"Odedi"

9.2

It's time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Deep purple in color, almost inky, with a short purple rim.

Fruity nose of blackberries, cooked plums, sweet cherries, cedar, light vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, coffee, light cocoa powder and peppercorn.

Full-bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, light herbs, earth, chocolates, coffee, peppercorn and tobacco.

Tangy finish with round tannins and raspberries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Tangy and interesting.

Spicy, rich and extracted, yet elegant. Nicely balanced with a nice mouth feel.

I had the 2018 not too long ago, and it is very consistent.

Very young, but already drinking nicely, after a couple of hours of airtime. A good quality wine that will age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

A good sipping wine that doesn't necessarily need food, but will be great with a big piece of steak as well.

A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 10% Petit Verdot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Aged in mostly French oak barrels for 18 months.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$85. — 4 years ago

Frank Heinz

9.4

Linda Rudolph brought this to us from South Africa — 6 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Ripe raspberry briar nose... dark blackberry note... 14.8 abv... jammy(in a good way)... perfect long finish... paired with short ribs and amazing grilled cornbread — 6 years ago

"Odedi"

9.4

It’s time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a gorgeous Cabernet from Napa Valley.

Deep ink in color with a short Ruby rim.

A gorgeous nose of blueberries, currants, cherries, wild strawberries, dried figs, cedar, vanilla, dark coffee, light vegetables, tobacco leaf, earth, chocolates, eucalyptus, black pepper and Mediterranean spices.

Full bodied and gentle with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black cherries, sweet spice, vanilla, licorice, tobacco, chocolates, coffee, mocha, earth, graphite, leather, coke and peppercorn.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a wonderful example of a Napa Cabernet. Showing great complexity with a wonderful nose and a great, smooth and gentle mouthfeel. Very elegant.


Still not showing its 6 year old age and could age very nicely in the next 15 years.

Good right out of the bottle and much better after an hour, when all these flavors open up on the nose and palate.

By now, the alcohol is well integrated alcohol, although it is very high.

Good by itself or with food and a great sipping wine to have with friends and talk about.

15.2% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$90. — 7 years ago

"Odedi"

8.9

It's Friday and I'm ready for my Cabernet fix. This week it's one from Washington State.

Dark ruby in color with a short purple rim.


Fruity nose with blackberries, blueberries, cherries, raisins, figs, vanilla, licorice, oak, spices, earth, leather, green tea and black pepper.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet cherries, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, vegetables, leather, earth, chocolates, peppercorn and pencil lead.

Medium plus on the finish with firm tannins and tangy cranberries.

This Washington Cabernet is drinking very nicely now. Well balanced with nice complexity and a great mouthfeel. Showing a nice structure with ample black fruits and a touch of earthiness.

Last time I had it, it needed an hour to open up properly. I used the #VSpin this time, for 10 minutes, and it did the trick, and brought in tannins and complexity.

Will be good in the next couple of years. Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a cheese plate, nuts and crackers.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$17. — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.5

1️⃣9️⃣9️⃣5️⃣

🗞 eBay, DVD, Atlantis 🚀 Mir
🎵 You Are Not Alone, One Sweet Day
🎥 Toy Story, Apollo 13
🗣 Houston, we have a problem
🌍 5.66B

Gorgeous old world Rioja @ £75

🍷 Garnet cherry w/ brick

👃 Smokey burnt oak, sweaty leather, ripe black cherry, caramel, sherry, herbs, earth, dusty cellar, potpourri, red currant & cocoa dust w/ liquorice & balsamic

👄 Med smooth body of slight tart & sweet bruised red & dark cherry soaked in earth, oak, sweet liquorice & cocoa

🎯 Long earthy oak cherry seduction — 8 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.1

Excellent tasting with Chris.

Medium ruby red. Attack of dark cocoa and woody notes. Finally opened up with a light flora undertone. Solid acidity, heavy tannins (7/10) and balanced. Full bodied and layered with dark fruits like black cherries, and dark raspberries. Good amount of spices, pepper and anise with a nice zing. Dark gravel near the long finish and a touch dry. Rhône style blend made up of 45% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 18% Mourvedre, and 2% Tannat. Made through a series of co-ferments from 16 vineyards. Drink from 2018 till 2027. — 8 years ago

with India

Lewis Chester

9.6

1986 vintage. Chrismaka lunch at the house. Served after 3.5hr decant (which was probably a few hours short of what I would do next time round). Medium garnet hue - the only true sign of age I found in the wine. Strong pencil sharpening, creme cassis and smoke. Cedar. Very youthful. A lot of fruit. Amazingly youthful. Complex. On the palate, medium plus acidity and tannins - ripe. Medium alcohol. Medium plus concentration of flavour. Balanced. Very long finish. Depth and balance. This is so young still. Don't open for another 10+ years. Drink 2026-2056+. Wonderful potential, but still a baby. Is there a wine on the planet built for the long term better than Las Cases? NB: this is superior to the 1982 I had a month ago. — 9 years ago

Jean-Francois Pelletier

9.1

Good color. Muted nose at first but with a short decant, it started to show the dark fruit and leather notes that are typical of a good aged Bordeaux blend. Full body with a great balance. Long finish. — 9 years ago

with Frankie

Jerod Gunsberg

9.5

Stunning. So fresh and bright and concentrated without being overripe. Surprisingly deep color for a Grenache. Red flowers and cherry on the nose Same on the palate with baking spices and toffee on the long finish. Complex and special. Russell is rightfully known for his Syrahs but the Grenaches are in the same league. — 10 years ago

Bryant Bickel

9.4

The usually tight tannic punch has faded and melded with the usual Washington velvet, a dark abyss of blackberry, plum, black cherry, it's in a nice place, I honestly wanted the kick in the mouth, but it's more elegant than you would expect. And I'm okay with buying her dinner, cause she delivers! She wore the long dress, thought I'd be looking at a short skirt, but this long dress is taking me home, thanks! She got feisty after she opened up & she delivers impressed! Give it 1hr and she will sing in your ear! — 11 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Deep Ruby, purple edges, with aromas of fresh berry fruits, cigar box spice and earthy mineral notes. On the palate rich ripe fruit, blackberry & black cherry with hints of dried spices. Good balance with slightly firm tannins, opened quickly, and lively acidity. Long finish, complex ending with oak, herb, mineral and earthy character. Will improve with short term aging, but don’t wait too long as you might be disappointed! Very nice Shiraz! — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Family-owned and operated started in 1999 by Dr John and Karen Bergstrom. Dark Ruby with fresh ripe berry fruit flavors with floral spice notes. On the palate, cherry and raspberry flavors with complex herb and citrus notes. Fine tannins on long finish ending with slight earthy character. Drink now while it’s fresh, will benefit from short-term aging. — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It’s time for #MerlotThursday. Here is a delicious one from Napa Valley.

Dark inky in color with a short purple rim.

Strong nose of blackberries, black plums, figs, dried fruits, cooked raisins, vanilla, cedar, licorice, cloves, light vegetables, cola, earth, chocolates, tobacco, mocha and black pepper.

Full bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and extremely fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, vanilla, cedar, earth, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, mocha and coke.

Long finish with firm tannins and tangy cherries.


This is a delicious Merlot from Napa Valley. Big bold and beautiful.

Showing a great mouthfeel with nice complexity, once it's opened up. Intense, rich and extracted. Teeth staining color. I've had it many times and it is very consistent.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up and shows some tannins. So give it time.

I've had this vintage 6 months ago and it is showing nicer now.

Good by itself or with food. A great sipping wine.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$40. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.3

This is my second Herman Story wine. Normally, I’d sock my ‘16 Syrahs away for years, but I’ve seen reviews say this is so enjoyable young, so I decided to experiment. This is like rocket fuel...full throttle. BUT, it stops short of being out of balance/gloopy. These wines make me think this winemaker, named Russell, is like the Russell Bevan version of Paso Rhône varietals...big, bold, & delicious in style.

After only 30mins, this revealed some smoked meat, peppercorn, olive and underripe blackberry. Some sage as well. Massive on the palate...all sorts of dark, ripe fruit with a sweetened core. Bacon fat, roasted plum, and baked berry pie. This is hedonistic in style and not for the faint of heart, but it does a good job of restraining itself from where it could go. A fun wine. — 7 years ago

with Weston and Mark

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my Friday's Cabernet fix. This week it's a fabulous Cabernet from Alexander Valley.

Dark ruby in color with a short purplish rim.

Strong nose of cedar, leather, brown sugar, bacon, blackberries, sweet cherries, black currants, light vegetables, coffee, chocolates, blue cheese, earth, tobacco leaf, spices, peppercorn, smoke and peppermint.

Medium plus in body and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet cherries, cedar, leather, earth, peppercorn, spices, mold, green vegetables, chocolates, mocha and cola.

Long finish with firm tannins and black pepper.

This is a great Cabernet from Sonoma County. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Showing good complexity with some vegetable notes. Spicy with a great chewy mouthfeel.

Still young, but already enjoyable even by itself, and will age nicely in the next 20 years.

Will pair very nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec. Aged for 24 months in American Oak barrels (50% new).

13.9% alcohol by volume. — 8 years ago

Eric Naslund

9.2

This is a big wine and it paired nicely with spicy food. Lots of mouth feel and a long finish. Now that it’s done I am wishing that we had another! — 8 years ago

Jake Rubash

9.2

Exactly what I wanted after a long week. Big F'ing fruit — 9 years ago

Fred McQueary

9.1

Very nicely drinking with short decant. Nice fruit with long lasting finish — 9 years ago

with Terri

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Randy Dunn makes wine for your retirement and perhaps your grandkids. This 02 is just coming into it's elegance/groove. When you consider it's been in bottle for basically 12 years, it's still a pretty big wine. Tannins are resolving but still packs a palate punch. On the nose, it's a wild berry blend, baking spices and a mix of dry and fresh roses. The fruits start elegant transitioning to juicy & finishing with dry medium tannins. Blackberries, black cherries, black plum, raspberries with very ripe juicy strawberries painting the back palate. The mix of fruit is incredible. Baking spices of caramel & vanilla, just a touch of spice; allspice & light sage, black tea, dessert style dark minerals that finish with dry crushed rocks, graphite & eucalyptus. Followed by; raspberry cola and acidity that is just short of perfect. The finish pierces the mid palate with dark tannins. However, the mixed berry fruit finishes long, juicy to dry & with sheer beautiful elegance. The finish lasts & lasts. It's simply a guilty pleasure. I have two more bottles. I'll have one in 7 more years and the last in 15 years. Love to note the changes! That's the really enjoyable part of cellaring wine. — 9 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.0

This afternoon was treated to this 1986 Chateau Talbot. On the nose was dark fruit, prune, tobacco, spice and dark cherry. After decanting for a short period of time at first taste the palate gives notes of black cherries, leather, spices, licorice and sandy tannins. There is medium acidity and medium tannins with a very nice long finish. I would say this at least has more life to go a good 5 years. — 10 years ago

Ryan Guy

9.0

Roasted plums, pine, lifted floral and mineral notes on the nose. Earthy plum and blackberry with a surprisingly long finish glistening with minerality. Drinking well after a short decant now, but will also last a few more years. — 11 years ago

"Odedi"

9.7

Cheers to my 6,000th review on Vivino. A Big milestone deserves a big wine. This was on my wishlist for a while now. Go big or go home!

Deep inky in color with a short brick rim. Unbelievable. Not showing age at all.

Fruity nose of blackberries, blueberries, black currants, chocolates, tobacco, mocha, leather, earth, Mediterranean spices, beef jerky, peppercorn, cedar, leather, vanilla and licorice.

Full bodied, bold, smooth and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet plums, vanilla, cedar, light vegetables, spices, smoke, tobacco, chocolates, coffee, cola, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Long finish with firm tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon based, Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Showing great complexity and a great mouthfeel. Big with bold tannins. Delicious and yummy.

This 19 year old is drinking very nicely now, and really shows like a young wine. Has at least 15 years in it.

After 3 hours of airtime, forest floor notes come in on the nose. Tasting like an aged left bank Bordeaux.

Wine Advocate 100 points.

This is a Fabulous wine to share with good friends. Very enjoyable by itself or with food. I paired it with BBQ ribs.

Thank you John, for sharing this phenomenal wine with me.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

97 points.

$1,200. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.

The fruits are dark & muted. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, blue fruits, plums with strawberries come on late. Lots of moist clay, dry soils, deep dark spice, crushed, rock powder, graphite, black, dry soils, hints of green bell pepper, dry herbs with blue, dark withering flowers. The acidity is round but could be better. The long finish is balanced but, for me, comes up short and a little flat.

Photos of; our dinner group, The K&L Bordeaux Buyer-Ralph Sands and Alfred talking about the wines, Clyde Beffa Jr. -Owner of K&L Wine Merchants and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; consumed over two days. Day 1: very primary, fresh, vibrant fruit with some tobacco but super compact. Day 2 was a different story with fresh raspberries, cassis, plums, and tobacco and wonderfully balanced. Loads of structure to go with. Finish is long and delicious. This bottle already exhibits a lot of sediment, expect more in the future. Best yet to come. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

The 2000 is delicious but, it is evolving at a glacial pace. Out of magnum.

On the nose, touch of barnyard, glycerin, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, dark,,turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals.

The body is full, round & sexy. Dry softened, sweet tannins. ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, fresh tobacco leaf, saddle-wood, dry underbrush, dark, turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals. The acidity is magnificent. The structure, tension, length and balance are sensational. The finish is drop dead gorgeous. I’d still hold mine another 5 years as long as you have 3-4 bottles for more 5 year increments.

Photos of, their Estate vines, Clyde Beffa-Owner of K&L Wine Merchants, Owner of Chateau Lynch Bages - Jean-Michel Cazes, guests of the dinner and a sunset view from their Estate.

Producer notes and history...Lynch Bages takes its name from the local area where the Chateau is located in Bages. The vineyard of what was to become Lynch Bages was established and then expanded by the Dejean family who sold it in 1728 to Pierre Drouillard.

In 1749, Drouillard bequeathed the estate to his daughter Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Lynch. This is how the estate came to belong to the Lynch family, where it remained for seventy-five years and received the name Lynch Bages. However, it was not always known under that name.

For a while the wines were sold under the name of Jurine Bages. In fact, when the estate was Classified in the 1855 Classification of the Medoc, the wines were selling under the name of Chateau Jurine Bages. That is because the property was owned at the time by a Swiss wine merchant, Sebastien Jurine.

In 1862, the property was sold to the Cayrou brothers who restored the estate’s name to Chateau Lynch family.

Around 1870, Lou Janou Cazes and his wife Angelique were living in Pauillac, close to Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron. It was here that Jean-Charles Cazes, the couple’s second son, was born in 1877.

In the 1930’s, Jean-Charles Cazes, who was already in charge of Les-Ormes-de-Pez in St. Estephe agreed to lease the vines of Lynch Bages. By that time, the Cazes family had history in Bordeaux dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century.

This agreement to take over Lynch Bages was good for both the owner and Jean Charles Cazes. Because, the vineyards had become dilapidated and were in need of expensive replanting, which was too expensive for the owner. However, for Cazes, this represented an opportunity, as he had the time, and the ability to manage Lynch Bages, but he lacked the funds to buy the vineyard.

Jean-Charles Cazes eventually purchased both properties on the eve of the Second World War. Lynch Bages and Les-Ormes-de-Pez have been run by the Cazes family ever since. In 1988, the Cazes family added to their holdings in Bordeaux when they purchased an estate in the Graves region, Chateau Villa Bel Air.

Around 1970, they increased their vineyards with the purchase of Haut-Bages Averous and Saussus. By the late 1990’s their holdings had expanded to nearly 100 hectares! Jean-Michel Cazes who had been employed as an engineer in Paris, joined the wine trade in 1973. In a short time, Jean Michel Cazes modernized everything at Lynch Bages.

He installed a new vat room, insulated the buildings, developing new technologies and equipment, built storage cellars, restored the loading areas and wine storehouses over the next fifteen years. During that time period, Jean Michel Cazes was the unofficial ambassador of not just the Left Bank, but all of Bordeaux. Jean Michel Cazes was one of the first Chateau owners to begin promoting their wine in China back in 1986.

Bages became the first wine sent into space, when a French astronaut carried a bottle of 1975 Lynch Bages with him on the joint American/French space flight!

Beginning in 1987, Jean-Michel Cazes joined the team at the insurance company AXA, who wanted to build an investment portfolio of quality vineyards in the Medoc, Pomerol, Sauternes, Portugal and Hungary.

Jean-Michel Cazes was named the director of the wine division and all the estates including of course, the neighboring, Second Growth, Chateau Pichon Baron.

June 1989 marked the inauguration of the new wine making facilities at Lynch Bages, which was on of their best vintages. 1989 also marked the debut of the Cordeillan- hotel and restaurant where Sofia and I had one of our best dinners ever. A few years after that, the Village de Bages with its shops was born.

The following year, in 1990, the estate began making white wine, Blanc de Lynch Bages. In 2001, the Cazes family company bought vineyards in the Rhone Valley in the Languedoc appellation, as well as in Australia and Portugal. They added to their holdings a few years later when they purchased a vineyard in Chateauneuf du Pape.

In 2006, Jean-Charles Cazes took over as the managing director of Chateau Lynch Bages. Jean-Michel Cazes continues to lead the wine and tourism division of the family’s activities. Due to their constant promotion in the Asian market, Chateau Lynch Bages remains one of the strongest brands in the Asian market, especially in China.

In 2017, Chateau Lynch Bages began a massive renovation and modernization, focusing on their wine making, and technical facilities. The project, headed by the noted architects Chien Chung Pei and Li Chung Pei, the sons of the famous architect that designed the glass pyramid for the Louvre in Paris as well as several other important buildings.

The project will be completed in 2019. This includes a new grape, reception center, gravity flow wine cellar and the vat rooms, which will house at least, 80 stainless steel vats in various sizes allowing for parcel by parcel vinification.

The new cellars will feature a glass roof, terraces with 360 degree views and completely modernized reception areas and offices. They are not seeing visitors until it’s completion.

In March, 2017, they purchased Chateau Haut Batailley from Françoise Des Brest Borie giving the Cazes family over 120 hectares of vines in Pauillac!

The 100 hectare vineyard of Lynch Bages is planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel, chalk and sand soils.

The vineyard can be divided into two main sections, with a large portion of the vines being planted close to the Chateau on the Bages plateau. At their peak, the vineyard reaches an elevation of 20 meters. The other section of the vineyard lies further north, with its key terroir placed on the Monferan plateau.

They also own vines in the far southwest of the appellation, next Chateau Pichon Lalande, on the St. Julien border, which can be used in the Grand Vin. The vineyard can be split into four main blocks, which can be further subdivided into 140 separate parcels.

The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.

The vineyards are planted to a vine density of 9,000 vines per hectare. The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.

Lynch Bages also six hectares of vine are reserved for the production of the white Bordeaux wine of Chateau Lynch Bages. Those vines are located to the west of the estate. They are planted to 53% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Semillon and 15% Muscadelle. On average, those vines are about 20 years of age. Lynch Bages Blanc made its debut in 1990.

To produce the wine of Chateau Lynch Bages, vinification takes place 35 stainless steel vats that vary in size. Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of 30% French, oak barrels with the remainder taking place in tank.

The wine of Chateau Lynch Bages is aged in an average of 70% new, French oak barrels for between 12 and 15 months. Due to the appellation laws of Pauillac, the wine is sold as a generic AOC Bordeaux Blanc, because Pauillac does not allow for the plantings of white wine grapes.

For the vinification of their white, Bordeaux wine, Blanc de Lynch-Bages is vinified in a combination of 50% new, French oak barrels, 20% in one year old barrels and the remaining 30% is vinified in vats. The wine is aged on its lees for at least six months. The white wine is sold an AOC Bordeaux wine.

The annual production at Lynch Bages is close to 35,000 cases depending on the vintage.

The also make a 2nd wine, which was previously known as Chateau Chateau Haut Bages Averous. However, the estate changed its name to Echo de Lynch Bages beginning with the 2007 vintage. The estate recently added a third wine, Pauillac de Lynch-Bages.



— 7 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

Super mineral, amazing precision in the aromas. Limestone. Just short of GG quality. Will age wonderfully. Sick aromas. Deep, ripe and wonderful freshness. Apricot and stone fruits, complex and mineral, dry and structured. Long, and so precise. 1.8 grams of RS. Almost tannic. Yellow orchard fruits. 12.5%. So clean. Long and salt finish. — 9 years ago

D Gissen

9.0

Tim Mondavi brought this to our house tonight (long story). He and the wine were great. — 10 years ago

Justin Paterno

8.9

Finish is a bit short but nice wine — 10 years ago

Gary Vaynerchuk

Founder WineLibrary.com, Host WineLibraryTV

9.3

Honey, honey and a hint of asparagus on the noise. This wine is super thick almost dessert wine level fruit ... A hint of pear, apple and nectarine and finished long and strong - a ton of people would love this wine - it's fun if not a tad over the top but for tonight, breaking fast... It's perfect — 11 years ago