- Home/
Château Lynch-Bages Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005
A meaty and decadent Lynch with very ripe currant aromas on the nose. Full body, velvety-textured tannins and a powerful finish. It shows so much structure and fruit yet remains polished and focused. Lovely now to drink but better in 2017. James Suckling
Ratings on Delectable
Delectable Wine 
Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.
The 2005 Lynch-Bages is more opulent on the nose with camphor-tinged black and red fruit, desiccated orange peel and sage. With time, it develops a lovely floral component. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, bold and brassy with plenty of substance. This is no shy retiring wallflower but rather a demonstrative, almost flamboyant Pauillac with layers of black fruit laced with white pepper on the finish. Maybe it is a bit brash for some? But give this time because it will ultimately mellow. Tasted at the Lynch-Bages vertical at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2023)
The 2005 Lynch-Bages is more opulent on the nose with camphor-tinged black and red fruit, desiccated orange peel and sage. With time, it develops a lovely floral component. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, bold and brassy with plenty of substance. This is no shy retiring wallflower but rather a demonstrative, almost flamboyant Pauillac with layers of black fruit laced with white pepper on the finish. Maybe it is a bit brash for some? But give this time because it will ultimately mellow. Tasted at the Lynch-Bages vertical at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2023)
9.3
LM Segal
A very primary but nonetheless accessible L-B, tons of cassis and black olive, prominent toasty oak suggest less than 5 as opposed to 17 yrs of age. Fullish in body and quite long, likely to soften up in time just don’t know how much!
A very primary but nonetheless accessible L-B, tons of cassis and black olive, prominent toasty oak suggest less than 5 as opposed to 17 yrs of age. Fullish in body and quite long, likely to soften up in time just don’t know how much!
9.3
"Odedi"
#AgedWineTuesday Dark ruby in color with a short brick rim. Fruity nose of blackberries, sweet cherries, black currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs, spices, dark chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, vegetables, cinnamon and vinaigrette. Medium plus in body, smooth and elegant, with medium acidity and nice legs. Dry on the palate with black currants, blackberries, oak, vanilla, earth, wet leaves, light vegetables, black tea, peppercorn, leather, tobacco, coffee and dark chocolates. Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries. What a great Left Bank Bordeaux from the great 2005 vintage this is. This Fifth Growth is nicely balanced with lots of dark fruit notes. Delicious and yummy. Fabulous and better than I expected. This 16 year old is Drinking very nicely now. Showing great complexity with a great mouth feel. Powerful and rich. Thank you John for sharing. Needs 90 minutes to open up properly. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Loved smelling on it for a long time. Great nose. Great palate. Tasty and gorgeous. I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses, but good all by itself too. A blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit verdot. 13% alcohol by volume. 95 points. $280.
#AgedWineTuesday Dark ruby in color with a short brick rim. Fruity nose of blackberries, sweet cherries, black currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs, spices, dark chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, vegetables, cinnamon and vinaigrette. Medium plus in body, smooth and elegant, with medium acidity and nice legs. Dry on the palate with black currants, blackberries, oak, vanilla, earth, wet leaves, light vegetables, black tea, peppercorn, leather, tobacco, coffee and dark chocolates. Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries. What a great Left Bank Bordeaux from the great 2005 vintage this is. This Fifth Growth is nicely balanced with lots of dark fruit notes. Delicious and yummy. Fabulous and better than I expected. This 16 year old is Drinking very nicely now. Showing great complexity with a great mouth feel. Powerful and rich. Thank you John for sharing. Needs 90 minutes to open up properly. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Loved smelling on it for a long time. Great nose. Great palate. Tasty and gorgeous. I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses, but good all by itself too. A blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit verdot. 13% alcohol by volume. 95 points. $280.
9.5Diana Eng
75% cab, Merlot, cab franc and petit Verdot. 16-18 months in new oak. 80% new oak. 2005 vintage. Very approachable now but many years ahead. Concentrated cherry, some eucalyptus. Chocolate, coffee, integrated tannin.
75% cab, Merlot, cab franc and petit Verdot. 16-18 months in new oak. 80% new oak. 2005 vintage. Very approachable now but many years ahead. Concentrated cherry, some eucalyptus. Chocolate, coffee, integrated tannin.
9.0
Rick Baumgarten
Nice effort from a great vintage. Ready to drink with lots of life left
Nice effort from a great vintage. Ready to drink with lots of life left
9.3
Weijie Shi (Jay)
05 was amazing. Still had decades of life ahead.
05 was amazing. Still had decades of life ahead.
9.6
David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
The 05 might not be in its best evolution stage but, it’s still very nice. Shows the great fruit of 05 but it needs much more time in bottle or at the very least, a better bottle phase. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum and cherries and strawberries around the wide palate. Rich moist earth, saddle-wood, used leather, crushed limestone, dry stones, rich black earth with some sweetness, slight tarry notes, dry herbs, underbrush & dry dark florals. The acidity is near perfect. The balance, tension & length are excellent. The finish is well balanced and lasts minutes. Can’t wait to have it again in 10 years.
The 05 might not be in its best evolution stage but, it’s still very nice. Shows the great fruit of 05 but it needs much more time in bottle or at the very least, a better bottle phase. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum and cherries and strawberries around the wide palate. Rich moist earth, saddle-wood, used leather, crushed limestone, dry stones, rich black earth with some sweetness, slight tarry notes, dry herbs, underbrush & dry dark florals. The acidity is near perfect. The balance, tension & length are excellent. The finish is well balanced and lasts minutes. Can’t wait to have it again in 10 years.
9.4
Manny Canales
Wow. Amazing.
Wow. Amazing.
9.3David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
Great 05 fruit with classic Bordeaux profile. Starts with the bright, ripe fruits that 05 gave. Blackberries, black raspberries, very, dark cherries, black plum, raspberries, plum, perfect graphite for days, cedar, fresh & slightly dry tobacco, forest floor with dry leaves, perfect, dark spices, dry crushed limestone, dry river stone, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, salted caramel, dry, dark chocolate bar, steep tea with fruit, anise to black licorice, haunting herbaceous notes, saline notes, dry to moist clay, bright, mid to dark florals framed in violets, excellent acidity with amazing tension, beautifully balanced & structured, polished, wire to wire finish that lasts close to two-minutes. So round on the palate. Great with the El Salciciero ribeyes. Corn picked today from my organic garden. Ten to fifteen plus year left.
Great 05 fruit with classic Bordeaux profile. Starts with the bright, ripe fruits that 05 gave. Blackberries, black raspberries, very, dark cherries, black plum, raspberries, plum, perfect graphite for days, cedar, fresh & slightly dry tobacco, forest floor with dry leaves, perfect, dark spices, dry crushed limestone, dry river stone, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, salted caramel, dry, dark chocolate bar, steep tea with fruit, anise to black licorice, haunting herbaceous notes, saline notes, dry to moist clay, bright, mid to dark florals framed in violets, excellent acidity with amazing tension, beautifully balanced & structured, polished, wire to wire finish that lasts close to two-minutes. So round on the palate. Great with the El Salciciero ribeyes. Corn picked today from my organic garden. Ten to fifteen plus year left.
9.5
Tom Kobylarz
I'll start out saying it right from to start, the 2000 is one of the best Lynch-Bages I have ever had. The 2005 was a little more opulent and refined, riper, plush tannin meshed with dark red fruits. The 2000 was savory, spicy, fruity and very floral with a nose that just didn't stop. Still within reason for normal folks, Lynch-Bages is always a candidate for a top Pauillac wine for the $ each vintage. 2010 is my favorite modern vintage, maybe the best LB since this 2000. The structure was still plenty firm too, so while it was quite expressive, expect this wine to coast and slowly resolve those tannins over the coming 20+years.
I'll start out saying it right from to start, the 2000 is one of the best Lynch-Bages I have ever had. The 2005 was a little more opulent and refined, riper, plush tannin meshed with dark red fruits. The 2000 was savory, spicy, fruity and very floral with a nose that just didn't stop. Still within reason for normal folks, Lynch-Bages is always a candidate for a top Pauillac wine for the $ each vintage. 2010 is my favorite modern vintage, maybe the best LB since this 2000. The structure was still plenty firm too, so while it was quite expressive, expect this wine to coast and slowly resolve those tannins over the coming 20+years.
9.1
See all reviews and ratings on Delectable WARNING: DRINKING DISTILLED SPIRITS, BEER, COOLERS, WINE AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK, AND, DURING PREGNANCY, CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.