2009 Lynch-Bages, Pauillac

Performing even better from bottle than it did from barrel, this appears to be the finest Lynch Bages since the 2000, 1990 and 1989. According to the chateau, the 2009 has the highest level of polyphenols ever measured as well as high alcohol (nearly 13.5%). A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest largely Merlot with touches of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it is an expressive, voluptuously textured effort with unctuosity and powerful, juicy, succulent blackberry and black currant flavors, low acids, a layered, massive mouthfeel, but no sense of heaviness or fatigue. This exquisite Lynch Bages should drink well for 30+ years. (RP)

I remember first tasting this wine with the late, great Jean-Michel Cazes, whose generosity and character filled the room wherever he went. He was an icon in the Bordeaux community and one of the region’s great ambassadors, and I can’t help but think of him whenever I taste this wine. His 2009 Lynch-Bages was simply stunning on that occasion, and it has continued to get better and better with each passing year. What’s so impressive about this wine is that, while it carries a touch of the richness of the 2009 vintage, it’s the Pauillac side of the wine that takes center stage. There are decadent Cabernet flavors, striking structure that has integrated beautifully into the wine, and a combination of concentration and acidity that keeps it youthful and lively. As Jean-Michel said at that tasting, “great wines are never tiring, they are thirst-quenching and invite another sip.” Such is the case with the 2009 today, and seeing how it is evolving, I expect it to remain just as dynamic, if not even more so, over the next few decades. I hope every Bordeaux cellar has a strong complement of Lynch-Bages, and for me, the 2009 is not to be missed.