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Lynch Bages 1985

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

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Label

Tasting Notes

Fully mature with some amber at the edge, the medium-bodied, elegant 1985 offers notes of bay leaves, roasted herbs, black currants and sweet cherries. This vintage has always had an early appeal and seductiveness. It is unlikely to get any better, so owners should consume it over the next 5-7 years.

90
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (196), August 2011

Ex-cellar bottle tasted blind at the Lynch Bages vertical. This remains one of the great Lynch Bages: a watershed moment. It has a very intense nose, much more masculine, austere, smoke, autumn bonfire, cooked meats, a little bacon fat, very good definition and lift. Must be an 86? The palate is medium-bodied, very well balanced, firm but fully ripe, a citrus like freshness, cigar box and smoke, firm and masculine, almost foursquare towards the beautiful, savoury finish. Wonderful and tasted from a magnum after the tasting, even more exuberant. Drink 2010-2020.

96
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, March 2010

Deep crimson with evolution. Note of herbaceousness (practically the first in the entire tasting!) Big and bold and chunky on the palate - no shortage of alcohol - but not much finesse. Drink 2002-2012. Date tasted 28 Jun 02.

17
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, October 2005
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90
Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (4), December 2003

The 1985 has been totally disarming, seductive, and sexy since birth. Its corpulence, medium to full-bodied personality, low acidity, attractive silkiness, and copious quantities of herb-tinged cassis fruit have always made this wine a winner. It is beginning to display a few signs that it is at its peak of maturity and will not get any better. In fact, it might be best consumed over the next 5-10 years. As it sat in the glass, the 1985 faded more than any other vintage, but its immense up-front pleasure cannot be denied. This is a wine to decant right before serving, and not to linger over. It is a beautiful, elegant style of Lynch Bages. It is sure to please both connoisseurs and neophytes.

92
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (129), June 2000
91
Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (3), November 1998
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.