My Article: Lynch Bages Sets the Pace for 2010

I tasted my best wine yet yesterday during a tasting road trip up to Medoc with negociant/blogger Pierre Lawton and director James Orr. We had an “easy” day visiting Cos d’Estournel, Montrose, Calon-Segur, Lynch-Bages, Pichon Baron, and Grand Puy Lacoste.

It was at Lynch-Bages where I found what 2010 is really all about; I scored it 98-99 points. It may be the greatest Lynch since 1989 or 1982 – two classics that everyone knows about.

The young red has such an incredible precision and clarity to it. The wine shows such brilliant aromas of currants, mineral, mint, and lead pencil. It’s full-bodied, with super refined tannins and a long, long finish. I absolutely love this young wine.

The best 2010s have this fabulous brilliance to them due to their bright acidities and refined tannins. These two components seem to highlight the fruit and style of the wines.

We also tasted the 2009 Lynch against the 2010. Of course, the 2009 is in a different stage in its evolution and not that easy to compare, but looking at the density and structure of the two wines, I had to slightly prefer the 2010.

I am not sure this will be the case with most of the 2010s. I told you that many people believe 2010 is like 1989 and 2009 is like 1990. I was thinking in those terms. But I am now convinced that it’s the opposite. I remember 1989 when it was in barrel and the wines had the opulence and richness of the 2009s. They were both called “wines from the sun” in their infancy. The 1990 and 2010 are more refined, elegant, and beautiful with plenty of richness as well, but classic in Bordeaux style at an early age.

Regardless, we are definitely on to two great vintages. We all had to take a break in the sun at Pichon-Baron after tasting the Lynch.