1945 Château Lynch-Bages

A tasting in December, 1995 revealed a relatively strong showing for the 1945 Lynch Bages. This wine exhibited a minty, cassis-scented nose that did indeed seem reminiscent of the "poor man's Mouton-Rothschild." A dense, opaque ruby/garnet color was followed by a full-bodied, powerful, but tough-textured, hard, astringently tannic wine that may lose its fruit before the tannin fully melts away. Although impressive for its overall size and intensity, this wine will never win any awards for grace and harmony. It will keep for another 15-20 years.