96
Jeb Dunnuck Tasting Note
Deep purple-hued, the 2023 Château Lynch-Bages reminds me slightly of the 2019 with its elegance as well as its classic Pauillac aromatics of ripe, smoky red and black currants, freshly sharpened pencil, graphite, and stony minerality. Based on 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in French oak barrels (75% new), it's medium to full-bodied and has a concentrated, layered, rich mouthfeel, beautiful, building tannins, and outstanding length. It's a classy, impressive 2023 that warrants 5-7 years of bottle age and will see its 30th birthday in fine form. Drink 2030-2055.
94
Wine Spectator Tasting Note
This extracts a bit more from the vintage, with a supple plum skin note wrapped around flavors of dark cherry and black currant preserves. Charcoal, ink and roasted apple wood add depth and drive as the fruit pumps through the finish. Muscular for the vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2028 through 2043.
95
Vinous Tasting Note
The 2023 Lynch-Bages takes some time to really settle, so I gave it 5-10 minutes in the glass. On the nose, glossy black fruit mixes with touches of cassis, graphite, violets and blood orange, perhaps demonstrating more horsepower than I anticipated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins. There is a lovely symmetry to this Pauillac (not unlike Latour), armed with a cashmere texture and plenty of backbone on the finish, even though I would not describe it as a "grippy" Lynch-Bages. There’s plenty of graphite character on the aftertaste. Excellent.
98
James Suckling Tasting Note
The nose of this Paulliac shows mint, asphalt, black currants and orange peel, following through to a full body with a compressed palate and a fine tannin backbone that gives this classic tension. Flavors of dried fruit, walnuts, plums, currants and tar. Classic Lynch character. A blend of 71% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Best in four to five years. Drink after 2029.
94
Wine Advocate Tasting Note
The 2023 Lynch-Bages remains broad-shouldered in style, yet the élevage confers a more accessible profile than in some past vintages. It opens with aromas of spices, cedar, dark berries, creamy new oak and pipe tobacco. Medium- to full-bodied, rich and muscular, it is built around a dense, generously extracted core of fruit, framed by chunky tannins and balanced by well-integrated acidity, extending into a long, expansive finish. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, matured in 75% new oak, it reflects the character of the vintage, with a mid-palate that is straighter Drink 2030-2048.
