Star & Dust
Château Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 1961
Château Lynch-Bages
Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2023
Château Lynch-Bages 2023 – Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé, BDX, France 🇫🇷
Overview
A powerful, structurally driven Pauillac showing serious depth and long-term ambition, built on a 71% Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant blend with 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot support. The wine carries muscular architecture, dark fruit density, and firm tannic authority, currently showing some youthful rough edges but clearly positioned for future greatness with proper cellaring.
Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, cassis liqueur, blackberry skin, graphite, cedar plank, crushed gravel, tobacco leaf, dark cocoa and subtle savory spice.
Mouthfeel
Full-bodied with firm, youthful tannins, strong mid-palate grip, vibrant supporting acidity, dense core concentration, and a long, structured finish that signals serious aging capacity.
Food Pairings
Dry-aged ribeye, grilled lamb chops, beef short ribs, rosemary-crusted venison, aged hard cheeses, slow-braised meats.
Verdict
A high-potential Pauillac still in its formative phase. The structure, depth, and terroir signature are undeniable, but integration will require time. A climber rather than a polished performer today, patience will be rewarded handsomely.
🍷 Personal Pick
This feels like a future star in development, powerful, slightly raw, but absolutely loaded with upside. Not a wine for instant gratification, but one that will evolve into something truly special with time. I’d happily cellar this and revisit around 2029 when the polish finally matches the horsepower. — 14 days ago
Trig Point
Diamond Dust Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Deep Ruby color with aromas of dark fruits, spice and herb notes. On the palate flavors of blackberry and black cherry, with notes of herb pepper, licorice and herb spice notes. Fine grippy tannins, medium finish ending with fruit, cacao and spice. — 8 months ago
Star Lane Vineyard
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara Sauvignon Blanc
2017 Vintage - at the edge of it’s drinking window For me yellow, gold losing its green hue straw , quince , nice acidity (medium +) dry herbs (Bordeaux -esque ) some slight barrel influence — 4 years ago
Neal Family Vineyards
Rutherford Dust Vineyards Zinfandel 2022
Opened some time prior to service; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2022 Zinfandel pours a ruby color with a nearly transparent core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is youthful with notes of Bing cherry, black plum, red and purple flowers, tobacco and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. To my palate, this needs some years on its side to gain some complexity but the components are there. Drink now to experience its fruit dominated youth; best from 2027-2042. — 6 months ago
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego
1961 vintage. Ahoy there! Lower neck fill. Durand employed. Opened (not decanted) with plenty of cork splintering/crumbles despite the Durand and meticulous/slow movements. Cork stayed intact but just barely and about 80% saturated. Extensive (3-4 minutes) cleaning of the bottle lip and inch-deep, upper neck to remove fused cork residue. Tasted 45 mins, 2 hours, 4 hours and 6 hours after opening. Heavier body than expected given the producer. A bit of a slap in the face as it rolled in as medium/medium-heavy body which is hilarious. Nose initially a mysterious, century+ sitting room with plenty of decay, dust and past. Things shifted to soy/teriyaki sauce fairly shortly after with a little 5-10 minute fried chicken nose that vanished. Various (dark/semi-sweet) chocolates and cherry reduction sauce eventually emerged. A paced, harmonious narrative stayed constant throughout. Gorgeous experience. Didn't exactly diminish my impressions of H-B being the best first growth in BDX. It's generally the lightest and least-flashy. 1.23.26. — 13 days ago