Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 1986 Lynch Bages has a knockout bouquet that wraps its arms around you with all its loveliness: pure black cherries, mint and cedar, even a touch of glycerine still there. Vibrant and youthful. The palate is beautifully balanced, crisp and taut, linear but very precise with a fine bead of acidity. You just fall for the harmony of this Lynch Bages, the intensity of fruit that seems undiminished on the finish. Is it up there with the 1989 and 1990? Maybe not, but it is not far behind. Frankly this Lynch Bages is a 1986 Claret that you cannot own too much of and as I commented to Jean-Michel Cazes tasting alongside me, at 30 years of age it still has more to give. (NM)

(12/2016)

Vinous

Garnet-tinged dark ruby-red. Black fruits, candied red cherry, licorice, minerals, cedar and iron on the complex, still-reticent nose. Then more approachable on the palate, displaying a lovely restrained sweetness to the blackberry and blueberry fruit and excellent lift and clarity from lively acidity and solid underlying minerality. The finish features noble, fine-grained tannins and subtle persistence. An unusually accessible 1986 but very typical of the fleshy Lynch-Bages personality, this boasts lovely concentration and sneaky depth. Very well done. (ID)

(01/2012)

Wine Spectator

Dark in color, with intense aromas of ripe black cherry, cedar and light herbs. Medium- to full-bodied, with firm tannins and a medium finish. A bit lean today, but there's lots going on here. (JS, Web-2007)

Jancis Robinson

Dark garnet – deeper colour than the 1995 served alongside. Smudgy and fully evolved, rich Pauillac. Not at all stringy. Lovely sweetness and persistence. Tasting awfully well now! Just very slightly dry and dusty on the very end but very much alive. 17.5/20 points (JR)

(06/2018)