Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

The 1990 Lynch-Bages has a precocious nose, utterly captivating with intense black fruit suffused with iodine and seaweed scents. There is something old school about this Lynch Bages, perhaps not quite as precise as the previous vintage, yet still multi-dimensional. It gains cohesion with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with more structure than expected. There's fine delineation with chiseled tannins. Cedar and tobacco are interwoven through the layered black fruit, and it fans out with panache on the finish. This continues to fire on all cylinders. Tasted at the château in bottle and double-magnum formats. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2023)

Capitol Region Wine Collectors Club (WCC), Bordeaux; 30 March 2023 at Yono's, Albany, NY

Dark ruby center with lighter tawny rims. Not quite opaque. Nose is quiet at first and doesn't bloom until 3+ hours in a decanter. Notes of dark fruit, tobacco, leather saddle, barnyard ground, some stones and minerals, brush-like spice and some mocha. Seductive in the mouth. Great balance between very present fruit with good structure and softened tannins. Haven't had this in awhile, and this wine still is hitting it out of the park. At peak but it'll be around for the long haul. Started out second to the 94 Dominus and then took the race by a nose in the stretch.

Smoke and camphor on the nose leading a rich, even decadent panoply of dark red fruit, balsa wood, Asian spice. Dried mushroom and vanilla paste. Magical. Needed a 45 minute decant.

The 1990 Lynch-Bages remains the towering Pauillac it has always been, even if Jean-Michel Cazes personally prefers the 1989. It has a riveting, graphite-infused bouquet that is brilliantly defined, very focused and sharp as a razor-blade. Poured directly against the 1990 Lafite-Rothschild, this Fifth Growth beats it hands down. The palate is very well structured; this is an aristocratic Lynch-Bages with impressive grip after 28 years. There is a symmetry underpinning this wine, a sense of energy undiminished by the passing years, that makes this 1990 Lynch-Bages so compelling. Just awesome. Tasted during the Christmas Dinner at Noble Rot restaurant. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2019)

A little underwhelming did not have the depth and richness of the 1989.

Part 1 of the final and main event for the Fall WNH. The most spectacular lineup of wines I’ve ever seen, and an overall wonderful ending to an amazing trip with fantastic people.

Greatest LB vintage yet? Sweet and crunchy cranberry, dark cocoa dusted bay leaf, saddle leather, tar/old pipe tobacco. A distinct smoked herbal note towards the back of the palate and in to the finish. 28yrs young and full of life! What a bottle, @Shawn R .

Dark red tawny. Floral nose. Notes of flowers, red roses, earth, Cuban cigar. Young and rich in the mouth. Still has some pucker. Luscious. Compared to the 85 LB next to it this is the better wine tonight.

Always great!

Jeffrey had this 6 years ago