Lynch-Bages Pauillac 2016

99 points Jane Anson: "(75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot). Muscular but finely-tuned, with a floral, rose-stem edge to Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant flavours that elevates this beyond its surrounding vintages, as is often the case with exceptional 2016s on the Left Bank. Give it time in the glass if you are going near it any time soon, and allow the brambled fruits to appear, with creamy black cherry and damson puree on full display finessed with pencil lead, plum pudding, liqourice and slate-strewn tannins that give a mouth-watering finish. Great stuff, this is one to savour over the long term. 75% new oak. Drink: 2026-2046. (3/11/22)"

97+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Lynch Bages comes charging out of the gate with pronounced cassis, chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and menthol notions, backed up by scents of garrigue, tilled soil and a waft of tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fantastically concentrated, the generous fruit is superbly framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins with tons of pepper, cinnamon and cloves layers coming through on the finish. Truly, a legendary Lynch Bages! Drink: 2022-2058. (Nov 2018)"

97 points Wine Spectator: "This is built for the cellar, with a generous core of kirsch, raspberry paste and plum preserve flavors waiting to unfurl. Will take time, due to the licorice snap, roasted apple wood and sweet tobacco elements draped over the fruit. Should meld with age, as the structure is invigorating in feel, showing both acidity and tannins in lockstep with the fruit. Best from 2025 through 2040. (3/31/19)"

97 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Deep dark ruby garnet, opaque core, subtle brightening on the rim. Ripe cherry on the nose with fine blackberry confit, a touch of noble wood and candied orange zest. Complex and very juicy with ripe cherry fruit, well-integrated tannins, good sense of drive towards the back, excellent length and precision. Definite ageing potential. (5/24/17)"

97 points James Suckling: "Very rich and exotic with blackberry, black-tea, graphite and lead-pencil aromas. Full-bodied, dense and structured with lots of ripe tannins and a long, flavorful finish of currants and forest floor, combined with fresh mushrooms and bark. Needs four to five years to show its true potential. Try after 2024. (1/17/19)"

97 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2016 Lynch-Bages delivers on its promise from barrel with an intense blackberry, cedar and mineral-driven bouquet that actually reminds me of Lafite-Rothschild. A faint dark chocolate scent makes a brief appearance. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannin, pure black fruit and a velvety texture. There is wonderful structure and focus on the finish, followed by a persistent saline aftertaste. This is an outstanding Lynch-Bages, easily the best since the twin titans of 1989 and 1990. Drink: 2023-2060. (Jan 2019)"

96 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "A stellar wine, the 2016 Lynch-Bages is dark and explosive in the glass. Beams of tannin and bright acids give the 2016 its sense of drive and tension. From bottle, the 2016 is quite a bit more powerful than it was from barrel. Dark flavors and potent tannins give the 2016 a distinctly brooding, somber feel. Sage, lavender, menthol, licorice and wild cherry are all laced into the potent, dramatically sweeping finish. Readers should not be in a rush, as the 2016 is going to need a number of years to be at its best. Even so, it is super-impressive today. Drink: 2026-2056. (Jan 2019)"

95+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "The flagship 2016 Château Lynch Bages is a powerhouse, checking in as 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot raised in 75% new French oak. This deep, concentrated, powerful 2016 is going to be one for the ages, but if you’re looking for instant gratification, this isn’t for you. Saturated purple-colored, with thick black fruits, graphite, and scorched earth aromas and flavors, it fills the mouth with fruit, has masses of tannins, and beautiful overall balance. Don’t even think about opening bottles before 7-8 years from now, and it’s going to have 3-4 decades of longevity. Drink: 2026-2066. (2/28/19)"

95 points Andy Howard, MW (Decanter): "One of the best Lynch-Bages since 1990. Powerful, full-bodied, dark in colour and fruit character, this has intense, exotic, spicy fruit notes adding extra layers of complexity to the structured palate. A classic Pauillac with some lead-pencil notes and great focus, this will be a long-lived wine capable of ageing for several decades. Drink: 2024-2050. (Dec 2021)"

95 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "This is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, and the élevage was in 75% new oak, for 18 months. I find a little note of roast to the fruit here, with toast, coffee grounds and grilled black cherry. The palate is deep, dark and rather brooding, clearly concentrated but with a somewhat loosely defined edge at the moment, but the dark depths and the confidence of the fruit through the middle is undeniable, and it comes swirled with dark praline, smoke and black bean. The finish is firm, wrapped in a ribbon of ripe tannins which runs right the way through to the length. This is very good, and I have a feeling my score could go higher here if this pulls together more in bottle. (Dec 2018)"

95 points Wine Enthusiast: "Rich, jammy and powerful, this wine is all about concentration and firm tannins. Ripe black-currant flavors add great juiciness at the end. The wine has magnificent potential. Drink from 2025. Alcohol 13.5%. (May 2019)"