2010 Lynch-Bages, Pauillac (Pre-Arrival)
SKU #1067106
98 points
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2010 Château Lynch-Bages is straight-up brilliant and shows the quality of this incredible château – as well as the vintage – beautifully. Still deep purple-hued, with a stunningly pure and classic Pauillac nose of cassis, darker currants, smoke tobacco, and lead pencil, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, polished yet substantial tannins, and an awesome finish. This beauty is up with the finest vintages from this château and has another 30-40 years of prime drinking.
(5/2023)
98 points
James Suckling
A wine with great beauty and finesse. Such elegance and ethereal quality for this estate. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a juicy delicious finish. Long and beautiful. This is the best Lynch in a long, long time. I love the precision here.
(2/2013)
97 points
Jane Anson
Deep, brooding damson in colour, a waft of crushed mint and pencil lead from the first moment, combined with liqourice, smoked earth, turmeric, cloves, orange peel and cassis fruit. This is an excellent wine that is subdued rather than generous but is built to last.
(3/2022)
97 points
Wine Advocate
Still a saturated ruby-black in hue, the 2010 Lynch-Bages offers up aromas of rich cassis fruit mingled with hints of pencil shavings, loamy soil and cigar wrapper. Full-bodied, deep and muscular, it's rich and layered, with a concentrated core of fruit that's framed by firm, powdery tannins and lively acids. The most brooding, backward Lynch-Bages of the decade and one of the real successes of the vintage, this is a vibrant, tightly wound wine that is still an infant at age 10. Readers with bottles in their cellars might try one now out of curiosity, but this 2010 won't begin to hit its stride until age 20. (WK)
(2/2022)
96 points
Decanter
Smoked and sweet spices on the nose and palate balanced by juicy fruits - the dark black bramble berries now replaced with vibrant and uplifting red cherries, strawberries and raspberries. Youthful still at this 12-year mark with oak spice present and lingering on the tongue with a clear tannic frame that holds everything in place. Structured and intentional with slate and liquorice giving a chalkiness to the mix too. Excellent energy and length - there's no doubting this is an excellent wine. You could definitely drink this now with a good airing but this promises great things if you can be patient enough to wait another five or so years. (GH)
(11/2022)
96 points
Wine Enthusiast
This sumptuous wine is driven by perfectly ripe fruit as well as dense, dusty and dry tannins. Great swathes of blackberry sweep across the palate, followed by juicy acidity. *Cellar Selection* (RV)
(2/2013)
96 points
Wine Spectator
Roasted cedar, tobacco and bay leaf notes start off this structured but lively bottling, with intense currant, blackberry and black cherry flavors at the core. The iron-laced grip and pleasantly austere plum pit and licorice snap accents fill in on the tar-tinged finish. Great range, character and typicity. If you ever need to explain Pauillac to someone, give them this. (JM)
(3/2013)
95 points
Vinous
The 2010 Lynch-Bages has a stunning bouquet with pixelated black fruit, crushed stone and graphite aromas that soar from the glass. This is just amazingly focused. The palate is medium-bodied with concentrated black fruit curiously tinged with cough candy, which here I find just a bit out of place. The acidity is extremely well judged and there is immense persistence on the finish. Bold, brassy and ambitious, this is an extremely impressive wine... (NM)
(4/2020)
94 points
John Gilman
The 2010 Lynch-Bages is one of the stars in the Left Bank this year, as the Cazes family has fashioned a superb and perfectly balanced example of the vintage. The deep and complex nose soars from the glass in a mélange of cassis, dark berries, espresso, cigar ash, a touch of lead pencil, gravel, leafy young cabernet tones and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and most impressively soil-driven, with a fine core of pure fruit, excellent focus and balance, bright, well-integrated acids and fine length and grip on the ripely tannic and beautifully delineated finish. A fine, fine vintage for Lynch-Bages. 94+
(3/2011)