1995 Chateau Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, Bordeaux - 750ml

94 Points – Wine Spectator

Château Lynch-Bages is a Fifth Growth of the 1855 Classification and one of Pauillac’s most recognized estates, known for a Cabernet-led style that combines generous fruit with the structure to age for decades. The 1995 comes from a firm, classically proportioned Bordeaux vintage and, after more than 30 years in bottle, is now firmly in its mature phase.

Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot.

Tasting Notes: Blackcurrant and mature plum are layered with cedar, tobacco and graphite, followed by dried herbs, leather and earthy nuances that reflect its bottle age. The palate retains a core of dark fruit beneath increasingly savory complexity, with resolved tannins and a persistent, distinctly Pauillac finish.

Structure: Medium to full-bodied, with the substantial Cabernet framework of the vintage now considerably softened by age. There is still enough tannin and acidity to provide definition, but the wine’s appeal today lies increasingly in its mature texture and integration rather than youthful power.

Drink Window: Now–2030. The 1995 is fully mature and should be purchased with drinking rather than extended cellaring in mind. Excellent bottles may hold beyond this point, but at this age provenance and storage history matter more than theoretical longevity.

Decanting: Stand the bottle upright for several hours, preferably overnight, to settle sediment. Open carefully and taste before decanting; if sound, gently decant for sediment shortly before serving rather than exposing the wine to prolonged aeration.

For collectors and Bordeaux drinkers, the 1995 Lynch-Bages offers the particular pleasure of mature Pauillac from a château renowned for longevity. Its combination of remaining Cabernet fruit, cedar, tobacco and tertiary complexity makes it a compelling dinner bottle today, particularly with roast lamb, prime beef, duck, mushrooms or simply prepared game.