.
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5/22/2014 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Confraria - Maio - Bordeaux (Marcão House): Powerful. Special nose of spices, mint and pepper. Prominent acidity and a respectable tannic backbone; a bit rude in his mouth (which I like). Matched very well with the food.
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5/7/2014 - Insomniakk2 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened up beautifully after two hours and continued to improve over the next two. Enjoyable now but should still hold up for 4-5 more years. Silky smooth with earthy, tobacco notes.
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5/1/2014 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
From 37,5cl, good cork. Decanted. This only started to open up after 2 hours. I suggest you shouldn't P+P this unless you are an oligarch and intend to mix it with Coke. Still very primary. Cedar and fragrant cassis, of course. The ripe dark fruit is a tightly pulled reef knot which isn't going to unwind any time soon. Noble, ripe, racy acidity (and some not entirely pleasant volatile ether-like notes) on the mid-palate and the long, finely grained, still pretty tannic finish. Sure, this is a lovely drink now (reflected in its current market price), but for my palate true pleasure is at least 5 years down the road, even in this diminutive format. 75cl owners: please consider opening something else until 2019. 90P(++?)
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4/6/2014 - MRichman wrote:
This wine is in its early drinking window and benefitted from several hours in the decanter. Wonderful wine.
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3/8/2014 - ATK22 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened up after 2.5 - 3 hours of air. Nice balance. Full bodied and Complex, dark fruits and earth. Nose slightly muted. Sad to see my last one go.
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2/8/2014 - affordableCollector wrote: 92 Points
orange and red in the body, yellow rim, in the color. dried fruit, plum, currants, dried herbs, black pepper, teriyaki beef, tobacco, burnt wood, ash, dust, on the nose. medium acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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2/8/2014 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
K&L Bordeaux Tasting (K&L, San Francisco): Roasted red pepper, good cherry fruit, slight tobacco; sweet red fruit, good balance, integrated tannins, good red fruit. Solid bordeaux at maturity, will likely have a plateau for years but may not have more development. 91-92
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1/23/2014 - UTPK wrote:
Vertical 1988-2007 LB. The 1996 was the second best after the 1990. Lovely layered clean nose of graphite, underwood and currant. Very lifted nose. Sweet attack and very elegant profile with a tannic backbone to the sweet fruit. Extremely well balanced and long succulent finish. Odd as it may sound with all the praise above, it was still blown away by the fabulous 1990.
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1/19/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 95 Points
A quintessential Pauillac drinking beautifully now and likely for another decade. Everything is in there that should be- this wine delivers what you expect and in magnificent fashion. Every household should have a case of this downstairs. Carson- order me another first thing!
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1/16/2014 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 94 Points
Alltid lika bra! Se noteringar 2013-11-02
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1/2/2014 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 95 Points
textbook Pauillac nose ofcassis, cedar, cigar-box and graphite, with a wave of plums at the end. Marvellously fresh and vibrant mouthful of cassis but also plum and raspberry, beautifully constructed, bright, ripe, but also elegant and distinguished. Outstanding. A word of warning – this tasted quite light on opening, it needs several hours to thicken and open up properly (or probably an hour or two in a decanter). Well, great though the Moussas is, the Bages is just that much better and was definitely our WOTN: 95 pts
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12/31/2013 - lobsterww Likes this wine: 93 Points
seems to be losing it a bit compared to a few years ago. Time to have the last bottles.
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12/31/2013 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic wine, typical Pauillac with an expressive nose full of minerals like graphite and pencil shavings, cedar and ripe cassis fruit. Balanced and savoury while light on its feet. The only problem was that it was drank alongside the superb Mouton 1996 which was like the Lynch-Bages squared...
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12/29/2013 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank over lunch with friends for my 18th wedding anniversary. Fantastic nose from the beginning, with textbook Pauillac typicity: pencil shavings, cedar, ink, leather and spices. Medium-bodied with fine-grained, resolved tannins, freshness and balance. Long aftertatste. Probably at peak with some life ahead. Great and typical aged left-banker.
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12/13/2013 - mgstull Likes this wine: 87 Points
Tobacco, saddle leather, and cassis but starting to thin out. I wouldn't wait.
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11/22/2013 - mgstull Likes this wine: 88 Points
Quick decant, although it did not really need it. Lots of barnyard funk on the nose. Leather, tobacco, graphite, and fading red fruit. Nice but not deserving of a higher rating. I would say drink up.
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11/2/2013 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 94 Points
En perfekt mogen Bordeaux! Trodde inte att det redan nått dessa mognadstoner. Läder, tobak, cigarrlåda , mörkfrukt och fantastiskt lena tanniner. Riktigt bra vin!
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10/5/2013 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 97 Points
Complex. Tertiary aromas of leather and tobacco. Take smoked in the mouth. Breathtaking. Ready to drink
Drunk on Union Square Cafe Restaurant - New York
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10/1/2013 - dbkitc wrote: 89 Points
Mature, resolved, classic yet only satisfying. The color was right, the nose was classic LB pillowy Pauillac, but the flavor impression, while again correct, left the impression of being a bit weak and thin. Lacked any wow factor. Good only. Hopefully just an off bottle. (89)
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9/25/2013 - sastewart wrote: 94 Points
Classic left bank Bordeaux. Beautiful nose of graphite, tobacco, cedar and dark fruits. Creamy texture with pure ripe dark fruits, earth and minerals. Drinking very well but no rush. 94 points
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9/20/2013 - Tapestry Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fantic! Lots of fruit, silky smooth and delicate tannins with hints of all the usual features found in a great Bordeaux.
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9/1/2013 - UTPK wrote:
Tasted the Lynch Bages 1996 and Pontet Canet 1996 together. While both exhibited mature notes and classic Pauillac nose, the Lynch Bages had a creamier, fuller and more complex nose. On the palate the Pontet Canet was more angular and lean compared to Lynch Bages which had sweeter fruit. Both wines are in good balance. The finish of Lynch Bages is longer.
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8/24/2013 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hrs but really only needs 30 minutes. Well secondary and classic. Bricking colour. The nose is full of earthy, tobacco and leather notes open and beautiful. The good news is that on the palate the fruit is quite alive and firm and adds a great second layer of complexity ( unlike the beautiful 89 Gruaud Larosse we tried side by side, Papies 93). A magnificent wine pure, elegant and at probably its peak now and should stay here for a few more years. 93
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8/20/2013 - lobsterww Likes this wine: 95 Points
took about 2 hours of decanting to reach the peak. Very enjoyable graphite and ash filled Pauillac.
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8/17/2013 - guido23 wrote: 93 Points
Mmmm, popped and poured. After an hour this was delicious, well rounded, and long finishing. My teeth are dark purple from letting it linger so long. Plenty of time left but it's drinking quite well right now.
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8/4/2013 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
WIML90
Tasted non blind at a wine tasting.
Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, fairly clear looking. Nose of thistle, dried herbs, a hint of leather and berries. Flavors of berries, cherries and raspberries. Tart acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with air or continue to hold.
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8/3/2013 - AtoZ wrote: 89 Points
A bit thin. Tastes and smells like nice bord but not special.
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7/21/2013 - saturnaisland wrote: 95 Points
Medium to full bodied. Well integrated with dark fruit, hints of cigar box, graphite, tobacco. Outstanding wine.
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7/5/2013 - DonalOB wrote: 94 Points
Drank in Dublin.
Big blackcurrant nose, good tannins and med- acidity. Initially a little flabby but with time balanced out. Great wine, great night but still not a patch on the 2000.
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7/5/2013 - RayOB wrote: 94 Points
Drank in Ireland
Really drinking well at the moment
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7/2/2013 - JSOL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking well. Graphite nose. Very nice wine with real complexity. A little green on the finish but it doesn't come across as a flaw. Very enjoyable.
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6/21/2013 - dream wrote: 92 Points
This is turning into a classic Lynch Bages even if it will always be lean and a bit angular. It was best straight out of the bottle with really classic Pauillac flavors of graphite minerals, cedarwood and tobacco. Finishes very finely etched with complex notes of graphite and dark spices.
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6/16/2013 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
From 375. Showing some maturity at the disc with a deep robe. Nose takes a long time to open - takes two hours to really show up and three to open. Dark fruits, coffee, chocolate; the oak is still integrating. Picks up just a little lavendar and orange peel. What a polished nose. The palate is rich, seamlessly balanced. Shows some ash. Reminds me of a stylistic mix between the '89 and the '90, if not as impressive as either. This is just barely coming into its drinking window from half bottle - it'll take another 5-10 years to really show its potential. Excellent Pauillac.
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6/7/2013 - godx wrote: 92 Points
Bill's Monthly Lunch - June 2013 (Vancouver, BC): This smelt like classic claret (especially when compared with the ’02 Pontet-Canet) with notes of cedar, tobacco, cassis and a hint of bell pepper. Fine tannins with nice acidity add some lift to the easy-going and lighter styled fruit on the palate. Drinking very well now and should continue to do so over the next 5-10 years. Excellent.
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5/29/2013 - DonalOB wrote: 95 Points
Lynch Bages Dinner (Grand Hyatt Hong Kong): Big rich tertiary nose and palate. Spicy blackcurrant, leather and so smooth in the mouth. Wonderful balance yet still has plenty of structure.
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5/7/2013 - andyf wrote: 92 Points
The wine looks Ruby colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Horsey, Tobacco, and Mineral. It tastes like Black currant (cassis), Forest floor, Tobacco, and Horsey. The body is Medium. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Medium.
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4/28/2013 - johnh1001 wrote: 93 Points
Impressive nose of red and black fruit, spice, tobacco, coffee and herbs. Great palate full of sweet dark fruit and nice grip. Nice and vibrant. Has upside potential. Lingering long finish.
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3/29/2013 - Bordeauxman wrote: 92 Points
no notes, very good
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3/27/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
This wine gets better each time I taste it and this is the best showing yet! Cigar box, cassis, blackberries, earth, tobacco and forest floor notes are finally starting to emerge. The tannins are softening, leaving a fleshy, soft, juicy, rich, pure, ripe, fruit filled wine. As good as this is today, it's only going to get better with a few more years of bottle age.
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3/24/2013 - Tight Lines Likes this wine: 94 Points
A value year - LB no exception. The finish is amazing, I think this wine has room to get better, and it's very good right now.
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3/23/2013 - WST wrote: 94 Points
MB's Bday; '96 DP, '07 Dauvissat GC, '86 Figeac, '96 Lynch B, '98 Telegraphe, '63 Grahams (Le Crocodile, Vancouver, BC): My concerns this would be too young were unfounded. A nice follow up to the Figeac, this was far more elegant and refined. Dark fruited, pencil lead, and a subtle brown spice note I would have called cedar had the preceding wine not clobbered me with a cigar box. No need to hurry, but no need to wait; this has entered its prime drinking window.
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3/20/2013 - igaf wrote:
Shiny, quite deep garnet with slightly brownish tinge. Intense and very aromatic, forest floor, red fruit, chocolate, later dark fruit and cinnamon. Good acidity, a bit indistinct fruit on the palate, matchbox, tobacco, ash. Rather confusing, hard to see how much potential is left there. Somehow disappearing on the midpalate, but then re-emerging with some juiciness. Long, dark cherry and tobacco aftertaste with some bitterness.
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3/15/2013 - RKwok Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 2 hours; Medium bodied; Mature wine with plenty of minerals and tobacco, and hints of leather and lead pencils; Paired very well with the lamb rack. Not as powerful or concentrated as other Lynch Bages but very pleasant.
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3/10/2013 - KevinS wrote: 92 Points
Glorious, deep and rich right out of the bottle, but softened up with an hour in the decanter. The second half of the bottle, while lovely, was less impressive and just didn't pack as much punch and the reported score represents the average...
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2/22/2013 - BradE wrote:
From 750ml. A nice showing, lovely fruit. Softer and more reserved than many 96 bdx, but classic and a wine that can be opened now if desired (but no hurry).
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2/9/2013 - Tree512 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Right on the mark. Mature but lively, with melting but present tannins providing structure to large red and black fruit, with soy sauce/unami and classic cedar notes. Tastes exactly like it should, and while I think it will continue to mature, I doubt it will improve from here.
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1/31/2013 - BillyT wrote:
Opened pop and pour at wine store. Waaaay too tight. Well everyone had to taste so I allowed. I thought it was great as other notes expressed, however, I will reserve my comments and score until tomorrow when I drink the remaining half.
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1/28/2013 - tomlee wrote: 95 Points
Ruby in color and just starting to fade ever so slightly on the edges. 13% ABV. Cedar, pencil and sweet pipe tobacco on the nose. Pure black currants, cassis, graphite, cigar box, wet earth, mushrooms, smoke, leather and coffee on the palate. Textbook Pauillac! The wine is rich, young and taut. Great texture and mouthfeel. There are definitely some secondary characteristics developing here but there is still a great sweetness of fruit that shines through. Well stored bottles of this wine will easily age gracefully for another 10-20 years.
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1/4/2013 - honest bob wrote: 92 Points
From 37,5cl, inferior cork with seepage almost quarter-way back, but no harm done. It is ESSENTIAL to decant this wine for at least an hour - only after two hours did it really open up and show all the cedar-blackcurrant-spice stuff other CT TNs praise and the astonishing, perfect balance which makes it seem weightless despite its very real substance. If you are fortunate enough to have this lovely wine in your cellar, or to be able to afford to drink it in a restaurant, whether or not to pop a cork now is almost a moral dilemma. Yes, given sufficient air time it is delicious right now. But no, I am quite certain that it isn't showing as well now as it will do in 5 to 15 years time, even from 37,5 cl. As a person predisposed to giggle at old-school wine-bores and their wine-necrophilia it hurts me to say so, but: if only you can bear to delay your gratification another year... another five years... even longer... you will be richly rewarded. 92P(+)
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12/25/2012 - C Mackay wrote: 95 Points
this is why Bordeaux is all about balance. Still much fruit left as the tannins have mellowed to a wonderful mineral/earth balance. Has more time left but is delicious now.
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12/23/2012 - AlanM68 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Four bottles drunk amongst eleven of us over lunch. Each bottle was consistent - all were stunning. None were decanted (no decanters available), though the bottles were opened 2-3 hours before tasting. Showing a little brick at the edge, nose is tobacco and perhaps some mint. Great length, very together. Plenty of time left to try the remaining 8 in the case!
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12/14/2012 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Battle between Pichon Baron, Pichon Comtesse and Lynch Bages. 11 TOP Vintages from 1982 - 2009 (@ Bottles; Sas van Gent, Netherlands): Intense bouquet with a lot of dark fruits, graphite and beautiful oak. On the palate dark fruits as well, beautiful balance between sweetness and acidity, firm bitterness and firm, even a bit green tannin. Nevertheless this is a great wine. Early maturity now and with another 5+ years of age on it, it might show some more elegance.
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11/19/2012 - wineotim wrote: 88 Points
Barnyard, cedar and cigar box aromas, pencil lead, earth, and hints of plums and spice, meaty...fruit is muted. Restrained and austere, elegant and traditional style.
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11/16/2012 - Fishboy wrote: flawed
May have been corked
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11/15/2012 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
Five Decades of Lynch Bages with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): Another consistently great left bank 1996 9this is the 4th time we try this wine) ! Quite a bit f browning in colour, looks a lot older than 96. Ever the classical nose and what a beautiful nose. Light earth, dark fruit, cedar, mint. On the palate it is solid, with good fruit, vibrant, good soft tannin, complex and in perfect balance. Simply superb 94-95. Came second on the night behind the majesty of the 85
Much like with the 1996 horizontal we have been to a month or so ago, and we documented in CT, 1996 is a stunner of a year and what great Bordeaux is all about.
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11/11/2012 - Jonne wrote: 92 Points
Lynch-Bages 1996, Pauillac
FÄRG
Klar
Färg: Medel – granat
Kant: 2 mm tonar ut mot vattenklar
Intensitet: medel
Färgar glaset? en aning
Gardiner: mycket tunna
DOFT
Korrekt
Doftintensitet: medelintensiv
Doft: frukt - mörka bär, björnbär, rotfrukter, potatisgratäng, cigarrlåda, te, tobak
Utveckling: under utveckling, nästan moget
SMAK
Torrt/sött: torrt
Syra: medel + syra
Tanniner: medel, finkorniga
Alkohol: medel, märks i en viss halkighet
Fyllighet: Medel + fylligt
Smakstyrka: Medel +
Smak: frukt - röda bär, apelsin, virke
Textur/balans/bubblighet:
Eftersmak: Lång
SLUTSATSER
Kvalitet: defekt, dålig, okej, bra, mycket bra, enastående
Drickabilitet: för ungt, går att dricka nu men kan lagras, drick nu – lagra inte, för gammalt
Geografi:
Pris: billigt 65, mellanpris 66–120, dyrt 121–300, premium + 300
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8/24/2012 - Fishboy wrote: 92 Points
Another great bottle.
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8/5/2012 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
From 37,5cl. Decanted 1.5 hours. This excellent wine has surprised and puzzled me before and it is doing so again this evening. Everything - scent, entry, mid-palate, finish, is sweet, shiny, buffed, polished and complacent, no edges. I won't go over all over the "cedar, tobacco" stuff again, take it as given. The point is, all the interesting things cower behind a sweet, fat, purring, Cheshire-Cat-like grin which persists longer than the finish of the wine does (John Tenniel, I salute you!) I could do with a bit more cut, edge, and above all, balancing acidity. Is this a 37,5cl thing? Or a typical mature Lynch Bages feature (I remember finding the 1982, 1985 and 1986 a bit too sweet and complacent for my taste about 5 years ago)? I'm going to keep on at this, one 37,5cl bottle per year, and if it doesn't get more interesting by 2017, then the rest of the case gets sold on to someone who appreciates this style more than I do. 90(?)P
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6/25/2012 - tbuysse wrote: 92 Points
Very decent, and peaking right now. Typical Lynch Bages colour and taste. Fresh oak and dark fruit, with subtile layer of charcoal and truffle. I would not wait longer than 2 to 3 years to drink this wine.
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6/13/2012 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
True or False: Would I Lie to you? A Fine wine Tutored Tasting & Panel Game (Berry Bros & Rudd, London): Blind tatsed.
Cedar, tobacco, light earth as textbook as it gets for a well aged left bank bordeaux. To the point we went on to say this is Pontet Canet 1996. Well secondary and absolutely a wonderful wine. This is the third time we try this wine this year and it is consistently a great wine. Another beautiful wine from 96. 93-94 this time
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6/1/2012 - willthethrill wrote: 91 Points
Nicely made wine. Balanced. Lush. Wish it were more to my liking.
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5/28/2012 - Hawk94 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted, drink side by side with 96 Latour 2nd label, brick red rim showing well aged, showing some secondary bouquet, black currant, cassis, earthy, creamy vanilla, tannin is bit coarse compared to Latour 2nd label but still refined, long lasting finish.
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5/23/2012 - RayOB wrote: 93 Points
Drank at Davies
Nose of cassis, earth, tar and vanilla. Wonderful smooth taste with a medium length. Lovely classic Claret.
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5/6/2012 - Fishboy wrote: 92 Points
Great bottle
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5/2/2012 - UTPK wrote:
We had the 1986, 1996 and 2006 together, three decades of LB! The 2006 was very sweet on the nose, almost Rhone-like and without the typical cassis, cedar, lead pencil and green pepper. More primary fruit and almost international in style. The 1996 was the best wine at this time. Totally classic nose of cedar, black currant and sweet pipe tobacco. Medium body with an elegant structure, very good balance and long finish. Probably peaking, but will remain at this plateau for 10+ years. The 1986 had one more layer on the nose compared to 1996 with coffee and some earhty element, but lacked a bit fruit, or rather the fruit was still compressed by the tannins. No signs of oxidization or tiredness, so this one will certainly live for 10-20 years more, and if the fruit holds up, it might be more balanced once the last tannins melt away.
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4/15/2012 - patrickrains wrote: 94 Points
nose of pencil tobacco chocolate licorice - decanted about 2 hours and wine became gorgeous.
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4/2/2012 - josh wrote: 94 Points
Just missing the graphite. Still young.
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2/11/2012 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
Required decanting like 1 hour to open up and settle at this stage. 1996 Medocs are now coming into game and are wonderfull wines. These are the ones to buy.
Colour is still dark, some bricking maybe and glossy. The nose is textbook bdx, with good fruit, cedar and some earth. On the palate it is very much alive yet it is starting to show the greatness hiding all these years. Another great showing from what will definitely be a superb wine in 5yrs. 95 drink frm now but it will continue to improve. WOW!
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2/11/2012 - pekingunther wrote: 92 Points
Had a discusssion about this wine with a friend who found the wine underwhelming, but I think the wine has to be taken in context of year and region. It is a "classic paulliac'. Initial palate is austere with real lead in the pencil. The immediate reaction is "will the fruit or body of the wine come through and intergarte with teh tannins - which are totally dominant at the start. The answer is yes. It takes time, a good deal of time, but the inegration occurs with several hours of exposure to open air. My take is that this wine will be a classic in about 15-20 years time. Not now and not in this decade. So for anyone married in 1996, this will be a good 30th anniversary wine, a great 40th annivbersary wine, and a fading 50th anniversary wine. That isn't to say you can't enjoy it now. the last paulliac that had as much lead in it as this was the 1983 Lafite, and it was only just coming into its own 3 years ago.
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1/17/2012 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
Wow. Nose is textbook Bordeaux , and just about to add secondary notes. Cedar and red fruit , leather notes. On the palate it is vibrant and alive long and with evident tannins. This is a great wine but still needs 5yrs before it develops into the beauty it can be.95+ drink in 5yrs. Long life ahead of this.
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12/18/2011 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 95 Points
My last of this beauty. Delicious.
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11/5/2011 - cfe wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding nose. Cigar box, spice, leather, even a pain de epice notes at one point. Jumps from the glass is an accurate description. Palate carries the same noets, along with the currant and dark fruit flavors, and mineraliity too. Tannins and acidity are still there, but nicely balanced. The wine is drinking beautifuuly, but is still in its ascendency.
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10/24/2011 - lumpyelbow wrote: 92 Points
Fete de Bordeaux (Centro, Toronto): More subdued than the '01 with pronounced vegetables on the nose, especially mushroom. Wet animal fur. I preferred the 2001 with the meal but this is a wine of contemplation.
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10/20/2011 - cadams wrote: 91 Points
Nose: mushrooms, cellar floor
Palate: Green peppers, a little sour cherry, minerality
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10/19/2011 - petitblanc wrote:
HDH French BYOB Dinner: This bottle showed more green than previously, with a lick of harsh tannins. No score.
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10/18/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Acker Merrall 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux Dinner (Balsan - Chicago IL): Big aromas of oak spice and black cherry and plum. Dense, dark and brooding on the palate, clearly very backward but still balanced in that the tannins didn't seem harsh, acidity didn't protrude and primary fruit was prominent. Good spice came through on a very long finish. Again, hold for another decade.
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9/25/2011 - uberoh wrote: 93 Points
decanted 4 hrs - still tight - needs more time and longer decanting - but very powerful and enjoyable....
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8/25/2011 - Remony wrote: 90 Points
2 bottles kindly brought by William Midwood to a grouse dinner with Charlotte. Decanted 3 hours. Not a generous wine tonight; lovely dark colour but unyielding on both nose & palate. Dry, diffuse and a little sharp on the finish. Quite hard work. We turned to the barsac with some relief.
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8/23/2011 - MRichman wrote:
From 375ml. This is just delicious, exactly what I want in Bordeaux. Muscular, dark, tobacco fruit with a wash of sweetness, yet pillow soft, silky and friendly with a nose to die for. Actually it reminds me of the 1985 but a bit darker. Lovely toasted oak, flowers, and a hint of bitter finish. Fine tannins still a little too present. From half bottle this is a little on the young side of its drinking window. A wonderful peek at what this wine will be from 750 when it comes around in perhaps another 3-5 years. A fine way to say farewell to our house in Brooklyn. Consumed from a paper cup, as the movers took everything else.
A-
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8/12/2011 - AlanM68 wrote: 94 Points
Stunning. Ever so slight brick at the edge. The nose is all tobacco. Tasting it, after 2 hours in the decanter, it's silky smooth with an enormous length. The flavour is perhaps cherry with maybe a little mint giving it some sharpness.
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8/8/2011 - km5 wrote: 93 Points
outer layer of tobacco, cigar...mouth watering juicy smooth, yet dry, balanced structure...very very pleasant and drinkable...the bottle was too easy to finish by myself...was hoping for more bite, but tannin was starting to come out near the end. delicious.
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7/30/2011 - Hawk94 wrote: 93 Points
Silky smooth!
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7/16/2011 - Schwengan wrote: 92 Points
15 years young. Wonderful, earthy yet dry and robust in the mouth. Inky purple.
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7/15/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Ruby with hints of slight bricking around the edges, this maturing wine displays scents of cedar wood, damp earth, cassis, mushroom and cigar box aromas. The wine is full bodied, tannic and concentrated. In the mouth, it's like taking a big bite of juicy Cabernet Sauvignon. This is developing nicely and will continue improving for at least another 20 more years.
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7/7/2011 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium ruby color with strong Pauillac earth and truffle on the nose. The medium bodied silky texture just caresses the palate with flavors of dark cherry, tobacco, pencil shavings, black tea, truffle mushrooms, and thyme. Very soft and smooth tannins on the finish, but this has enough structure, density and ripeness that can make it last another 10 years. Drink now until 2021.
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5/9/2011 - SimonG wrote:
Julian S-M's 1996 Bordeaux (Hawksmoor, London): Lovely nose in the cool, minty spectrum. very elegant and harmonious. Lovely energy and lift. All there. Nicely persistent. More open than the Palmer but non-the-less, this has time in hand. ***(*1/2)
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5/7/2011 - dedrislee wrote: 94 Points
Opened in a restaurant as birthday celebration. Decant for 1 hour. Dark ruby red colour, honey-like consistency coating the glass. Impressive bouquet sweet cassis, ripe blackberry, smoke, barbeque meat, and lead pencil notes and forest floor, earthy. Palatal velvet feel, leathery silk, cigar-box, strong and structured tannin with balanced acid. Impressive medium creamy finish. Cellar potential for 5 or more years. A7P7C6
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4/30/2011 - Rmessinger wrote: 100 Points
Fantastic, well worth the wait !
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4/30/2011 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 96 Points
Delicious! This wine was delightful right from the git go. the colour is a beautiful crystal garnet. No bricking just beautiful. All of the points for color. The nose is earth, graphite, spice, pepper, mushroom. smoke, meat. The flavors are that of a mature and classy Bordeaux. Excellent balance, everything working together. Really mellow and delicious. Graphite, earth, mature tart fruit, mushroom, grilled meat, pepper and spice. I have to believe that this wine is is in prime time. I have one more bottle and will try to keep my hands off for another year.
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4/21/2011 - Rani wrote: 92 Points
Tasted blind. Huge pencil shavings, some green bell pepper. Cool sous-bois, blackberries. Very fine powdery tannins. Very good - though I thought it to be a St. Estephe.
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4/16/2011 - Radboy wrote: 94 Points
Drinking in a sweet spot now they should last another 8-10 years at least. Dark, generous fruit with somewhat firm tannins. We were going to have this with a big filet but we weren't hungry so we skipped the steak and drank this for dinner instead! Good choice....
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4/9/2011 - josh wrote: 94 Points
Nice lead pencil, mineral elements. Bordeaux all the way.
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4/9/2011 - KimBot Likes this wine: 95 Points
As usual very good, very french and in perfect condition right now
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4/5/2011 - BradE wrote:
This really needs an hour or two of air, then a decent if not outstanding drink.
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3/31/2011 - kenv Likes this wine: 93 Points
WCC Mostly Lynch-Bages Vertical (Taste Restaurant, Albany, NY): [3 hours in a decanter.] Dark black fruits. Thick tannic and young. Needs another decade.
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3/16/2011 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
From 37,5 cl. Remarkable development over the two hours after opening. At cellar temperature, on opening, closed down tight, with little scent and a thin, crabby, tannic palate. After 40 minutes in decanter an unpleasantly powerful smell of what I believe is politely called "barnyard", but to my nose is just a nasty mixture of manure, carpet glue and methane gas; the massively sugary entry lacks purity and is way out of line with the savoury, tannic, Pauillac elements on the mid palate and an unattractively dry, tongue-furring finish. 2 hours after opening (and paired with a steak) this moody prima donna of a claret finally settles down (and reminds me strongly of Lynch Bages 1985). Still more "barnyard" than anything else on the nose, but some of the more disturbingly defecatory elements have subsided, letting some sexy, balsamic, deep, savoury, spice box notes peep through. Surprisingly no cedar or tobacco aromas. The palate is more linear now, freshly planed cedar-wood on the entry; very sweet mid-palate, great warm balsamic length on the finish, which is for me the aspect which pushes this (just) into the 90+P league this evening. I saw this wine on a restaurant menu at 345€ the other night, which really scares me in retrospect, not merely because I bought these bottles for the equivalent of 72€/75cl, but because I can hardly imagine how somebody paying that stupendous amount of money would actually ever experience what this wine has in store (how many people will call in advance and get it decanted in adequate time?) At 2:30 hours, finally the tobacco comes through, but the palate is still developing, the sweetness is again out of balance with the tannins, and the finish is drying once more. What a rollercoaster. What a fascinating wine. Revisit this time next year... 90P(?)
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3/11/2011 - Morten Andersen wrote: 91 Points
ripe. a little weak on the nose but very strong tobacco. Long. Time to drink up.
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3/10/2011 - Pknut wrote:
Two years since my last bottle which showed surprisingly soft, this one is showing very nicely - vigorous black fruits, tannins that are softening but still need a few years to fully resolve, which still give structure and frame the palate nicely, the palate softening and approaching a smooth, cohesive place. Silky mouthfeel, with some underlying tension against the still unresolved tannin and the hearty fruit. No harm in drinking this now, although it's more like a teenager that is showing potential but you know will be much more impressive with a few years. Lunch with cousin Dave at Rothmann's.
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3/4/2011 - gsquireh wrote: 94 Points
Tobacco box and forest floor and a tannic pinch give way with decanting to a rich complex Bordeaux with delicious black fruit, sweet cassis, and royal power. Ready now and good for twenty years.
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3/2/2011 - salil wrote: 94 Points
Delivers everything I'd want in a left bank claret. Powerful cassis and blackberry fruit combining seamlessly with vivid graphite, cedar and tobacco leaf accents; quite ripe and powerful but impeccably balanced. Drinking beautifully right now after a quick double decant. Fantastic.
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2/21/2011 - BradE wrote:
375ml. Good wine. Very much showed its Lynch character. A touch of a herbaceous note. Liked it.
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2/19/2011 - jreis wrote:
Definitely old world. Green pepper, cedar, leather, white pepper and nice restrained cabernet fruit. Did not have the explosiveness of the last bottle I had. Not sure if the extended decant was the problem, or just not a great bottle. Was a nice bottle, but nothing special
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2/4/2011 - cos82 wrote: 91 Points
2nd and last bottle from my cellar consumed at local byob w/lamb. Popped and poured after an hour. I liked it, but not as much as first bottle. Still dark purple and nice nose of plum and herbs. Earthy smooth, balanced palate with sour cherry, cedar, crushed stones and a hint of tar. No tannins, but alas not a lot of fruit either. Probably will live on for a long time, but ready to drink now.
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1/22/2011 - mfriedman12 wrote: 92 Points
Drank alongside the 1995. Loved both, but found more fruit and complexity here. The fruit and tannins stood out, with the cedar, leather and lead pencil providing 'Oscar-worthy' supporting roles. Crowd favorite which featured M-Rothschild, and Gruaud LaRose
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1/18/2011 - arp46 wrote: 93 Points
Paper filtered and decanted leaving a fine residue of silt in the filter and yielding a wine of dark purple with a rich aroma of wood and dark fruit, cassis and spices. This was a very rich and full wine with a lingering finish on the palate and an extraordinary depth of flavor. Drank it with a '95 which seemed almost like a Pinot by comparison to the richness and body of the '96. Drinking beutifully now, but, probably, unlike the 95, could stand another year or three in the bottle to start exploding.
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1/2/2011 - UTPK wrote:
Had it side by side with Pontet Canet 1996. The Lynch Bages was more sexy and forward. Better and fuller nose og graphite, blackberries, leather and smoke. Very, very nice bouquet!! Sweet attack and full bodied. Mature tannins which are still there in considerable amount. This great LB will continue to evolve for at least 10 years and will keep for 20+
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12/16/2010 - madia wrote: 90 Points
Chateau Lynch Bages & Chateau Pavie Macquin Testing (Wine Route Tel Aviv): Very mature and "stinky" nose - farm/leather. Light body, a little 'tiered" . Drink now.
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12/16/2010 - Yagil Likes this wine: 93 Points
Chateau Lynch-Bages & Chateau Pavie-Macquin vertical tasting (Wine Road Tel-Aviv): rich leather secondary aroma;
rich & velvet taste, tannic, balanced.
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9/11/2010 - JimHow wrote: 96 Points
One of the great Lynch Bages. This wine never dissapoints. It has it all: A nose to die for (a consistent hallmark of this wine), with great ripe cabernet fruit, ripe tannins. Classic Pauillac.
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9/2/2010 - WST wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. Consistent with my previous note; big nose and palate with black currents, pencil, earth and cigar box. Nice balance, powerful yet elegant. Not quite as much going on as the '96 Calon Segur.
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7/26/2010 - honest bob wrote: 91 Points
From 375cl. Massive cedar/lead pencil scent immediately on opening, rather diminished after 90 minutes in decanter. Very typical hard-core Lynch Bages, at a good stage for the more raunchy elements of its personality (MENTHOL!) Not appropriate for the slow-cooked beef casserole tonight - would have been much better with sharply grilled steak or lamb chops - bring on the umami. 91P
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5/11/2010 - petitblanc wrote: 90 Points
Medium to light ruby color, just a bit of brick at the rim. This took an hour in the glass to shed an uninviting, dry mineral edge, and overtones of barnyard and yeast, eventually revealing a classic if fading nose of cigar box, spice, charcoal, and very muted dark fruit. The profile improved through the palate, with smoke and cherry coming forward. Considerable acidity lends an interesting sourness to the fruit, almost a dill pickle juice quality, with some remaining tannins emerging on the warm and lingering finish. Overall quite restrained. Not great now, some upside over the next 3 to 6 years, but this may not get any better. I won't buy any more at the current price.
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5/8/2010 - S. Lorin wrote: 93 Points
nose immediately conjures up classic pauillac dominated by cedar, #2 lead pencil, plum, cassis and a sweet and full bodied finish - seemed more on the restrained side and not fully showing all it has to offer but still enjoyable - great future ahead still
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5/1/2010 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 92 Points
Intense cab dominated, earth, hint of b rett, well-integratede but w/plenty life left, cedar, cassis
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3/31/2010 - MRichman wrote:
Lynch Bages vertical (Morton's NYC): Strong sweet fruit with high toned acidic tannins. Long finish. Muscular with a sweeter fruit than older vintages, but with good structure. I believe this will round out well, but still needs time.
B+
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3/28/2010 - bonustime7 wrote: 90 Points
Very good but still needs time, berry coffee nose with undertones of, not unpleasant, earth vegatal characteristics. recommend decanting an hour or more. classy wine.
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3/26/2010 - Ambrose wrote: 94 Points
When opened, there was an expressive oaky and sweet grapy fragrance.
Exploded a very impressive bouquet after 5 mins. Could already feel the silkiness when I poured the wine.
colour: black, opaque, orange rim, good even legs
1st nose: extremely sweet candied cassis, very ripe black berry, smoky but grapy, a very little trace of being meaty and liquorish, finish with obvious lead pencil note
2nd nose: even more lead pencil, Nose: 95
Palate when just opened: rich, medium to full bodied, a bit meaty, lead pencil, chewy, strong and structured tannin but silky, very balanced with some acidity
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After 3 hours decanting, showed cute pretty even legs. Can smell that all the flavours have emerged.
1st nose: creme de cassis, ripe and grapy, liquorice, less sweet but more creamy
2nd nose: exciting sweet creme de cassis, bouquet of fruitcake plus liqourice, hint of herbs, soft alcoholic scent
Palate: creamy and rich, candied black fruit, lead pencil, hint of leather, trace of roasted herbs, chewy and concentrated, silky and powerful, medium to full bodied, smooth and sweet tannin and right acidity, extremely balanced
Finish: long pure sweet finish, 40+ secs.
Overall: Mellow. A real Bordaux wine. Good with red meat as it is powerful. At peak in my opinion. 94+
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2/21/2010 - cfe wrote: 93 Points
Nice wine, good Bdx aromatics, but would like to smell a bit more stink to the nose, still pretty correct aromas. Palate is still a bit tight, but drinks fine now. Think this will improve with time. Check again in 2012.
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2/20/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 92 Points
Lots of tannins, blackcurrant, great weight.
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1/16/2010 - Tree512 wrote: 92 Points
Definitive Lynch Bages. Lots of ripe black and red fruit, tannins on the back end that are becoming well integrated, and the sense of strong BDX. Like a slightly less complex 1989. Will keep improving for a while, but all about power and not grace.
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1/13/2010 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
WIML90-91
Tasted January 13, 2010 at a retail tasting. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of tobacco, smoke, black cherries and black berries. Flavors of black berries and tart cherries. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium body.
Drink or hold.
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1/11/2010 - PatrikO wrote: 91 Points
Smoke and cedar prefumes the glass. However found that it was a bit thin on fruit and slightly hollow mid palate, ready to drink, not sure it'll get any better.
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11/8/2009 - Chaz Bham wrote: 94 Points
A fine demonstration of cabernet character, pleasing elements of tobacco and graphite, all robed in tastefully done oak. Elements in nice balance, with young but well-integrating tannins. Lots of patrician, classic, left bank style.
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8/29/2009 - Goldstone wrote: 93 Points
Angela's Birthday Party (Crown Wine Cellars, Hong Kong): Decanted for 4 hours. Black opaque colour with slightly purple translucency at the edges. Touch of initial barnyard on the nose but quickly replaced by very distinctive pencil lead backed up by shy traces of cassis. Fantastic fresh, fruity palate of precise rich blackcurrents and some blackberries immediately framed on the back end by precise acidity and understated but balancing slightly reticennt drying tannins. Very impressive length and good resonance in the head on the finish. It seems to be just entering its proper drinking window and is the epitome of good claret. Great stuff.
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7/24/2009 - jmht wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 4 hours. Beautiful nose of creme de cassis; palate of creme de cassis, blackberry, earth, spice, good grip, great balance.
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7/15/2009 - KevinS wrote: 94 Points
Wedding wine consumed on our anniversary, over dinner at FCC. This is hitting on all cylinders, great fruit,some earthiness, lots of depth and complexity. Every bit as good as we remember from our wedding, with added nuance and class from bottle age.
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7/9/2009 - pgordon62 wrote: 92 Points
Open opening this was incredibly bretty with just a little green bean poking out above the barnyard. After three hours in the decanter it sprang to life with complex characteristics of damp earth, old saddle leather, grilled herbs, plum, a cherry top-note, rock dust and licorice. Wonderful weighting on the palate with a fresh, bracing finish. There are modest tannins that add nicely to the texture. At this point, a demanding wine that draws you in but then pushes you away. Should hit the start of its peak window in 5 years.
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6/22/2009 - cfe wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple black. Great nose of leather, barnyard, black currant, pencil shavings, spiice, really lovely. Softer and more ebolbed than I expected on the palate, mid to fullish weight, great interplay of black fruits, a bit of funkiness, and spice. Long finish. Great with grilled rib-eyes.
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6/20/2009 - cos82 wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Dark purple. An enjoyable nose of black fruits, lead pencil and a tad of funk (in a good way). Fine palate of black currant, black cherry, mushroom and charcoal. Balanced and integrated from start to fine finish. Ready to drink, but with years to go. In time this could be as good as the 89 I had recently. Some sediment. An outstanding wine that was very good with loin lamb chops.
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6/8/2009 - Cbriski wrote:
Ruth Chris 3-09 Very nice but took a while to open. Can age for longer.
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5/24/2009 - windgod wrote: 95 Points
12.5%. I have had this several time and I poured this last of the four. It felt like coming home. Warm and comfort. M trying to not be bias, but can't find any reason to deny this is my favourite of the four bottle by at two notches. Opaque purple colour with bouquet of chocolate, creme de cassis, blackcurrant, pencil lead, and dark red cherries. A lot more dimension and notes when compared to the others. Mid-weight plummy fruit and expressive, complex secondary flavors of mushrooms, tobacco, and herbs. Long finish, still high tannins, wonderful sweetness, massive richness on the mid-palate, and abundant power, density, and ripeness. Glad that I have more of this beauty. It would be brilliant idea to pit this against 1989, 1990 and 2000. Anyone game for this vertical of finest Lynch Bages?
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5/17/2009 - alamoave wrote: 90 Points
Tight and somewhat austere but well-made; decant for at least an hour or hold
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5/11/2009 - chatters wrote: 91 Points
Berry Bros & Rudd - Bordeaux Psyche (Berry Bros, London): Nose: cigarbox, leather, brambles
Mouth: Tannic and meaty, some fruit there but still quite closed, for me, almost austere but not in a bad way. Good mouth feel and a lovely long finish.
Rating reflects relative price as well - if it was a bit cheaper it would be 93-94.
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3/15/2009 - Redteeth wrote:
I opened and double decanted immediately before serving. this wine was wonderful right then and continued to open up for a few hours. It had everything you deisre from a Lynch Bages. The wine seemed to be in great shape and I anticipate it will last several years longer.
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2/23/2009 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 91 Points
() Kleur: Robijnrood met duidelijk oranje verkleuring. Aroma / bouquet: Zwoel, prachtige tertiaire tonen, beetje stallerig, herfst-geuren, boenwas. Sigaren. Jammig zwart fruit. Smaak / Afdronk: Prachtig rijp, vol, krachtige maar boterzachte tannines, zachte zuren, prachtige complexiteit en indrukwekkende lengte. Algemeen / potentieel: Heerlijke wijn waarvoor je me midden in de nacht mag wekken. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 91/100
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2/7/2009 - jonnyoro wrote: 96 Points
best showing yet for this wine- decanted for about 45 minutes- finally shedding baby fat and tannins- spectacular lynch bages- smoky and fruit and sweet tannins- not quite a t prime time yet but this is gonna last a long time- one of the better ones- better than '89/90? for me, maybe so. better than the '00? not yet.
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2/4/2009 - Pknut wrote:
With Randy. This wine is really quite satisfying and in a good place. Unmistakable Bordeaux palate featuring black fruit, cassis, sweet earth, melted truffle and a bit of Pauillac graphite. There is an upfront lushness, creaminess even, a slightly diluted midpalate and then a fuller, more expressive finish. The texture here is surprisingly resolved, with a creaminess to the mouthfeel and softer tannin. Drinking quite well now. Could this possibly be at peak? The softness of the tannins would suggest that, yet the dilute midpalate asks for more cellar time to bulk up and gain some more depth. Overall, this comes across not as a firm, young Bordeaux, but one that has softened with age and is already approachable; a Lynch Bages that is at this point after only 12 years, from a structured vintage, is surprising.
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2/2/2009 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 92 Points
Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux 1996 Vintage (Rodwell House): A subdued nose that slowly releases whiffs of chocolate, pressed red flowers, ripe blackcurrant, mineral and cigar box.
Medium-bodied, the texture is soft and round initially but builds to a more soft mineral, silky but then crushed velvet tannins that gives a beautiful lightweight structure to the wine. The mineral is that touch of lemon acidity but the wine stays its course with some Pauillac lead pencil, more linear frame that leads to a long finish. A fresh and lingering wine that I really enjoyed if perhaps a little compact and tighter than expected.
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1/23/2009 - VoteferPedro wrote:
opened to celebrate inauguration
decanted 2 hours
still dark with primary aromas of dark fruit and little underbrush. Initially smooth entry finished with medium tannins and medium to long length.
This seems still young but there is pleasure there. If I had another bottle, I would hold for 3-5 years.
remainder placed in 1/2 bottle and corked and resampled 2 days later, with similar profile but slight fall off in aromatics...makes me think this has upside to storage (goes from a 90 to 92 on my rating)
5+13+16+8=92
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1/18/2009 - peternelson wrote: 96 Points
Tom A: Classic, powerful, masculine, bigger t’s than the other ’96’s, grt tab. leaf, but tight, beat., sweet-ish mth. Love this.
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1/18/2009 - WetRock wrote:
EWG Bordeaux with Flannery and a couple Champers (Tom Altmayer's): Overall this still seemed tight but with plenty of power simmering. Very nice balance and classic Bordeaux notes. Would love to try this in another 10 years. Very nice.
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1/17/2009 - dsimmons wrote: 94 Points
Lynch Bages Tasting (Don's House): This bottle was decanted about 3 hours before it was tasted. Beautiful wine and my second place WOTN. Definitely the most aromatic of the wines tasted with an explosive nose of cassis and dark fruit. Like the '89 this wine continued to develop and improve over the course of the evening. Delicious layers of earth, spice and fruit with excellent balance and the backbone to go more years.
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1/16/2009 - SoCal wrote: 91 Points
Ruby color with no signs of bricking. Intoxicating nose of classic Pauillac scents, with cigar box, leather, earth, cherries, graphite and stinky socks. The palate is light to medium weight with sour red fruit and hints of cedar. The finish is smooth and silky and has very nice length. Overall this is what I look for in an aged Pauillac. For me the funk in this wine is one of the things that make it special and unique. Wonderful aromas of earth and stinky aged cheeses. This is not a fruity wine with gobs of oak and was never meant to be. Classic Bordeaux through and through.
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12/31/2008 - JeffGMorris wrote: 94 Points
New Year's Eve at Steve & Barb's house. Decanted 4 hours. Light purple in the glass, this had a great mouthfeel. Very creamy with red berries and a long finish. Beautifully matched with Barb's beef tenderloin. 50+13+13+9+9 = 94
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12/25/2008 - guitarguy wrote: 82 Points
Typical brett filled skunk of a Bordeaux of a certain age of a certain place...and it makes me wretch. Fortunately, this stops short of brett-wretch, but still, all respect to CT's host, brett is a flaw and this stuff has it in spades. One wonders how this would be without the brett because it seems to have some nice lively (12-year old?) fruit and a bit of mint (Martha's?) and even some earth, not "terrior (ie-brett)' but a nice earthy resonance. But the brett gets in the way and there is nothing worse than storing a wine for 10 years and having it smell and taste like horse dung on a hot day. Fortunately, newer Bordeaux's have cleaned up their act at least a bit. Now if we can just get the Rhone to follow suit.
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12/23/2008 - SLMTcellar wrote: 94 Points
Smooth, full bodied, opened up nicely after several hours, truly a classic Bordeaux blend where Cabernet dominates and leaves you wishing you had more in the bottle
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12/8/2008 - Claudio161 wrote: 93 Points
Lynch Bages Vertical Focused on Parker 91+ Point Reds (Sweets and Savories. Fullerton near Ashland. Chicago. IL): Sight: Dark purple, but not as dense as some of the others tasted this evening
Nose: Saddle leather and tobacco were the first notes to impress me. Plenty of cassis and black fruit ensemble joined in a supporting cast by charred oak with a spritz of vanillins. Herb wisps also accompany what is my favorite nose when compared/contrasted to the 1995.
Palate: Intense dark fruitiness to the point where you also feel like you are consuming a floral liquid as well. Not surprisingly, the tannins are still in place and should smooth further in time. Cassis party with some mint components and great spices and some lead pencil notes. Mouth coating and lush.
Overall: More approachable than the 1995 and very fruit forward and lush. 93-94 points.
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12/8/2008 - jordanj wrote: 91 Points
Lynch Bages Vertical (Sweet and Savories): classic lynch. Lighter in the mouth than the 95 and a shorter finish.
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12/8/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Lynch Bages Vertical 1961-2005 (Sweets and Savories, Chicago IL): nose: great contrast to the 95, where the 95 was a bit more new world driven, this is just pure, unadulturated bordeaux. Just on the nose alone it screams bordeaux and pauillac with a good healthy dose of cigar tobacco, cedar box, black and dark red cherries, spice tones, pencil lead, and some tones of slightly worn leather
taste: the tannins of 96 are certainly present. While not hard edged, they are plump and firm. More full bodied with a good dose of power providing classic flavors of cigar tobaccco, cedar planks, black and dark red cherries, pencil lead and bits of cassis
overall: if you want something that is just quintessential bordeaux, this is it. There is nothing for a pure new world fan to like about this, and everything for an old world fan to love. Nose and palate are well balanced with a full body to them along with the firm tannins and medium+ acidity. This will be a long term wine and has some good upside. Enjoyable now, but it needs a good decant to get going, this will be a lot more fun in 10 years
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12/2/2008 - Stampy wrote: 88 Points
Extremely bretty. If I didn't know I was drinking a glass of wine I'd have been sure I was turning the stable compost. Bottle held up nicely over three days in the cellar, but I never found anything astonishing, only a very good bord with a lot of stuffing.
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11/10/2008 - SoCal wrote:
No formal TN. This wine took a bit to open up. When it did it revealed a balanced Pauillac experience. A very nice wine.
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10/19/2008 - aof wrote:
La Fete du Bordeaux- 2006 Bordeaux Vintage (Chicago Wine Company, Ritz-Calton.): Oaky, vegetal tones. Not at all attractive.
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10/1/2008 - honest bob wrote: 86 Points
Mildly corked. Immediate musty scent. Straight after opening startlingly brilliant taste, but after decanting the nasty smell predominates. In mouth, 4 hours later: deep, intense sour cherry fruit with excellent robust tannins. Long and the quality shows through the mouldy small and mould taste. A bit like an old blue cheese. 86P
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9/18/2008 - vintage61 wrote: 91 Points
Not giving much this evening. Pooped and poured was not the way to go. Dark and brooding color. Very slight nose of Paulliac and the same for the palate. Needs lots of time, 4 or 5 more years minimum, based on this bottle. I believe it is all there, waiting to break the shell.
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9/11/2008 - no leashes wrote: 88 Points
Good, but not great. Might be entering a dead period, or might be that we had it after a 1987 Heitz MV, which was rich and delicious. Very dry cherry flavors, with earth and mineral. Well balanced, might just need time.
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9/8/2008 - Kirk Grant wrote: 90 Points
Tasted Blind showing a nice crimson hue with little to no signs of bricking at the edge. With scents of funk, earth, leather, smoke, pencil shavings and graphite this wine screamed of Pauillac. In the mouth there was a nice caressing of the palate with flavors of black currants, cedar, tobacco, and bakers chocolate at the tail end. I couldn't get enough of this wine...absolutely lovely and a long life ahead for this wine.
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8/22/2008 - hudamang wrote:
Very nice wine. Tasted blind. Guessed old world but I thought the nose was almost new. Sweet cherries and complex nose including some leather.
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7/19/2008 - wpd wrote: 90 Points
This is a good wine, very drinkable now without decanting. I don't think it will improve with further aging.
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6/1/2008 - honest bob wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic dense aroma. A thick wine, richer and sweeter than expected. Superb 94P
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4/20/2008 - IlonaN wrote: 92 Points
Bruce brought this to a wine dinner. Simply explosive aromas of dark currant, cedar, pencil shavings and warm leather. Beautiful and profound wine, at a great drinking window right now. Opened up in the glass and became even more expressive as the evening progressed.
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3/29/2008 - ProfessorHTF wrote: 90 Points
Tried this wine with thirtyoneknots...a little more impressed with it then he was. Fabulous nose when opened, rich cassis with some damson (at last a chance to use 'damson'). Tried after roughly an hour and for a few hours more. Elegant, but solid (yup...its a Lynch-Bages alright). I have always been struck by the consistency of LB, and once again, a classic representation of what Pauillac should be, at least at a minimum. It took an oddly long time for the trademark cedar and pencil-box characteristics to emerge, but emerge they did. Definite sense that this wine was nowhere near at its peak, which is not surprising. Yet another wine once considered "second" in the estimation of many that has seen its stock rise to the point where it is climbing into ominous price ranges like so many Bordeauxs. If you want to explain Pauillac to a newbie, do it with Lynch-Bages.
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3/10/2008 - thirtyoneknots wrote:
Decanted for sediment and left in for 1 hour, then returmed to bottle for transport, poured back in decanter upon arriving and left in for around 3 hours. Very integrated and still youthful on the palate, though showing a tinge of the color an aged wine will bring. Very nice fruit but not a lot of earthyness that I might expect from an aged Bordeaux. I would imagine this has a long way to go yet, and while extremely pleasant, it doesn't excite me the way some wines do. That said, much, much better than the 96 Leoville-Barton tasted a few weeks ago.
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3/8/2008 - Saint Stephen wrote: 91 Points
For Mom's 70th birthday dinner - very good wine but I could have used a little more charm - tobacco, cedar, sour cherries - still has a good amount of tannin but reasonably good to go.
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2/21/2008 - Eating is Cheating wrote:
From a Bordeaux tasting at BBR. Only a quick sketchy note taken at the time. Circa €160 per bottle. For me this was the wine of the tasting, narrowly beating off the 1995 Leoville Barton and the 1994 Trotanoy (the other wines tasted were the 2004 Villa Bel Air Blanc, the 2001 Berry's Own St Estephe (Phelan-Segur), the 2001 du Tertre, the 1997 Magdelaine, and a 2002 Berry's Own Sauternes (Suduiraut)). Decanted 1 hour. Distinctive Lynch Bages Pauillac nose of cassis (always juicy yet dry!) and graphite shavings. Excellent balance on the palate, great length. Super.
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2/12/2008 - WST wrote: 92 Points
Based on previous bottles, I thought these were ready to drink. This was more reticent than I remembered, and probably begged for more bottle age. Still, a nice Pauillac with black currents, pencil lead, cigar box.
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2/1/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
HDH 95/96 Comparative Tasting (Newberry Library, Chicago IL): nose: nice rich and ripe red fruit nose with tobbacco and cedar
taste: good weight on the palate with some red fruit and tobbacco
overall: nice and polished wine. very classic and enjoyable
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1/1/2008 - no leashes wrote: 92 Points
Dark cherry, berry, cassis and earth flavors, good balance and structure. In .375< drinking beautifully.
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12/4/2007 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 92 Points
Kitchen Tasting Group does Lynch Bages: Deep blackish red color. Expressive nose offering syrupy red fruit, tobacco, mushroom and smoke. Awesome. In the mouth the texture is thick but silky. Dark fruit complemented by tobacco and coffee. This is still very tannic. Nice length on the finish. This is a great bottle of wine.
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12/4/2007 - Siggy wrote: 93 Points
Tasting Group Dinner - Lynch Bages (JP's American Bistro, Minneapolis): Redder fruit than the 2000. Mid-weight plummy fruit and expressive, complex secondary flavors of mushrooms, tobacco, and herbs. Long finish. Seems to be coming into its own. I was expecting this to be dense, blockbuster, and hugely concentrated, but it was actually quite elegant and full of finesse.
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11/30/2007 - balassis wrote: 94 Points
A very attractive bright and deep ruby color and a very expressive nose, with scents of kirsh, leather, tar, forest floor, pepper and ripe red fruits.
On the palate is silky and powerfull.
Full-bodied with still high tannin, this wine is realy a sleeping beauty!
Harmonius with wonderfull flavors of licorice, currants, plums, cherries, red forest fruits, minerals and spices.
Everything you want from a masculin Bordeaux.
Endless peppery aftertaste.
Nice!!!
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11/15/2007 - kuentz bas wrote:
Top 3 favorite wines...still thick and young
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10/22/2007 - Tad GW wrote: 89 Points
The nose was closed down when tried but the flavours seemed open and ready. Still this wine didn't seem to match the reviews I'd read before or since and I wonder if there might have been something off with the bottle.
50+5+10+16+8=89
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10/14/2007 - bluevespa wrote: 92 Points
Classic Paulliac from nose to finish. Still needs some time to shed the tanins. Dense rich fruit. with terroir. Perfectly balanced.
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10/14/2007 - WST wrote: 92 Points
Very consistent notes from bottle to bottle. Big nose and palate with black currents, pencil, earth and cigar box. Nice balance, powerful yet elegant.
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10/9/2007 - tonyo123 wrote: 91 Points
Good nose. Floral with raspberries. Smooth and musty earthy. Not as deep as I would like but nice strucutre. Boudeax lovers would favor it. Drinking well right now.
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7/6/2007 - baxter67 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fabulous fruit, power. Not ready yet. Still slightly closed. ***(**)
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5/1/2007 - honest bob wrote: 91 Points
Disappointing due to rich food smells and warmth (23C) blocking the aroma. Sweet and fine, very pure, nice bitter and liquorice notes on palate.
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4/7/2007 - Cracker Barrel wrote: 92 Points
young, but drinking well, good balance
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3/15/2007 - BlumJ wrote: 92 Points
Still quite dark. Nice earthy aromas, a touch of light pipe tobacco. Very silky in the mouth, not a rough edge. Medium bodied with black cherries and some savory notes. Tannins seem fully integrated. Decent acidity still present. 30 second finish. My note seems a little unfocused to me and I think it is a reflection of my impression of the wine.
FWIW: Decanted 1.5 hours,poured back into bottle, brought to Lucques (LA) Went nicely with saddle of lamb.
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3/3/2007 - Neuman wrote:
96 lynnch bages vs 96 penfolds bin 707 vs 95 insignia..no losers in the bunch. Around the world theme . Similar vegative nose. Insignia was #1 at the table. Lynch the classic and the penfolds was just very good
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3/1/2007 - honest bob wrote: 92 Points
Powerful bramble and cedar scent leaps out of bottle(!) even at cellar-cool-12C. Utterly delicious on opening: sharp cherry acidity and plenty of gently sweet pungent fruit.
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2/23/2007 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
Seattle Tasting Group does Pauillac (Seattle, WA): Wow, the most impressive wine of the night to this point. This didn't get much air, just a quick double-decant about 2 hours before service. It definitely started out a bit reticent but then opened to show cassis, charcoal and menthol. Mmm, this has a rich mid-palate, gorgeously balanced, taut, young, a bowl of cherries. Impeccable. This finishes out beautifully. Fantastic showing for a terrific young wine!
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1/1/2007 - WST wrote: 92 Points
My previous impressions remain unchanged; at a nice stage. Beautiful synergy between fruit (black currents) and secondary (earthy) aromas and flavors. Nice balance, very elegant.
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11/22/2006 - WST wrote: 92 Points
At a great stage. Beautiful synergy between fruit (black currents) and secondary (earthy) aromas and flavors. Nice balance, very elegant. Four glasses breathing filled the entire room with that special maturing bordeaux bouquet.
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11/22/2006 - WST wrote: 92 Points
At a great stage. Beautiful synergy between fruit (black currents) and secondary (earthy) aromas and flavors. Nice balance, very elegant.
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11/21/2006 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
Gamey pungency on the nose that segues to cedar as the wine opens up. Remains firm in the mouth with plenty of drying tannin and a taciturn personality that's the very opposite of seductive. The fruit is still young but kind of tart. Mostly the wine just flexes its muscles and growls. No fun today.
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11/11/2006 - Grinner wrote: 94 Points
Great color, with intense black fruit, road tar (a la Ch Michelin), and great balance with the substantial tannins. Has 5+ yrs easy. Top 5 out of 33 wines.
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10/10/2006 - Rupert wrote: 90 Points
Lynch Bages vertical (Washington Hotel, London): Muted leafy nose, much lighter in the mouth than the 2000, nice adicity, but lacked richness
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9/30/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
DAWGS Tasting - September 30, 2006 (Classic Wine Storage, Southlake, TX): WIML91,WS92,WA94
Tasted September 30, 2006 at an offline. Opened and decanted about 1 hour before serving in a Riedel restaurant series tasting glass. Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose is still a little tight dominated mostly by Kirsch with a touch of dried herbs and leather. Flavors of blackberries, graphite, white pepper and just a touch of bitters on the finish. Medium acidity with firm tannins and full bodied. This one is just about at the start of its’ drinking window but I’d recommend holding another 3-4 years to be safe. No hurry. It has many years ahead.
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9/30/2006 - win wrote: 91 Points
1996 Bordeaux Tasting at CWS (Southlake, Texas): Classic wine with what I call the “Lynch-Bages” characteristics definitely present that I have problems putting into words—sort of a mixture of lead pencil and earthy herbs. I really want to visit this winery to see what grows in the vineyards and vicinity. It is a very unique flavor that I’ve picked out in all the well cared for Lynch-Bages wines I have had. This wine just seems like it is entering its drinking window, and it will evolve greatly in the future. Lots of upward potential.
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8/19/2006 - kevin h wrote: 94 Points
Glorious wine. Pleasant but a bit one dimensional when first decanted but opened up beautifully after an hour and supreme after 2. Very forward for a 10 year old Bordeaux - not fully mature but quite approachable. A very soft, lush wine. Supreme Pauillac aromas of blackcurrants and lead pencils, same flavour. Became richer and fuller over time, a touch of menthol too. This will be better in 5 years but is a rewarding drink now. Anyone who loves Bordeaux should have at least one or two bottles of this in their cellar. A potential 96 score in a few years.
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8/13/2006 - docsdoc wrote: 94 Points
Truely excellent.
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7/25/2006 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
Lola Tasting: Blind Red 8 - Chocolatey sweet nose. Sweet concetrated dark fruit with some mocha. Good. N good guesses on this one either. This turned out to be a good tasting and the food at Lola was the best it has been for me in many visits.
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6/30/2006 - DaleW wrote: 91 Points
I thought this surprisingly open. Very sweet blackcurrant fruit, long finish. Excellent flight.
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6/29/2006 - MRichman wrote:
Pauillac Fest (Les Sans Coulettes, NYC): Dense & dark. Sweet tannins.
B+
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5/28/2006 - winefornewbies-podcast wrote: 92 Points
Deep coloring of garnet, headed toward brick. Powerful aromas of earth, truffle, perhaps a bit of mushroom? Astringent but pleasant tannins. Long, long finish.
Probably needed more air time.
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5/9/2006 - DaleW wrote: 92 Points
Big, ripe, very good (96 Bdx at Gavroche)
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5/8/2006 - MRichman wrote:
1996 Bordeaux Horizontal: 1996 Horizontal.
Nicely complex. Leather, toast. Not as open as some of the other wines. On day 2 this was still holding up very well. Long life ahead. Not quite ready yet.
B++
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4/3/2006 - norsktorsk wrote: 86 Points
Persistent barnyard. Lean, better with fillet crusted with fennel and coriander.
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3/22/2006 - greenblanket wrote:
An Eclectic Group of Cabernets: The second of two French wines in an eclectic blind tasting of cabernet. This wine had a big dose of the funk that would not blow off. Most could recognize a mature, well developed, rich palate beneath the barnyard with currents and minerals and tobacco - but too many couldn’t overlook the persistent unclean odor. Based on previous posts I have to think this was an off bottle. NR
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3/17/2006 - abaler wrote: 93 Points
Brought to Jeff's wine dinner at Ibiza in New Haven. Still a very young wine & we probably should have given it more air, but this struck me as pretty balance, powerful and complex. Has a long way to go and should be a real treat when the tannins integrate more!
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1/12/2006 - hcampana wrote: 94 Points
1996 Bordeaux Horizontal in Gusbo's honor (Pichon Lalande, Lynch Bages, Pichon Baron, Calon Segur, Sociando Mallet, Carruades de Lafite, Pavillon Rouge, 1990 Suduiraut & 1972 Don PX Toro Albala) (Monterrey, Mexico): Very dark ruby with a flamboyant nose of cassis, vanilla, mocha, caramelized fruits and some spice. Opulent and deeply flavored, this low acid, full to medium bodied wine is starting to develop some cedar in the nose. Gorgeous already. I increectly guessed this was the Pichon Lalande. My favorite of the flight and my WOTN. (One 1st place votes, Three 2nd place votes, Three 3rd place votes).
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12/19/2005 - jmp wrote: 93 Points
Extraordinary. Wonderful nose of cassis and lead pencil with a slight alcoholic heat. Great aromas after an hour of decanting. Full round fruit with tannins that are already manageable. Will clearly be even better over time, but very enjoyable now. Deep, terrific color. Nice finsh.
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11/13/2005 - G SQUARED wrote: 93 Points
Still a baby, even though this was decanted for three hours and was in 375 format. This is a beautiful wine though. Tons of tobacco and lead pencil wafting through a huge mouthful of dark berries. Give this a few more years and if you've got mags or larger, you better be VERY patient.
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11/7/2005 - Tao wrote: 85 Points
Very closed at the moment! Waste the bottle!!!!!! Hopefully to re-taste it in 10-15 years time!
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9/1/2005 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
Pungent nose cedar, tobacco, sweet and broad entry and bitter development, middle-bodied.
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5/30/2005 - Mike V wrote: 92 Points
Lovely takes 3 hours to start showing. Will improve with more time.
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4/27/2005 - 1800kidney wrote: 93 Points
1996 Bordeaux Blend: Cinq Cepages vs Lynch Bages (Tahoe Dollar Point): Wonderful wine, great density and richness, full flavored fruits with substantial tannins in the mouth feel. Initially closed up but opened up with decanting; this is a classic Lynch Bages with years of pleasure ahead. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and Petit Verdot.
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1/30/2005 - Tubbs wrote: 89 Points
This bottle was very different than the bottle I had a few months ago. Very closed, way too young to drink. This was all coffee, from nose to toes, it was like bathing in coffee grounds in a cedar tub. Occasionally some cherry fruit would poke through but this bottle was dominated by earth tones. I love Lynch Bages, this time it came up short...
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11/11/2004 - Tubbs wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful color! Classic Pauillac cedar on the nose. Wonderfull black currant flavors with a zippy touch of pepper. Nicely balanced. Excellent now, better in 2-4 years.
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9/17/2004 - Redteeth wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. This wine still appears young and seems to have a lot of life left. It is very dark and tastes of blackberries, currants and plums. It also has an essence of herbs in it. The tannins are firm but do not overweigh the fruit and there is a nice long finish. All in all seems to represent a good Bordeaux well.
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5/11/2004 - MRichman wrote:
2 hour decant.
Full, rich, purplish color. Oaky cherry nose.
Lots of cassis, pencil, sour cherry. Full & woody, a little flat. Tannins are tame but fruit hasn't come forward yet. Bits of herb. Lead pencil. Tobacco leaf. Fruit a little dry.
B-
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2/7/2004 - DChan wrote: 94 Points
I have a lot of '96 Medocs socked away in storage - but tonight I finally tasted one of them from a friend's bottle. This blew me away - from the incredibly pure and ripe nose of cassis fruit to the wonderfully creamy texture of the mid-palate and the long, rich finish. I'm glad I have some of this, but this tasting makes me think I need to get some more.
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1/11/2004 - Henman wrote:
Vanilla,toffee,ripe fruit on the nose.Silky,good structure,fruit,mocha palate.
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5/3/2003 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Wine tasting. Good black fruit, but clearly obscured by big tannins and acidity today. This needs lots more time, but the structure is way bigger than the fruit for now.
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1/6/2002 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 91 Points
Ruby-red appearance. I was very surprised by the amount of secondary nuances in the bouquet. Sure, lots of dark berries, but also forest floor and cigarbox. This wine smells really good. And very convincing it is, flowing through the mouth in that subtle understated, yet compelling and complex Bordeaux-motion. Maybe a bit "narrow" in structure. The fruit is sweet and seductive, and the fruit-acid seems to suggest good longevity in this wine. But it is remarkably evolved for a 96 classified growth. To me this is just lacking a bit in fruit-concentration, dimension and complexity. The finish could be a tad longer and more tinkling. But it sure is a nice wine.
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9/16/2000 - 62Latour wrote:
Now I’m confused. I think I’m tasting acids but maybe it’s a lack of acid and too much tannin (unbalanced)? I guess I should give this one another try. Maybe a couple more bottles and wait several years, Parker seems to really like this one...
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1/25/2000 - Double-A Likes this wine:
Rich, concentrated cassis, mint and bitter chocolate nose. Medium-full bodied with excellent structure. Fruity and balanced with firm tannins and a long, toasty finish. Will drink well over the next 10 years.
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