2000 Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, Bordeaux

The 2000 Lynch-Bages is well-defined on the nose with blackberry, cedar, humidor, and crushed rose petals; it is one of the most elegant of this era. There is real pedigree here, obviously from a benevolent growing season. The palate is harmonious and framed by fine-boned tannins, the acidity well judged. It is not a powerful Lynch-Bages but has an appealing sense of symmetry and poise. Drinking beautifully now. Tasted blind at the Lynch-Bages vertical at the château.Drink 2021 - 2032Neil Martin, Vinous.com.com (July 2023)

71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot; 5.5 g/l total acidity; 13.3% alcohol).Deep ruby-red. Knockout blackcurrant, blackberry, mocha and cedar aromas are complicated by scorched earth and tobacco. Big, ripe and dense, with flavours similar to the aromas and a seamless, rich texture. Though powerful and rich, with a sensual mouthfeel, it maintains a graceful, light-on-its-feet quality. It finishes with ripe, fine-grained tannins and excellent length. It's still an infant, but clearly a great vintage for this property.Ian D'Agata, Vinous.com.com (January 2012)

Deep ruby, softening in colour around the rim, packed with pencil lead, cigar box, slate, mint leaf, chewy tannins, great quality with an innate confidence. It has walls to scale and a ton of life ahead, an exceptionally enjoyable 2000 vintage that remains young—70% new oak.Drink 2022 - 2040jane_anson_mw, janeanson_com (March 2022)

Another wonderful 2000 coming out of its long sleep. Beautiful aromas of berry, tobacco, herb and spice that follow through to a full palate with round, textured tannins and lots of fruit.james_suckling, jamessuckling_com (April 2014)

35,000 cases madeThis has a dense but well-defined core of currant and fig paste flavours supported by a gorgeous graphite spine. Long and authoritative, with notes of bay, pepper, leather and juniper slowly emerging on the finish. Terrific structure and integration give this a chiselled feel—no rush here. Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now through 2033james_molesworth, Wine Spectator (December 2015)

Finally rounding the corner, the 2000 Château Lynch-Bages is mature, with classic Pauillac darker currants, lead pencil, tobacco leaf, and spice-laced aromatics. With a deep plum colour and slight lightening at the edges, it's medium to full-bodied and has a layered texture and integrated tannins. A classic, elegant, yet still powerful Lynch-Bages delivers plenty of sweet fruit and a great finish. It benefits from an hour of air and will certainly hold at this stage for another 10-15 years with no issues.Drink 2021 - 2036jeb_dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (April 2021)

Beginning to open magnificently, the still dense purple-colored 2000 reveals a blossoming bouquet of blackberries, cassis, graphite and pen ink. Full-bodied with velvety tannins that have resolved themselves beautifully over the last eleven years, this wine is still an adolescent, but it exhibits admirable purity, texture, mouthfeel and power combined with elegance. One of the all-time great examples of Lynch Bages, the 2000 is just beginning to drink well yet promises to last for another 20-25+ years.Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 31/08/2011

Very dark ruby with some evolution. Toasty and appetising. Very appealing subtlety and complexity on the nose though on the palate it is clearly not as ripe as some. Maybe higher yields? An attractive drink but far from intense. jancis_robinson_mw - JancisRobinson.com, 23 Mar 2010

Beginning to open magnificently, the still dense purple-colored 2000 reveals a blossoming bouquet of blackberries, cassis, graphite and pen ink. Full-bodied with velvety tannins that have resolved themselves beautifully over the last eleven years, this wine is still an adolescent, but it exhibits admirable purity, texture, mouthfeel and power combined with elegance. One of the all-time great examples of Lynch Bages, the 2000 is just beginning to drink well yet promises to last for another 20-25+ years. robert_parker - Wine Advocate - September 2011 There were two bottles of this wine tasted, one of my own and one from another person’s cellar. Although both were outstanding, one was much more evolved and displayed a slight dirtiness, but it was still impressive. The other displayed beautiful creme de cassis, and cedar in a surprisingly full-bodied and evolved style that could be drunk now. I originally predicted 2008-2025 for the window of full maturity, and that looks accurate, as this wine, which exhibits a little amber and loads of glycerin, is probably the biggest, richest Lynch Bages produced after the 1995 and before the 2005. Succulent, with lots of juicy black fruit and silky tannin, this is a beauty that can be drunk now or cellared for another 15-20 years. robert_parker - Wine Advocate - Jun 2010