WTN: Lynch Bages 1970 to 2000

A small group gathered at Mortons last night to try some Lynch Bages. This offline was more somber than normal, as Paul informed us that Richard Mavricos had passed away the previous day. Richard was one of the core members of this group, and never has there been a more generous winegeek. During a 3 year battle with cancer he still showed up for a lot of offlines, usually bearing the wine of the night even if he was unable to actually drink. An incredible guy, and our group is the poorer for his loss.

Starter was the 2005 Domaine Leflaive "Clavoillon” Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru. Leflaive seems to have dodged the PremOx bullet more than most, but why take a chance? And actually this was drinking quite well. Young, with a honied body of baby fat over a balanced base of acids. Sweet pure pear fruit, some mineral and hazelnut, classic Puligny to my taste. I enjoyed it on its own, but the small bit I kept to have with my crab cake (tiny, but one of the tastiest I've ever had) really shone. A-/B+

First flight was a solo, the 1970 Lynch-Bages with an ok but not great fill (I didn't look closely, but from memory high shoulder). Nice mature nose with leather, a little poop, flowers and dark fruit. On the palate it's quite mature, with that ashtray note beginning to creep in. With time the ashes show on nose also, though I'm surprised that a teeny pour at end of night is still holding on. B-

Next flight, 85 v. 86
1985 Lynch-Bages
Soft texture, ripe, seems a little more mature and less fresh than bottle we had at '85 horizontal recently, I think Matt says this is more typical of ones he's had recently. But it holds on nicely and I like more as it fills out a bit, showing some sandalwood and spice. B+

1986 Lynch-Bages
Still some tannins, but not some unapproachable beast. Big and masculine next to the 85, solid fruit structure, just a tad less charming. B/B+

Next up, the 89/90 combo as our steaks arrive (I had the bone on filet, which I find the best cut there, the only place I order filet- but only place that has it with bone!)

1989 Lynch-Bages
My WOTN. Still some tannic/acidic structure, but beautiful cassis fruit, notes of pencil lead, earth/stones, and leather. Young but drinking well. A-

1990 Lynch-Bages
Good, riper, softer, fleshy. Some spice, leather. B+

While we still had some food, next pair made rounds
1982 Lynch-Bages
Still plenty left in this, a bit exotic, ripe, complex. Nice showing, though not mind blowing, and the 89 (or 83) provides better value imho. B+/A-

1983 Lynch-Bages
Tough for this to be paired with '82, but I'd happily have this on my dinner table anytime. Mature, feminine compared to others this night, medium bodied, good finish. B+/B

Last, the young'uns
1996 Lynch-Bages
Big blast of ripe fruit on the nose, this precipitates big argument over what is age, vintage, and style change. Fresh and fruit forward, seems quite Californiaesque compared to others. Nice in the style, I hope it shows more restraint with a little more age. B+

2000 Lynch Bages
This might just be an awkward stage, but at the moment not a lot of there, there. Fat, ripe, some tannins, surprisingly short. B

Brian had also brought the 1989 Suduiraut. Nice flavors of candied oranges, apricot, and vanilla. Quite mature, and maybe needs a bit more acidity. Still a tasty way to finish the evening. B/B+

Never fun to hear of a friend's passing, but best to do it in the company of mutual friends.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.  

Great tasting!

Looks like I better find my last bottle of 1970.

As noted, this fill wasn't great. And it came from a mixed auction lot that I believe Matt said had middling results. So I'm sure some bottles with show more vigor.

LYNCH BAGES VERTICAL - Morton's NYC (3/31/2010)

• 2005 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
  Broad, yeasty, expansive. Lovely light floral notes. Bright but mellow acidic finish. Really beautiful, exactly what I want in a young white Burg. Smooth & lovely.
  A-

• 1970 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Warm and round. Soft with a good dollop of fruit, a sweet core, and a bit of citruc acid and cedar. Not dead yet, this bottle wasn't in the best shape but still drinking ok. I'd think about drinking these up, however.
  B/B-

• 1985 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Soft, lush, round, full bodied with cedar and a sweet core. Feels a bit flat. A pretty wine that got better as the evening went on. I've had this 4 times in the past few years. One bottle was spectacular and the other two, like this bottle, show that this wine is starting to decline. Still a very very nice wine.
  B/B+
  
• 1986 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Lots of cedar/oak, tobacco, herbal notes. Hard rocky tannins, long acidic tannic finish. Still needs time. Not as much fruit pleasure as any of the other vintages. I wonder if/when this will ever come around.
  B

• 1989 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Strong. Great sweet fruit with a nice firm structure. Long sweet sappy finish. Tobacco and a touch of acid. Really lovely, striking a great line between soft & structured. My #2 of the night, marvelous stuff.
  A-
  
• 1990 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Sweet, lush, beautiful. Soft, silky, fleshy fruit, good herbal and tobacco notes. Nice long glycerine finish. A wonderful wine, but edged out by the 1989 with its firmer structure. My #3 of the night.
  A--

• 1982 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Smooth, full flavored, juicy, silky. Expansive with a very long finish. Drinking beautifully. Very complete, well put together with no hard edges or anything out of balance. My WOTN.
  A
  
• 1983 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Sweet core with herbal/cedar, floral and tobacco notes. Broad, complex and well integrated. Very nice.
  A--

• 1996 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  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+
  
• 2000 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Blueberry nose. Sweet baking spice with acidic woody structure. The fruit aspect seems to represent a style change, as is the case with nearly every Bordeaux chateau at the end of the century. This wine is in an awkward place and needs a long time before it's ready to drink. Hold at least 5 years.

• 1989 Château Suduiraut - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
  Burnt caramel & tropical fruit. Expansive. Full flavored, strong and big sweet fruit and some aged notes. Drinking a bit young but very enjoyable.
  B+/A-

WOTN votes:
1989 (15)
1982 (10)
1990 (8)
1985 (4)
1983 (3)
1986 (2)
1996 (1)

It's a long time since I had a Lynch-Bages and there are none in my cellar. It has had a quasi super-second status but these notes suggest that it is not really justified. Would not a similar series of Léoville Lascases or Barton, Cos, Pichon-Lalande, Palmer, etc. have shown more A or A- ratings?

It's a long time since I had a Lynch-Bages and there are none in my cellar. It has had a quasi super-second status but these notes suggest that it is not really justified. Would not a similar series of Léoville Lascases or Barton, Cos, Pichon-Lalande, Palmer, etc. have shown more A or A- ratings?

I would rank Las Cases as a true super second. In fact I think there is a case for making it a first growth and demoting Mouton.....

Thanks Matt,

I always say I'm not consistent, and probably grade harder at these things than at home. And you might note Matt (normally tougher than me) gave several As.

I think from price/rep standpoint, Lynch is certainly the best regarded 4th or 5th over the years (it's not even close, though I guess Pontet Canet has recent fans), and most geeks put it on a level with the stronger 2nd growths. But I think most people would put Lynch on a level with say Barton or Pichon Baron - it doesn't tend to cost as much as LLC, Palmer (a 3rd!), or Pichon Lalande.

I've tasted a couple of hundred 2009s this past week.

At the St. Julien/St Estèphe/Pauillac tasting at Ch. Batailly, Lynch Bages was the best wine in the room, despite some pretty stiff competition.

I would love to taste it up against Pontet Canet in about 15 years...

All the best,
Alex R.

Interesting, Alex.
Whether I buy any classified 2009s depends on pricing.

The only ones I bought that were included in your tasting were the '89 and '90. I like them equally. Wish I had more than a couple of bottles of each left.

My experience with Lynch-Bages is limited to the following vintages from the 'eighties.

Working backwards, the 1989 is/was a big, gutsy red on the palate that needed a whole lot more time when the last bottle was opened a few years ago (although the aromatics were quite stunning). It's, potentially, a 40 year wine! The 1988 is very good, somewhat underrated but, is probably at its peak as I type and should hold until 2015 if well stored. The 1986 was another wine that revealed the vintage thumbprint of firm tannins, big blocky fruit and in need of considerable aging. It shares a similar palate profile to the '89 but reveals far less of the '89's gorgeous aromatics. When I last tried it some years ago with a friend we thought the wine needed another decade before being broached again. My last bottle of 1985 (circa 2002) was seductive, smooth and soft with relatively gentle tannins and ripe, fleshy fruit. It was nearing maturity then and it would be difficult to see bottles lasting much more than the present. A lovely wine all the same. I always liked the 1983 (another underrated wine and generally a bargain on the secondary market) but have not tried one for several years now due to bottle variability from indifferent/unknown cellaring conditions. The 1982 has always been a personal favourite - laden with the most beautiful, sexy opulent fruit with sufficient structure to rate as a first-rate Claret. If I averaged my scores of all of the above the mean score would sit just above 90 points. For a Bordeaux Fifth Growth, this is a particularly fine result over 6 vintages from one decade and warrants promotion to at least a third growth but I reckon a "second" could be justified, particularly if this fine Chateau has continued to consistently pump out similar high quality juice since 1990.

My 2c.

My experience with Lynch-Bages is limited to the following vintages from the 'eighties.

Working backwards, the 1989 is/was a big, gutsy red on the palate that needed a whole lot more time when the last bottle was opened a few years ago (although the aromatics were quite stunning). It's, potentially, a 40 year wine! The 1988 is very good, somewhat underrated but, is probably at its peak as I type and should hold until 2015 if well stored. The 1986 was another wine that revealed the vintage thumbprint of firm tannins, big blocky fruit and in need of considerable aging. It shares a similar palate profile to the '89 but reveals far less of the '89's gorgeous aromatics. When I last tried it some years ago with a friend we thought the wine needed another decade before being broached again. My last bottle of 1985 (circa 2002) was seductive, smooth and soft with relatively gentle tannins and ripe, fleshy fruit. It was nearing maturity then and it would be difficult to see bottles lasting much more than the present. A lovely wine all the same. I always liked the 1983 (another underrated wine and generally a bargain on the secondary market) but have not tried one for several years now due to bottle variability from indifferent/unknown cellaring conditions. The 1982 has always been a personal favourite - laden with the most beautiful, sexy opulent fruit with sufficient structure to rate as a first-rate Claret. If I averaged my scores of all of the above the mean score would sit just above 90 points. For a Bordeaux Fifth Growth, this is a particularly fine result over 6 vintages from one decade and warrants promotion to at least a third growth but I reckon a "second" could be justified, particularly if this fine Chateau has continued to consistently pump out similar high quality juice since 1990.

My 2c.

Yeah, I think the "growth" shit is kinda antediluvian.

The growth shit is here to stay.

Maybe we can't live with it, but we can't live without it either.

Alex R.

The growth shit is here to stay.

Maybe we can't live with it, but we can't live without it either.

Alex R.

Well, man,I know you're in the trenches, so I have to bow to you here.

I've tasted a couple of hundred 2009s this past week.

At the St. Julien/St Estèphe/Pauillac tasting at Ch. Batailly, Lynch Bages was the best wine in the room, despite some pretty stiff competition.

I would love to taste it up against Pontet Canet in about 15 years...

All the best,
Alex R.

Alex

Pontet Canet and Lynch Bages are two wines I definitely want to put in the cellar from the 2009 vintage. I have seen a few comments over the last couple of days about the Haut Batailley, have you tried it?

In terms of the right bank, Figeac seems to be one of the must haves together with Ch Conseillante. Any other strong right bank suggestions?

Mark

Chateau Lynch-Bages Vertical
Morton’s Steakhouse, NYC
03/3/2010

For what it’s worth, my delayed TNs. I had a great time, as always, with the group, and it was nice to discover and re-discover wines from this fabled producer. As usual, the steaks at Morton’s were pretty good.

2005 Dom. Leflaive Clavoillon Puligny-Montrachet 1er
Another fine white starter that I seem to, unfairly or otherwise, come to expect whenever Dale is tasked with bringing one. Steely mineral, lemon, tangy, some grapefruit and hint of apples. B+

1970 Ch. Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Cloudy and mature-looking. Tertiary nose with leather, tobacco and ripe fruit.
Ripe red and black fruit. Possibly just beyond its peak drinking curve. Short finish. B

1985 Ch. Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Nice expressive and leafy nose.
Red fruit, lean, balanced. Drinking well with fresh acidity and nice ripe red fruit. Sexy finish. B+

1986 Ch. Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Cigar, pencil, classic nose. Slight horse poop.
Stern, with that good (imho) level of austerity. Not one that I would ever drink, again, when having a Caesar Salad for my appetizer, but salad notwithstanding, the wine showed nice structure in a classic claret way. Sufficiently ripe black fruit. Long finish. A-

1989 Ch. Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Smelled terrific with ripe fruit, confection spices and dry gravel notes.
Sweet but not cloying, balanced with acidity from nicely ripened plump fruit. The best ever showing of this vintage for me. Seems like this bottle has many more years of good drinking to go. My WOTN. A

1990 Ch. Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Leafy, creamy and wet earth on the nose.
Milky, solid and full middle. Some vanilla. Not as complex as the 1989. B

1982 Ch. Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Leather, rubber eraser, some slight brett (nothing distracting).
Lots of sweet fruit with very slight touch of green. A bit too ripe for me with some vanilla. I’m in the minority here, but I prefer a lot of the other vintages. B-

1983 Ch. Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Has that nice confection and pencil bouquet.
Nice structure. Lean with that nice level of ripeness, good acidity and some green notes that I like. Enough complexity. Loved with my Chicago-style boned-in ribeye. I heard a couple of tasters commenting that this was a wine-drinkers wine. B+

1996 Ch. Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Ripe nose with some freshly-baked stuff.
Young, but still showed sweetness and some fine tannin. Herb, spices, lots of fruit and high acidity. Slight creaminess. Long finish. B+

2000 Ch. Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Dense black and ink.
Wood nose with vanilla .
Vanilla with lots of blue black fruit, hard to get the focus or intent, but showed somewhat modern in style. B-

1989 Ch. Suduiraut, Sauternes
Candy. old wood, nutty, tree bark.
Kind of backward (if there ever is one among these kind of wines), mineral, low acidity, nutty. Not overly sweet and complex. A nice sticky. B+


Ramon