Winemaker Notes
Blend: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot
Critical Acclaim
94 Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2016 Lynch Moussas is a blend of 17% Merlot an 83% Cabernet Sauvignon cropped at 48 hectoliters per hectare between 3 and 19 October. Matured in 60% new oak and the remainder one year old, this has a concentrated bouquet that offers tobacco-infused black fruit, briary and then with aeration, veins of pencil lead. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin cloaked in plenty of black fruit, quite spicy for Lynch Moussas with a touch of orange rind developing towards the finish. I appreciate the salinity on the aftertaste here. This is excellent and may well surpass the impressive 2015 last year. Rating: 92-94
94 Decanter
The 2016 continues a run of great vintages at Lynch-Moussas – they’re making some of the their best wines at the moment. Cedar and bilberry sweetness is on display, mouth filling and juicy, and a little less austere than some. This has really great balance and a sense of generosity – powerful but not overpowering. There’s lovely persistence, with drops of minerality, crushed tobacco and a mouthwatering finish. Good yields of 50hl/ha.
93 James Suckling
Aromas of currants, mushrooms and dried fruit. Full body, round and lightly chewy tannins and a long, fresh finish. Nice, earthy complexity at the end. Needs two to three years to soften. Better after 2022.
93 Wine Enthusiast
This is one of those estates showing a new era of quality. The wine has power while keeping everything in balance. Acidity and black currant fruit are just as important as the structure. Drink after 2026.