Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (95)

Inky plum, far deeper in texture and intensity than the Moulin de Duhart (in contrast to 2022, when both 1st and 2nd wines were intensely coloured). Classical Duhart on the attack, reserved and a little subdued, then in comes the waves of cassis, liqourice root, spiced plum, ink, tobacco and cigar box. High Cabernet in the blend, and it suits the style and character of Duhart. Has a ton of ageing potential, classical styled with precision, fully showcasing the enjoyment of 2023 in the right spots. Around 65% first wine, 45hl/h yield, 15% of press wine. Harvest September 7 to October 3. A buy.

Wine Spectator (92)

Sweet berry and currant on the nose and palate, with hints of mint. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long finish. This is like Lynch from the 1980s. This is made with more Cabernet Sauvignon than the old second wines of Lynch, and shows more class. Score range: 89-92

Vinous - Neal Martin (92)

The 2010 Echo de Lynch Bages has a very attractive bouquet, a mélange of red and black fruit tinged with damp loam and undergrowth aromas, all well defined and adding welcome floral scents with continued aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins. Hints of graphite and bell pepper infuse the ample black fruit. There is superb weight and body towards the finish. A classic Claret from start to finish, this is a great wine in the making. I was shocked and pleased when the identity of this wine was revealed (incidentally one that I had not encountered previously.). Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.

James Suckling (92-93)

A layered and juicy red with blackberry and wet-earth character. Full-bodied, rich and juicy. Well done for second wine of Lynch.

James Suckling (92-93)

A layered and juicy red with blackberry and wet-earth character. Full-bodied, rich and juicy. Well done for second wine of Lynch.

Jeb Dunnuck (94)

The 2018 Echo De Lynch-Bages checks in as a mix of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that was brought up all in once-used French oak. It has a grand vin tech-sheet with 13.9% alcohol, 3.57 pH, and a massive IPT of 87. Deep purple-hued, with a great nose of blackcurrants, scorched earth, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and dark chocolate, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered monster of a mid-palate, and silky tannins. It's stunning juice all the way, and given its wealth of material and texture, it's drinkable today, yet smart money will hide bottles for 5-7 years, and it's going to evolve for 20 years or more. It's an incredible second wine.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)

The 2019 Echo Lynch Bages is an absolutely joyous second wine. Ripe, plummy and wonderfully forward, the 2019 Echo is all pleasure. The signature of the house style comes through loud and clear. Hints of spice, tobacco and cedar round out the creamy, inviting finish.

Jeb Dunnuck (92-94)

Offering classic Pauillac notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, violets, and lead pencil, the 2020 Echo De Lynch Bages is a big, rich, nicely concentrated wine that shows the fresh yet powerful style of the vintage beautifully. It's a terrific second wine, yet one that's going to benefit from a few years of bottle age. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.

James Suckling (93-94)

Lots of Lynch character to this wine, with a full body and blackcurrant, dark-chocolate, tar and lean-pencil character. Full and flavorful. Solid center-palate. Second wine. Nicely put together. 56% merlot and 44% cabernet sauvignon.

James Suckling (92-93)

A balance of blackberry, chocolate and stone with a medium body, creamy texture and a soft finish. The length and depth are very pretty, while the juicy, velvety tannins are so attractive.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89)

Super-ripe red cherry, kirsch, mint, wild flowers and cedar give the 2017 Fleur de Pédesclaux striking aromatic top notes and plenty of brilliance. Fleur de Pédesclaux is not the most complex Pauillac readers will come across, but it is absolutely delicious and very easy to like. I would drink it over the next handful of years.

Vinous - Neal Martin (88)

The 2020 Fleur de Pédesclaux has a more open-knit bouquet than I anticipated with vanillary red fruit and crushed strawberry scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a pleasant sappiness on the entry, fine acidity, cohesive with quite an elegant, pure finish. This is a very commendable Deuxième Vin that surpasses my expectation from barrel.

Wine Advocate (91)

Aged in 50% new French oak barrels and blended of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Fonbadet offers up expressive notions of warm plums, blackberries and kirsch plus unsmoked cigars and spice cake scents with a waft of dusty soil. Medium-bodied and laden with juicy black fruits plus loads of spicy accents, it has a finely grained, approachable texture and great length.

Indulge your senses with the essence of elegance that is 'Fonbadet 2017'. Cultivated with precision in Pauillac, Bordeaux's esteemed vineyard region in France, this fine wine is a testament to the meticulous artisanship of the Château Fonbadet. A rich pour from the vine to your glass, the Fonbadet 2017 is a reflection of decades of winemaking tradition, predominantly crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, ensuring an impressively balanced structure.

Bursting with notes of blackcurrant and velvety tannins, this vintage gracefully braids complexity with subtlety. Its oaky undertones, accrued from judicious aging in French oak barrels, brings a delightful aromatic richness. Consume this marvel as it grows complex and full-bodied with time, or uncork today to experience its youthful vigour.

The Fonbadet 2017 holds up the family promise of making wines that embody their passion and the exceptional terroir they work with. A sensational expression of subtlety and elegance, this bottle promises a superior wine experience.

Step into the prestigious terroir of Pauillac, Bordeaux, with the sumptuous Fonbadet 2021. This opulent wine epitomises the stellar reputation of its eminent vineyard, Château Fonbadet. Embracing sustainable viticulture methods, the vineyard grows its grapes on a terroir of gravelly soil, ensuring the optimal development of the fruit. The painstaking vinification sees the traditional use of concrete vats, preserving the distinctive characteristics of each blend.

The Fonbadet 2021 boasts a deep plum hue, the hallmark of a genuine Bordeaux, introducing an intricate bouquet of ripe berries, hints of cocoa and subtle spicy undertones. This medium-bodied wine offers a superb velvety texture on the palate, accentuated by a measured acidity and refined tannins. On the finish, you'll uncover a delightful hint of minerality.

From the robust Cabernet Sauvignon to the plummy Merlot, the Fonbadet 2021 encapsulates the quintessential Bordeaux experience, marrying complexity with finesse and longevity.

The Wine Cellar Insider (92)

A smoky mix of cedar, licorice and cassis start off the nose of this wine which is medium to full-bodied shows gentle, refined tannins and a freshness in the fruity, open finish. 91-92 Pts

Decanter (93)

A big vintage of Grand-Puy Ducasse, continuing the ambition shown over recent vintages. The coffee bean aromatics are perfectly judged to give an appealing hint of oak, alongside cedar notes and dark cassis fruits. There is an austerity to the opening beats of the wine, and the tannins make their presence felt right the way through. Overall this is excellent. It is unusual to have such good yields, close to 50hl/ha, with equally good quality. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (91)

The 2017 Grand Puy Ducasse is a dark, powerful wine, with notes of dark red fruit, dried flowers, herbs, mint, sweet tobacco and cherry. Medium in body and persistent with, good balance, the 2017 has turned out nicely. In 2017, Grand Puy Ducasse is powerful but also well-balanced, in the mid-weight style of the year. It has really come together well since I last tasted it.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2018 Grand Puy Ducasse is just as impressive as it was en primeur. Readers will find a heady, richly textured Pauillac loaded with character. Technical Director Anne Le Naour and consulting oenologist Hubert de Bouärd coaxed tremendous richness from the 2018 while avoiding some of the excesses of the recent past. The result is a wine that delivers on all levels. Succulent dark cherry, plum, mint, licorice, sweet spice and a touch of new oak build into a striking crescendo on the lush, persistent finish.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95)

The 2019 Grand Puy Ducasse is class personified. Just as in barrel, from bottle Grand-Puy Ducasse possesses terrific freshness and energy in place of the heavy, extracted style that was the norm just a few years ago. Readers will find a Pauillac endowed with tons of transparency and tons of sheer class. The 2019 is wonderfully sophisticated in every way. I loved it.

Jeb Dunnuck (93-96)

The deep, inky-hued 2020 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse has a seriously impressive, balanced, full-bodied, structured style that's going to reward patience. Pure crème de cassis, black raspberry, graphite, lead pencil, and spring flower notes all define the bouquet, and it has plenty of background oak, a dense, chewy mid-palate, lots of tannins, and a great finish. It's going to need to be forgotten for 7-8 years but will evolve for 30 years or more.

James Suckling (96-97)

Beautiful texture here. Tannins are dense and compact but finely polished and silky. Seamless and even with length and succulence. Medium- to full-bodied. Power with elegance. Endless for this. Finally the best ever.

Jeb Dunnuck (93-95+)

The 2023 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse is concentrated and inward, with a dense bouquet of smoky black fruit, iron, leafy tobacco, and lead pencil. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated Pauillac that has beautiful overall balance, ripe yet certainly building tannins, ample background oak, and a great finish. I love its overall balance, as well as its purity, but this brilliant Pauillac is going to be for those with a touch of patience. I suspect a solid 7-8 years should put it in the early stages of its drinking window, and it should have at least three decades of overall longevity.

Jeb Dunnuck (93-95+)

The 2023 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse is concentrated and inward, with a dense bouquet of smoky black fruit, iron, leafy tobacco, and lead pencil. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated Pauillac that has beautiful overall balance, ripe yet certainly building tannins, ample background oak, and a great finish. I love its overall balance, as well as its purity, but this brilliant Pauillac is going to be for those with a touch of patience. I suspect a solid 7-8 years should put it in the early stages of its drinking window, and it should have at least three decades of overall longevity.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2000 Château Grand Puy Lacoste is an exceptional wine from Xavier Borie. It has a brilliant nose of blackberry, crushed stone, graphite and cedar. Putting it to one side for ten to 15 minutes reveals subtle mint-like aromas that whisk you straight to Pauillac. The palate is smooth and silky, cloaking the tannic frame of this GPL so that you barely notice it. But that will stand it in good stead for the long-term, the cornerstone of all great wines from this estate. Then there is that hint of spice on the aftertaste—the show ain't over yet. Served alongside a magnum of Pichon Baron 2000, I would say that at the moment, it does not quite possess the same level of precision. However, it remains a magnificent Pauillac to cherish long-term. Tasted January 2016.

Wine Advocate (91)

Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a straight-down-the-line, no frills, pencil lead-infused, black-fruited bouquet with wonderful definition and commendable intensity for the vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with a surprisingly lithe and sensual opening, more red fruit than other vintages of Grand Puy Lacoste with satisfying precision and mineralité on the finish. This is excellent. Tasted February 2017.

Wine Advocate (91)

Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a straight-down-the-line, no frills, pencil lead-infused, black-fruited bouquet with wonderful definition and commendable intensity for the vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with a surprisingly lithe and sensual opening, more red fruit than other vintages of Grand Puy Lacoste with satisfying precision and mineralité on the finish. This is excellent. Tasted February 2017.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (91+)

Full red-ruby. Brooding aromas of medicinal blackcurrant, plum, menthol, spices and cocoa powder. Lush and fine-grained but youthfully closed, offering moderate sweetness today but noteworthy breadth for the vintage. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins and very good length.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

The 2009 Grand Puy Lacoste is one of the great vintages from this estate in the modern era. It storms from the glass with scents of blackberry, undergrowth, cedar and mint, retaining the classicism of GPL. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity. Very harmonious with a gorgeous, lithe, graphite infused finish that lingers in the mouth. Bon vin. Tasted blind at BI Wines & Spirits' Ten Year On tasting.