Chateau Lynch Bages 1990

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 1990 Lynch-Bages continues to drink brilliantly at age 32, bursting from the glass with rich aromas of blackberries and crème de cassis mingled with cigar wrapper, loamy soil, burning embers, nori and subtle hints of sweet leather. Full-bodied, broad and fleshy, it's unctuous and enveloping, with a generous core of fruit, sweet but still present tannins and a long, expansive finish. I have always tended to compare the 1990 and 1989 Lynch-Bages, and both wines are among the finest produced in Bordeaux in those years, embarrassing several of the first growths; if I had to choose, I'd likely opt for the 1989 for its greater depth and staying power, but the 1990 is an immensely seductive, hedonistic wine that's very hard to resist."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: " From a magnum, this was just great! Full-bodied, deep, long, intense and complex, the wine is concentrated with ripe, dark red fruits, wet earth tobacco and forest floor. The firm, refined tannins add the right backbone to all that gorgeous, ripe, red fruits. You can drink this now, give it more time. But there is no real reason to wait as this is just singing today."

WEINWISSER: "Dichtes Granat, satt in der Mitte, feiner Rand. Offenes, nach Edelhölzern und Vanille duftendes Bouquet, weit ausladend, nobel. Im Gaumen fleischig, kräftig, noch immer eine dichte Adstringenz, feine Geraniol-Cabernet-Note, wie bei gewissen 85ern aus dem Pauillac, fleischiges, langes Finale mit einem Hauch Marzipan-Bittermandeln. Ein druckvoller Lynch."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Dark ruby with a pale rim. Sweet and gorgeous. Round and gamey with a dry finish."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Aromas of tar, currant and berries follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a long, long finish. Still not completely ready, but so good anyway.--Lynch-Bages non-blind vertical. Best after 2008. 35,000 cases made."