- 98 James Suckling
The nose of this Paulliac shows mint, asphalt, black currants and orange peel, following through to a full body with a compressed palate and a fine tannin backbone that gives this classic tension. Flavors of dried fruit, walnuts, plums, currants and tar. Classic Lynch character. A blend of 71% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Best in four to five years. Drink after 2029.
- 97 Vinous
The 2023 Lynch-Bages is a dark, brooding wine. In so many vintages, Lynch-Bages is a wine of sensuality, but in 2023, it is quite the powerhouse. Formidable tannins wrap around a core of black fruit, spice, menthol, licorice and gravel. This is a somber, introspective Lynch-Bages with a ton of Cabernet Sauvignon character. I can't wait to taste this from bottle. –Antonio Galloni
Barrel Sample: 94-97
- 97 Jeb Dunnuck
The flagship 2023 Château Lynch-Bages is based on 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, resting in 75% new French oak. One of the biggest, richest wines in the vintage, it’s deep purple-hued and offers up some classic Lynch richness in its smoky black fruits, smoked earth, graphite, and tobacco-driven aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied Pauillac with ample mid-palate depth, ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. While it's clearly in the lively, fresher style of the vintage, it's a serious, structured, incredibly impressive Pauillac with tons to love. It's not far off the style of the 2019.
Barrel Sample: 95-97
- 96 Decanter
Weighty and ripe, but high toned and sharp, a real push pull of tannins, concentrated fruit and acidity. Feels very complete, not necessarily all in harmony right now, this is quite intense, but there’s a statuesque element which is impressive. Both rich and cool with liquorice, graphite, plum, cherry and cranberry. Layers of freshness and a real sense of classicism makes you want to go back for more. More lean and streamlined than 2022, this is focussed and there is bite and edge to the tannins that will settle, but this is very good. 65% grand vin, 25% second wine, 10% third wine. 6% press wine. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend.
Barrel Sample: 96
- 96 Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
When I first tasted Lynch-Bages decades ago, the wine struck me as all structure—almost skin and bones. Over time, however, I grew increasingly fond of the château’s style. Through numerous trips to Bordeaux during my years as Cellarmaster at BevMo!, I developed a far deeper appreciation for these wines and their unmistakable Pauillac identity. At the recent UGC Bordeaux tasting, the 2023 vintage shone—bright, focused, and persistent. This newly released wine offers an outstanding interplay of black fruits and classic pencil-shaving notes, leading me to imagine it alongside a racy pork adobo, where spice, savor, and structure meet in harmony. (Tasted: January 22, 2026, San Francisco, CA)
- 95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
As usual one of the chunkier, broader-shouldered wines of the Médoc, the 2023 Lynch-Bages exhibits aromas of dark berries and cassis mingled with pencil shavings, licorice and pipe tobacco, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, it's deep, concentrated and generously extracted, with plenty of youthfully chewy tannin to carry it along in the cellar. The 2023 is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.
Barrel Sample: 93-95
- 94 Wine Spectator
- This extracts a bit more from the vintage, with a supple plum skin note wrapped around flavors of dark cherry and black currant preserves. Charcoal, ink and roasted apple wood add depth and drive as the fruit pumps through the finish. Muscular for the vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
