I led this parallel vertical for my local tastin group last week last week. The majority of bottles came from members cellars where they had been resident (mostly) since EP purchase - although this wasn’t the case for the 1966s. It turned out to be the most enjoyable Bordeaux tasting I’ve done in some time with everything performing towards the top of my expectations.
Serving order was 2005 / 1996 / 1985 / 1966 / 1989 / 1982 as I didn’t want the ‘66s to come at the end and to be totally overpowered by preceding wines. Basically the vintages performed to type. Lynch was consistently the archetypal Pauillac and Pichon a bit more creamy, supple and exotic.
Lynch Bages 2005
Pretty tight. Compact and aromatic in profile but not really expressive yet. It does, however, have great reach back and across the palate, coating the mouth with scent. Some clove, showing its oak component, and a peppery element on the palate. There’s a touch of tobacco and great fruit purity on the finish. All tension, energy and potential - but what potential!
95/100
Pichon Lalande 2005
More relaxed and less vigorous than '05 Lynch Bages. Supple and gentle in character. There’s a very slight touch of leafiness. Soft, spicy and forward, but misses focus. Drinking well already.
90/100
Lynch Bages 1996
Classic Lynch nose - mint, blackcurrant and spice. Very Pauillac from the very first sniff. It is fragrant and lifted on the palate with a hint of eucalyptus. Perhaps misses the drive and volume of the very best years but there’s a lovely sense of elegance and fine-grained effortlessnes. Close to peak drinking and finishes delicate and peppery. Maybe there’s a whisper of leathery brett? This doesn’t feature on the palate, so I think it’s a teriary note and nothing bacterial.
92/100
Pichon Lalande 1996
Fragrant, sensuous and delicious. This Pauillac is defined by a superb, richly-layered and beautifully melded texture. Exotic and creamy, it expands in volume and accerlerates through the mid-palate. Great berry fruit accented by spice and tobacco. Stunning.
97/100
Lynch Bages 1985
Fully mature with sweet and fleshy cassis, gingerbread and complex spice tones. At once autumnal in profile and full of life - ie not in its autumn years! There’s a touch of leather on the mid-palate. The spice notes crescendo to a gorgeously fragrant finish.
94/100
Pichon Lalande 1985
There’s a hint of brett on the nose and a high-toned note of orange rind that continues on the palate. The volatility brings lift to the sweet blackcurrant fruit. There is vigour on the mid-palate but this bottle, at least, is just starting to become well-worn and threadbare. There’s a touch of capsicum on the soft and gentle finish. Drink up whilst it’s still drinking well.
92/100
Lynch Bages 1966
A negociant bottling from Andre de Luze. Incredibly dark colour - not a million miles from the 2005. Has a very fine, spicy, gingerbread aroma. Long and fine on the palate. There’s a touch of oxidation creeping in, but then it comes back and seems to gain in vitality. After another 30-40 minutes that oxidative note is back. It’s holding itself together impressively, though. There’s a bit of volatility on the end and the finish is a smidgeon short but this is good old wine rather than old good wine!
91/100
Pichon Lalande 1966
Chateau bottled. Both '66s were opened about 1820h, just before the tasting began, not decanted, and poured from the bottle (carefully!) about 1945h. The Pichon Lalande was slow out of the gate but blossomed in the glass. A delicate, tawny sort of style but absolutely brimming with finesse. As it fleshes out and breathes up in the glass the texture even takes on a creamy quality. There’s impressive depth of flavour that builds with air. Spicy, fragrant, earthy and complex.
94/100
Lynch Bages 1989
The nose is initially subdued, despite double decanting in the afternoon before the evening tasting, but the palate is sensational: layered and dark-toned and graphite accents. There is just so much life and tension, alongside beautifully defined and crisp blackcurrant fruit. Hard to ask more from a Pauillac. Taut, saline, mineral and complex with a huge finish.
98/100
Pichon Lalande 1989
A mature and flamboyant nose with lots of spice, still plenty of fruit, and a hint of leather. It’s all treble notes on the palate, framed by spice, pepper and sweet cedar. Fresh tobacco. A lower-toned bass note sneaks in, bringing a back bone, and the texture is creamy right through the middle. Very Pichon in style and drinking at peak but with zero rush. I see this sitting where it is whilst the Lynch promises further evolution.
96/100
Lynch Bages 1982
Transitioning from its fruit-led stage to something more spice and earth -driven on the nose. The palate delivers 1982 sweetness and breadth but in combination with vigour and depth. Surprisingly suave and elegant through the mid-palate, with touches of graphite and smoke. The finish is aromatic but drops off just very slightly on the back end.
93/100
Pichon Lalande 1982
Extremely youthful, exotic, creamy and rich. The palate is pure, sweet and seamless, with velvet tannins and a dusting of cocoa powder. It is nuanced and fine-spun and still shows plenty of energy, drive and thrust through to the finish. Spicy blackcurrant and cedar, maintaining superb balance and finesse.
97/100