David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

Served in-flight on Emirates enroute to Cape Town with Braised Veal Cheeks.

The nose shows; blackberries, black plum skin, dark cherries, black raspberries, blueberries, slight dark fruit liqueur notes, dark spice, clove, hints of nutmeg, black tea, black licorice notes, whiff of brown sugar/molasses, dark, rich soil, leather, a fair amount of cedar, vanilla, dry top soil, dry stones, limestone minerals, crushed rocks with dark withering flowers.

The body is full and tannins just starting to soften nicely...almost velvety. The structure, tension, length and balance are starting to knit together nicely. There is still some astringency to it. I’d cellar it another five years. Fruits of; blackberries, black plum skin, dark cherries, black raspberries, stewed strawberries & blueberries. Slight dark fruit liqueur notes, dark spice, clove, hints of nutmeg, black tea, touch of black licorice, notes of brown sugar/molasses, dark, rich soil, leather, a fair amount of cedar, vanilla, dry top soil, dry stones, limestone minerals, crushed rocks with dark withering flowers. The acidity is round & nice. The long finish is still slightly earth dominate but, showing elegance, richness and the beginnings of polish.

Photos of; Chateau Lynch Bages, the iconic work shed on the Estate, the old historic basket press and construction of a new state of art facility. Completion TBD. — 6 days ago

Jan de Weerd

9.9

Can’t get better than this. Intense red color and earthy aroma. Dominant tannins, with a firm grip drenched in deep dark dry fruit with hints of burned earth, fall leaves and earthy compost. Intense, complex, deep but narrow on the pallet. Grippy finish that kept lingering for minutes. Set the bar very high for our old versus new country Bordeaux wine comparison with the Jacksons. — 12 days ago

with Tammy

Paul K

9.1

Nose is cedar, herb, and leather. Medium body. Raspberry, red currant, and dark chocolate with really nice tannin throughout. Long finish is currant and cranberry. This wine is delicate. Overpowered by aged Gouda. Drink with Brie and French bread.
I pulled a classic and was just a bit disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, still great, but for the anticipation... I have one more bottle that I’ll wait a long time and hope there’s a big payoff.
Interesting note, the 2013 Heitz Cellar in the background was remarkably similar in fruit, weight, and profile. 1/3 the price and I’m giving it a 92. — 21 days ago

Paul Jakubowski

9.0

Pretty much over the hill, which was disappointing. Decanted for an hour plus and definitely needed much more. While it is past its peak it got significantly better with more air. Whatever you are going to decant it for, double it. Nose had cherry and tar, which resembled a wine from years past. Wine lacked depth, strength, and flavor. Over time it expressed cherry elements. Minimal finish. Oh well, it was a ‘95 and it’s Easter! — 5 days ago

with Brooke

Michael Meyer

9.3

Always a treat when a restaurant owner brings a little bonus wine to the table to share. Even better when it’s a first growth. Balance and depth were amazing. Loads of cassis and tobacco. Tannins are still youthful but starting to resolve. — 5 days ago

Martijn

9.0

Good wine. Typical smokiness. Some sweet red fruit present. Drinking smoothly. I do not see this getting better although everything is there for quite some years (fruit, tanins). — 13 days ago

Bret Barker

10

My buddy says let’s have a bottle of wine- why not? Then he shows up with the ‘61 latour?! The scene from Wayne’s world came to mind... I’m not worthy!! hands down the best wine I have ever had. It took a solid 90 minutes to open up and when it did- pure joy. I could just sit and smell this wine and be happy. It’s medium bodied with perfect acidity as it hits every part of the palate with dark fruit and mineral/ graphite and the finish is like silk. It’s almost like it just evaporates and lingers and you just want more! As I’m drinking I’m thinking... how do you keep ‘em on the farm once they’ve seen Paris. — 20 days ago

Ryan Vento

9.2

A continuation of my efforts to be intentional with trying second wines, this one being Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande’s.
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Closed and pretty harsh straight out of the chute with unmistakable and pronounced notes of graphite, blackberry, black cherry, mulled spices, and tilled black sod on the nose with blackberries, plums, cedar chips, and pencil shavings on the palate. We’ll see what a double-decant does for it.
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EDIT: Increased score from a 90 to 92+. A double decant and more time in the glass (2 hours total) yielded added depth and more nuanced expression, thus really opening up shop to reveal some nice additional notes of tobacco, clove, leather, and wood chips. A lush and pleasant second wine. — 13 days ago

with Krystal

Steve Haro

9.2

Alive and kicking. Hard to believe a 65 year old wine still has the body it does. Not disappointed at all. — 5 days ago

Greg Gregory

9.7

Truly one of the better 2000’s I’ve had. Needs an hour or more to open up but glorious fruit and texture once it does. Silky like cashmere. Black fruits galore. Better to hold your bottles for another five years. The best is yet to come. — 15 days ago