Lot 280
CHÂTEAU LA TOUR HAUT-BRION 1982 (1) WS 94 WA 96
CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE LAS CASES 1975 (1)
CHÂTEAU LYNCH-BAGES 1986 (2) WA 94
Lot 280 Details
CHÂTEAU LA TOUR HAUT-BRION 1982 (1)
Pessac-Léognan.
u. bn. scuffed label. raised cork.
Tasted at Chez Bruce in London. The 1982 La Tour Haut-Brion, which I have tasted numerous times, has long been one of the lesser-known gems of the vintage. This bottle was, incidentally, served blind against the 1982 La Mission Haut Brion. The first thing that I noticed was the sheer harmony expressed by the aromatics. There remain those enticing scents of black olive and a brine-like—perhaps seaweed (kelp)—aroma that infuse that black fruit. With time, perhaps this particular bottle showed more floral aromas and a touch of bay leaf. The palate is fresh on the entry—though still more introspective than La Mission—and embroidered with fine tannin and a firm, gravelly, tobacco-infused finish that gently grips the mouth. You can still feel this long after the wine has departed. It is simply a great Graves that, at 34-years of age, shows no signs of slowing down. Tasted June 2016. Drink: 2017-2040 WS 94 WA 96
CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE LAS CASES 1975 (1)
Saint-Julien. 2ième Cru Classé
u. bn.
CHÂTEAU LYNCH-BAGES 1986 (2)
Pauillac. 5ième Cru Classé
u. 2 x bn. 2 x marked labels.
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. Tasted July 2016. Drink: 2016-2040 WA 94