Soft curl of smoke, the beginnings of tertiary notes , this is showing some evolution at 20 years old, as does the slight sediment that has formed in the bottle. Tobaocco smoke, saffran, brambled fruits, melted tannins. An elegant 2001 and one that I would suggest beginning to drink. It will continue at this level for a few decades but will not improve much from here. 65% new oak.

The 2001 Lynch-Bages has a complex bouquet, well defined with a mélange of red and black fruit mixed with freshly rolled tobacco, sage and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit. It's sweet and candied with veins of orange peel and hints of sloes and fig towards the finish. I appreciate the harmony here, plus the persistence. Very fine, though on this occasion, it is just pipped by its millennial counterpart. Tasted blind at the Lynch Bages vertical at the château. -- Neal Martin

Delightful cedar, bay leaf and savory notes lead off while the core of currant and blackberry fruit has moved into a secondary phase. The bay leaf and cedar elements hold a slight upper hand through the finish, giving this a pleasantly rustic hint.—Blind '01/'03/'05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2025. 40,830 cases made. — JM