If you read my previous post on this wine from Thanksgiving you will remember that I was a little disappointed.  Last night we had some friends over and I dug deep into the cellar, really deep.  We kicked off the night with the 1996 Lynch Bages, and I was really happy.  What I was expecting was there, the depth, complexity, primary/secondary flavors, and the tannins are holding it all together quite nicely.  Interestingly enough, I opened a 2001 Lynch Bages at my parents house for Christmas dinner and was really crushed, it was missing everything; fruit, tannins etc- until I figured it out.  I was using the wrong glass.  They are not red wine drinkers and thus have no decent stemware to handle such a beast.  Last night’s bottle showed beautifully in the BAG (Big Assed Glass, see previous post in case you missed it).  What a difference the correct size and shape will make to the enjoyment of a decent bottle.  Definitely a 5 star wine, and considering the bottle variation from Thanksgiving, this one would merit 94 points from a pro, which I am not.

A very early introduction to the “01 Lynch Bages.  Drank this one in 2009, and found it to be too young.  With another two cases in the cellar, we will watch the development very closely.