-- 04/20/03
Chateau Lynch-Bages 1986
Intense bouquet of cinnamon, very rich, dense, maple infused, earth-covered cherries. After 17 years, this wine still behaves like a spoiled step-child being brought to his first dentist appointment. Several hours of breathing and double decanting eventually calmed him down, but even so, I wondered whether I should drink this stuff, or pour it over a crepe and use a fork? It was that rich. Very impressive wine, with an alternating brilliant balance and impressive finish, occasionally followed by a slight overrun of tannins. This seems to be a wine that could go either way. Ready? Maybe. Past it's prime? Maybe. Needs more time? Maybe. This is my third tasting of this vintage and each time it's been a slightly different experience, with the exception that this is a big monster that you should be treated with respect.