Wines with Age

wines

You cannot get more “trad claret” that the 1986 Grand-Puy-Lacoste. From a Pauillac that takes time to reach its drinking plateau and a notorious vintage hellbent on testing the most patient Bordeaux-lover, after 35-years, it is finally waking up the idea that its raison d’être is to give us pleasure. This bottle was poured by the Emeline Borie when I visited the estate last June. It is a vintage that I have tasted three or four times previously, though not for five years. Many prefer to serve the ’82 at the moment, and Vinous readers will see a review of that from both bottle and magnum in the future, as well as a vertical of other vintages. This ’86 showed better than the example I drank five years earlier. Showing little signs of ageing, the nose is quintessential Pauillac with predominantly black fruit, cassis, mint and graphite. The palate is well-balanced, grippy and with a firm backbone, impressive in terms of weight and density. Cedar and tobacco infuse the black fruit and linger on its sapid finish. Whilst it just lacks the élan of the ’82 or perhaps the ’90, this Grand Puy Lacoste is now drinking well, though it deserves a 90-minute decant.Neil Martin, Vinous Media | 93 VMThis wine is the finest Grand-Puy-Lacoste produced after 1982 and before 1995. The 1986 still possesses an impressive deep ruby/purple color, as well as a classic nose of cedar, blackcurrants, smoke, and vanillin. Full-bodied, powerful, authoritatively rich, and loaded with fruit, this wine’s solid lashing of tannin is not likely to melt away for 3-4 more years. It can be drunk, although it is backward and unyielding. Certainly, it is one of the better northern Medocs of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: Now-2012. Last tasted 6/97.Robert Parker | 91 RP

The 1986 is finally emerging from the dormant stage that many of the wines from this vintage (especially the Medocs) have been going through. It is a full-bodied, still backward wine that will appeal to classicists and old line traditionalists given its firm structure and austere tannins. Nevertheless, the color is a healthy deep garnet and the wine exhibits wonderful freshness along with notes of underbrush, damp earth, black currants, cedar and new saddle leather. Well-balanced with good depth, medium to full body, and a tannic (although not excessively so) finish, this may not be the most finesse-styled, elegant Lynch Bages ever produced, but it is an interesting Pauillac that will benefit from another 3-4 years of cellaring. While it may never hit the peaks achieved by great Lynch Bages vintages, it will be one of those rare wines that will last 40+ years.Robert Parker | 94 RP5.3 g/l total acidity; 13.1% alcohol): Garnet-tinged dark ruby-red. Black fruits, candied red cherry, licorice, minerals, cedar and iron on the complex, still-reticent nose. Then more approachable on the palate, displaying a lovely restrained sweetness to the blackberry and blueberry fruit and excellent lift and clarity from lively acidity and solid underlying minerality. The finish features noble, fine-grained tannins and subtle persistence. An unusually accessible 1986 but very typical of the fleshy Lynch-Bages personality, this boasts lovely concentration and sneaky depth. Very well done.Vinous Media | 93 VMDark in color, with intense aromas of ripe black cherry, cedar and light herbs. Medium- to full-bodied, with firm tannins and a medium finish. A bit lean today, but there’s lots going on here.--Lynch-Bages non-blind vertical. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A wine that continues to improve with age. Shows loads of ripe plum, almost prune, with hints of vanilla and mineral. Full, chewy and tight. Still needs time.--Lynch-Bages non-blind vertical. Best after 2008.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

This is surprisingly delicate and fine now with currant and spice character and hints nuts. It is full body with refined texture and a beautiful finish.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 1995 Pichon-Baron is a wine that tasted extremely well several years ago, but I wonder how well it is continuing to evolve. The bouquet feels a little smudged, scents of iodine and cassis merging with blackberry and pencil lead; it is a little meandering and missing a sense of focus. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, crisp acidity and good density, but it doesn’t possess the clarity and detail of more recent vintages. Solid, but lacks flair. Tasted at the Pichon-Baron vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 91 VMA stylish, elegant, more restrained style of Pichon Baron, with less obvious new oak than usual, this deep ruby/purple-colored wine offers a pure black currant-scented nose with subtle aromas of coffee and smoky toasty oak. In the mouth, the wine displays less weight and muscle than the 1996, but it offers suave, elegant, rich fruit presented in a medium to full-bodied, surprisingly lush style. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2016.Robert Parker | 90 RPBlackberry, with violet and currant undertones. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long finish. A little tight still. Give it some time. This is layered and rich. Classy. A little better than I remember.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008.Wine Spectator | 90 WSRipe but fresh, with cedary and flinty blackberry and plum fruit still lingering on. Drinking Window 2014 - 2030Decanter | 90 DEC

Amazing aromas of crushed berries and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with wonderfully velvety tannins and a long, long finish. This wine has wonderful texture and length. What a second wine!--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008.Wine Spectator | 92 WSDeep ruby-red. Vibrant cassis and licorice aromas. Firmer and fresher than the ’97, with plenty of flesh and backbone. Dense, sweet and deep. Finishes long and subtle. A very strong vintage for this wine.Vinous Media | 91 VMThe dense ruby/purple-colored 1996 Les Forts de Latour is exceedingly tannic, with cassis and mushroom-like notes in the aromatics. This full-bodied wine is impressively constituted and one of the finest Forts de Latours of the last two decades. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018.Robert Parker | 90 RP

Readers looking for a modern day version of Latour’s magnificent 1962 or 1971 should check out the sensational 1999 Latour. It is a big, concentrated offering, exhibiting a dense ruby/purple color, and a classic nose of minerals, black currants, leather, and vanilla. The wine is long, ripe, and medium-bodied, with high levels of sweet tannin. This surprisingly full, concentrated 1999 should be drinkable in 5-6 years; it will last for three decades.Robert Parker | 94 RPFocused and fresh, with milk chocolate and berry aromas. Subtle and refined on the nose. Full-bodied and very elegant, featuring a solid core of ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. So much finesse here. Still tight, needing time in the bottle to open. No longer big, this is in just the right proportions for the vintage.--’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Best after 2012. 13,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 1999 Latour is a vintage that I have not encountered for four or five years. It has a pH of 3.80 and a yield of 38hl/ha, representing 58% of the total crop. Interestingly, this includes 14% vin de presse compared to the 9 to 10% used nowadays. It has a classic Latour bouquet of blackberry, pencil box and undergrowth aromas, quite strict and conservative in style, and fairly intense but not firing on all cylinders; orange zest aromas evolve gradually. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and nicely detailed, offering blackberry, black truffle, pencil shavings and a touch of spice toward the finish, which shows more grip and density than the 1989 Latour tasted alongside, probably because of that pressed wine. This is beginning to reach its drinking plateau, although judging by this showing it will give another two decades of drinking pleasure. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the estate.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2001 Mouton-Rothschild contains 20% vin de presse and 12.6° alcohol. It has a vibrant, captivating bouquet that explodes from the glass with precocious black cherries, sous-bois, mint and a touch of Seville oranges, displaying precision and class. The medium-bodied palate shows good density and offers sappy black fruit, white pepper and just a touch of tobacco. Quite muscular for a 2001, and perhaps missing the clarity and pixelation that the next winemaker, Philippe Dhalluin, subsequently imparted. This is a thoroughly enjoyable Mouton-Rothschild, even if it is not the same pedigree as recent vintages.Vinous Media | 94 VMVery smoky, with berry, coffee and tobacco aromas. Full-bodied, with polished velvety tannins, plenty of fruit and a cedary aftertaste. Tight and compacted. This is better than the 2000 Mouton. It’s a baby 1986 Mouton. Solid and very, very fine. Persists for a long time on the palate. Best after 2009.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis complex on the nose with black cherry, black currant and graphite aromas. It’s very fleshy on the palate with chewy tannins and lots of fruit. This is still a reserved and structured Bordeaux, but with power lurking beneath. Still a baby.James Suckling | 94 JSNo written review provided. | 91 W&S

The 2008 Lynch Bages is brilliant stuff as well as a textbook Pauillac. Revealing a still youthful ruby/purple color as well as impressive notes of graphite, cedar pencil, cassis, tobacco, and obvious minerality, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, polished tannins, and a concentrated, layered texture. Jean-Charles Cazes described the vintage as late and great for Cabernet Sauvignon, and this beauty has classic Cabernet flair in spades. Powerful yet also fresh and elegant, it benefits from a decant and will continue drinking beautifully for another 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDIn the powerful style of Lynch-Bages, although perhaps less exuberant than usual. Instead the concentration comes from juicy fruit, which gives it the a softer quality. Even so, it still has solid tannins, dense texture and always the promise of good aging.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA sensational effort for the vintage, this textured, opulent, superb Lynch Bages is already strutting its stuff and should easily last for 20 years. Medium to full-bodied with an opaque dense purple color, notes of flowers and cassis, a layered texture that builds incrementally in the mouth and tremendous purity and depth, it can be drunk now or cellared for two decades or more. Bravo!Robert Parker | 93 RPMore concentrated and tannic than many of the other Pauillacs in this vintage, with powerful cassis fruits, notes of liquorice and still-chewy tannins, with cigar box and menthol starting to tunnel though. It could do with another few years, and it’s built to go the decades. Accomplished and enjoyable. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035Decanter | 93 DECLots of currant and lemon rind undertones. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Tight and linear but pretty and bright. Just opening now. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2008 Lynch Bages has a classic pencil lead and cedar scented bouquet with impressive delineation. It just takes a time to get going in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, classic in style with graphite-tinged black fruit. This is fresh and focused with impressive depth on the grippy finish. The Cazes family crafted a solid, what you might call dependable Lynch Bages that might eschew the glitz, but will cruise along nicely for a couple of decades. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting).Vinous Media | 92 VMNo written review provided. | 92 W&SVery solid, with a super beam of dark currant, tobacco and iron pushed by charcoal, melted fig and cocoa notes. There’s a nicely rounded feel, but also plenty of grip in reserve. Best from 2013 through 2018. 30,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Another sensational effort from Philippe Dhaluin, the administrator of Mouton Rothschild, this blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot shows complex floral notes intermixed with forest floor, camphor, black currants and mulberries that all jump from the glass of this aromatic style of d’Armailhac. This wine possesses very good acidity, a surprisingly higher percentage of Merlot than usual, but the quality is impressive, and the good news is that there are 20,000 cases of this full-bodied beauty, which should age nicely for 15-20+ years.Robert Parker | 93 RPDense, juicy and inviting, with bouncy briar, blackberry, steeped black currant and melted black licorice notes framed by roasted apple wood and graphite notes. The finish courses along with good definition. Energetic and tempting, but the gripping, iron-laden finish will benefit from cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 93 WSPolished and very fine with pretty fruit and berry structure. Full and silky with a delicious finish. It’s so good now to drink but has depth and structure. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2010 d’Armailhac seems to be opening nicely on the nose with scents of raspberry, cranberry, brown spices and an underlying ferrous element. Good definition. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and well judged acidity. This feels harmonious and smoother in texture than many of its peers, tobacco and black pepper towards the finish. This is ready for business and should drink well over the next decade. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 91 VMAs the ten year moment clicks over, Armailhac is looking pretty ready to drink, still showing firm tannins and plenty of fruit, but it is more open than many Pauillacs in the vintage at this point, and doesn’t seem to hold the same self-belief in its ageing ability. A dusty earth character that feels comfortingly old school, this sums up a lovely, balanced claret in its drinking window, sure to continue for another decade or more but it is not built powerfully, and struggles to deliver true appellation typicity. Drinking Window 2020 - 2038.Decanter | 91 DECThis is a wine that’s full of blackberry flavor, with elegant fruitiness and sweet tannins. It may miss the firm structure of the vintage, but it makes up for that with its forward, ripe fruitiness.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSComposed of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.9% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Les Forts de Latour needs a fair bit of air to unlock a profound, powerhouse nose of blackcurrant cordial, boysenberries, plum preserves and dark chocolate, with suggestions of Chinese five spice, clove oil, violets and crushed rocks. The palate packs an absolute flavor wallop, bursting with rich, ripe black fruits and loads of spicy sparks, while framed by beautifully plush tannins, finishing long and minerally. Not at all heavy, on the contrary, the Les Forts is both expansive AND tantalizingly refreshing. In terms of evolution, it has barely budged since I last tasted it in 2017. While it’s drinking very well right now, it easily has a good 20 years of cellaring ahead, maybe more. Impressive.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2015 Les Forts de Latour is silky, perfumed and wonderfully nuanced from the very first taste. Crushed red berry, cedar, tobacco, mint and blood orange lend striking aromatic nuance. Ample and resonant in feel, yet with mid-weight structure, the 2015 is a total pleasure to taste today. All of the natural radiance of the warm year comes through in the wine’s generous, inviting personality. Drink it over the next 15 years or so.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe true second wine of the estate is the 2015 Les Forts De Latour and it’s slightly more Cabernet dominated with 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, and then less than one percent each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. This ripe, sunny vintage delivered loads of terrific wines and the 2015 reveals a vivid purple/opaque color as well as fabulous cassis and jammy currant fruits intermixed with lots of cedarwood, leafy herbs, earth, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and nicely structured, it has a wealth of fruit, building yet sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is a stunning Les Forts de Latour that can be drunk today or cellared for 20-25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDOn the nose you get a full array of floral aromatics, and a gorgeous exuberance. The gourmet edge that is never far away from the surface in the 2015 vintage is very much in play, along with touches of truffle, cigar box and an earthy openness even at six years old. A smoked caramel note comes in on the end, as does a hit of mouthwatering salinity. It’s not as intense as Forts in vintages like 2010 or 2016 but it has an ease to it that is hugely appealing, and can be drunk from now and for at least another 15 years. 0.5% Cabernet Franc completes the blend (the last vintage to contain even a slice of this grape, as it has now been pulled up). 40% of overall production. Drinking Window 2021 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DECThere is a velvet touch to this smooth, rounded wine. With some dark tannins as well as blackberry fruits, it is rich with some concentration. At the same time, the acidity shoots through the wine to give a really fruity after taste.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEVery pure and focused, with black currant and black cherry fruit flavors showing lovely freshness, while light graphite, singed black tea leaf and violet hints check in through the silky finish. Best from 2019 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 91 WS