I nice solid Chardonnay. Fruity with a nice finish and not sweet. — 5 months ago
One of the legendary vintages for the Château, 1986 is drinking beautifully with a captivating and ultra complex bouquet and a seductive, detailed palate with killer concentration, Paulliac power and melting tannins. Stunning wine and fully on brand for dinner at The Eighty Six! — 6 months ago

Liked the 2014 even better. This is less earthy. Lime, black forest herbs hard to describe. Raspberry, Oregano, Cherry .🍒 crushed rock - drink up! — a year ago
The 2016 Chateau Musar, the winery’s latest vintage on release, is much less forthcoming on the nose than the 2013 and ‘15 that I’ve tried recently, despite - or perhaps because of - the fact that the Hochars consider 2016 to be a successful and very ageworthy vintage.
The nose is quite dense and tightly wound, much like a left bank Bordeaux presents in its youth, not yet revealing its cards besides aromas of cedar, steeped plum, smoked beef and cinnamon. The palate, however, is open for business - powerful and saturated, striking that wonderful Musar balance between dark fruit and tangy acidity, expanding towards a puckering finish with good length.
The lasting impression here is of a very modern rendition of Musar, with great clarity and purity to the fruit, fine tannins, refreshing acidity on the palate and great drinkability now (though equal potential to age). My preference of late remains the 2013, but that’s now quite hard to buy - so I’d happily have a case of this instead.
94+ — 4 years ago
This time was definitely better than previous one. More fruit and nuisance. Maybe needs more time to develope? — 2 months ago
Lovely ripe nose - dark fruit, spice. Not dense on the mouth, ample fruit and soft tannin. Depth, a little heat, elegant and with years ahead. Felt like a baby even on day 2 and 3. Decant needed on day 1. — 3 months ago
Château Lynch-Bages 2023 – Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé, BDX, France 🇫🇷
Overview
A powerful, structurally driven Pauillac showing serious depth and long-term ambition, built on a 71% Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant blend with 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot support. The wine carries muscular architecture, dark fruit density, and firm tannic authority, currently showing some youthful rough edges but clearly positioned for future greatness with proper cellaring.
Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, cassis liqueur, blackberry skin, graphite, cedar plank, crushed gravel, tobacco leaf, dark cocoa and subtle savory spice.
Mouthfeel
Full-bodied with firm, youthful tannins, strong mid-palate grip, vibrant supporting acidity, dense core concentration, and a long, structured finish that signals serious aging capacity.
Food Pairings
Dry-aged ribeye, grilled lamb chops, beef short ribs, rosemary-crusted venison, aged hard cheeses, slow-braised meats.
Verdict
A high-potential Pauillac still in its formative phase. The structure, depth, and terroir signature are undeniable, but integration will require time. A climber rather than a polished performer today, patience will be rewarded handsomely.
🍷 Personal Pick
This feels like a future star in development, powerful, slightly raw, but absolutely loaded with upside. Not a wine for instant gratification, but one that will evolve into something truly special with time. I’d happily cellar this and revisit around 2029 when the polish finally matches the horsepower. — 6 months ago
Day 2. Different is trending here. Did a little digging and pulled this gem.
The 2009 Viña Tondonia Reserva, a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho and 5% each Mazuelo and Graciano, matured in used American oak barrels for six years.
Elegance and value. Lively and fresh. Lot’s of life left for this one. Not a bad start for the year.
— 4 years ago
Hard to fully enjoy as the outdoor temp was 95 but still delicious. — 6 years ago
Very smooth - similar to white Bordeaux. Very good — 7 years ago
The 2014 Barolo Monvigliero is quite refined and gracious, although it is also surprisingly dark, dense and concentrated by this wine's standards. A shy, reticent wine, the 2014 is going to need time in bottle to flesh out, especially in the midpalate. I have seen this with other vintages, and expect that it will be the case here as well. The precision, clarity and silkiness that are so typical of Monvigliero start to emerge as the wine opens up in the glass. Readers should plan on being patient. If that is not possible, try to taste the 2014 as soon as possible, because these wines have a tendency to shut down hard post-bottling. As always, Monvigliero is fermented with 100% whole clusters. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2018) — 7 years ago
In perfect condition and drinking much more youthful than nearly 40 years!! Paired with grilled chicken thighs which went very well given the tannin structure has mostly receded. Acid still very much keeping things together and in check. Nice balance - still some good fruit, great earth, long finish. Hard to argue! — 3 months ago
"A traditional Australian blend combining the expressiveness of Shiraz with the defined structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. This full-bodied wine shows ripe dark fruit aromas, voluminous richness and plentiful tannins. " — 5 months ago
Always so good. Opulent and incisive. Deep nose. Lots of amplitude. Huge limestone. Herbal. So complex. German Chardonnay is so awesome. What a palate. Huge core of apple and pear fruit and stacked with minerals and a malo sweetness. So long and nimble. Gorgeous wine. Almost 9.5. — 4 years ago
Amazing Port to celebrate my brothers 50th birthday!!!! — 7 years ago
Sings of storage issues, low neck, slightly materized, tea leaves, tad gritty, some of the classic LaTache elements were under the surface if you focused hard. — 7 years ago
David Smisek
07/11/26 (tw 07/2/26 Dave). $15 With homemade pizza. Smokey smell. Good taste. No harsh taste. Good flavor. But again. — 13 days ago