The 1990 Lynch Bages was the winning bottle in the April Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was decanted for almost four hours and served with steaks off the grill.
I chose this bottle to kick off a week of Birthday shenanigans. The was also Day 47 of the #coronaviruswinechallenge. Lynch Bages has a special place in my cellar which I wrote previously about in Life Lessons, Landmarks and Lynch Bages.
Chateau Lynch Bages dates back to 1728. The winery is located in Pauillac, and is designated a 5th growth as determined by the classification of 1855. In the late 1980’s, the AXA Millésimes group began to develop a portfolio of wine property holdings, and approached Jean-Michel Cazes for help. They established Châteaux & Associates, which Cazes ran until he reached 65, and which by the end of the twentieth century owned many vineyards across Europe. Ownership of Château Lynch Bages, however, remains with the Cazes family.
Dark crimson in color. 12.5% ABV. Stunning aromas of red fruits, cigar box, forest floor and saddle leather that literally filled the cellar while the wine decanted. Warm and supple with concentrated fruits and silky yet firm tannins. The wine shows remarkably young and fresh. Black cherry, creme de cassis, currants and plums on the palate. The finish is exceptionally long and seamless. Despite decanting for almost four hours the wine continued to show better throughout the evening. You can drink this now or give it more time. It will show well for decades to come.
My rating: 100 points.
Current vintages of Lynch Bages are some of the best wines being made in Bordeaux and any young collector should buy selectively.
I just had a beautiful bottle of the ’90 Pichon Baron on my birthday.. I’ll try a ’90 Lynch Bages soon ! Thanks Tom!
Let me know how your bottle shows!
Awesome post, historical note, and tasting notes, Tom!! I’m so glad the wine was in perfect condition and that it got even better throughout the evening. I was really wondering what your rating on this wine would be. Very happy that you found the 1990 Lynch Bages as compelling as I did. Your 100 point rating speaks volumes!! Cheers!
Thanks Peter!