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Vintage | Wine 1981 |
Classification | Médoc - 5ème Cru Classé |
Region | Bordeaux |
Appellation | Pauillac |
Colour | Red |
Volume | 0.75 l |
Country | France |
Château | Château Lynch Bages |
Country | France |
Château Lynch-Bages produces fifth classified growths of Médoc in the 1855 classification and a second wine called Echo de Lynch-Bages which is not classified. Under the Pauillac appellation, the Château Lynch-Bages vineyard covers more than 1,200 hectares.
The wine of Chateau Lynch-Bages is in line with the great Pauillac. Composed mostly of Cabernet Sauvignon, it combines structure and finesse, elegance and longevity. It is also distinguished by its wealth. Generous in his youth, he played in his maturity to more flavor and complexity. The style of wine Chateau Lynch-Bages refined over the years, gaining flexibility and softness, while regular wine settles in time.
Until today, Chateau Lynch-Bages is characterized by its extraordinary standard of quality. Powerful, sleek and open, the wine vintage after vintage acquires greater accuracy, combining the distinction in nature, which bases its hedonistic personality.
>> See all the crus classés of Médoc classification
Sauternes
Pomerol
CHÂTEAU LEOVILLE LAS CASES 1981
Saint Julien
Pessac Leognan
Saint Estèphe
CHÂTEAU BEYCHEVELLE 1981 Magnum
Saint Julien
CHÂTEAU LEOVILLE POYFERRE 1981
Saint Julien
Haut Medoc
Pomerol
After a period in the late seventies where Lynch-Bages seemed to be taking suppleness in winemaking too far, I detected with the 1981 a partial return to the very rich, robust, ripe, huge extract style of the great Lynch-Bages wines like the 1970, 1962, and 1961. Certainly the monumental 1982 and excellent 1983 will eclipse the 1981 in stature, but this wine is quite good, and the best Lynch-Bages since 1975. Very dark ruby, with a strong, aggressive bouquet of black currants, cedar, and new oak, this ripe wine has surprising density on the palate, with plenty of tannin. The 1981 shows lots of gutsy character.
In my notes on Grand-Puy-Lacoste I referred to Lynch Bages' heart-on-sleeve character. Well, in 1981 its heart was in the right place. A stream of adminiring notes, its flavour and vivacity making up for its less robust components and slight lack of length. Showing well in 1997 at a tasting in Brussels and a year later a magnum lunching at Pichon-Baron. Still fairly dep though maturing; surprising richness and extract on nose and palate masking its tannins.