Chateau Lynch Bages 2009

WEINWISSER: "76 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 18 % Merlot, 4 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 2 % Petit Verdot. Ertrag: 54 hl/ha. Sattes Purpur-Granat. Frisches, leicht minziges Brombeer- und Cassisbouquet, elegant, direkt und schon jetzt mit erstaunlicher Aromenintensität. Im Gaumen supersaftig, ausgeglichen, elegant wie selten, finessenreich, legt im Gaumen zu und die Tanninreserven finden genügend fettes Fleisch. Ein Power-Lynch-Bages, der stilistisch sowohl beim bombigen 2000er als auch beim dichter wirkenden 2005er anknüpfen kann."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The medium to deep garnet colored 2009 Lynch Bages is boldly scented of crème de cassis, blackberry pie and baked plums with chocolate box, incense and underbrush suggestions plus a waft of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, taut and well sustained in the mouth, it has a firm, grainy texture and a lively backbone lifting the black fruit core to a nice long finish."

JAMES SUCKLING: "A powerful and ripe wine with a wide-screen personality, this makes a very bold statement without becoming a jot heavy. Serious tannins at the long finish suggest this has long-term aging potential. Drink now with a big steak or hold."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Still quite youthful, with a little effort in your swirling, you can find smoke, thyme, cigar box, tobacco, wet earth, spice and red fruits. The wine is full-bodied, concentrated, sweet, powerful and yes, luscious. There is energy and density with length and freshness. Clearly not at its peak, for that you will need to wait. If you like young wines, this is worth popping a cork now. The wine is made from a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "A dense, immense, solidly powerful wine. The ripest fruit overflows, paralleling the dark, solid tannins. As so often, Lynch-Bages is a blockbuster, dark and concentrated, with immense aging potential."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Tight and backward, this has dense, almost chewy layers of fig, currant and plum cake behind a very solid wall of cedar, roasted vanilla and charcoal notes. There´s serious grip on the finish, with an iron edge that won´t quit. Best from 2015 through 2035. 31,500 cases made."

DECANTER: "This is a little more subdued than some right now, needing a good five minutes in the glass before revealing layers of rich olive, cassis, exotic spices, cracked pepper and garrigue. You get the heat of the vintage and the ripeness of the fruit, balanced by muscular, chewy tannins and gorgeous chocolate notes. This is great, although for me the 2010 just pips it. Drinking Window 2020 - 2040"

FALSTAFF: "Leuchtendes Rubingranat, dunkler Kern, violette Reflexe, zarter Wasserrand. Zart tabakig unterlegtes schwarzes Waldbeerkonfit, Nuancen von Cassis, frische Orangenzesten, facettenreiches Bukett. Saftig, rotbeerige Textur, präsente, eingebundene Tannine, gute Frische, rassiger Stil, mineralisch und straff, feines Nougat ist unterlegt, wird von weiterer Reife profitieren, salziger Abgang."