Wine Spectator: 93 points

Displays very beautiful aromas of crushed blackberry and dark chocolate, with a hint of coffee. Full-bodied, with a tightly wound palate of ripe tannins. Long and caressing. Best after 2015. 35,000 cases made. ?JS

Review date: March 2008

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: 93 points

(72% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 12% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot 3.67 pH 70 IPT 13.4% alcohol): Deep ruby. Delicate aromas of blackcurrant, mocha and graphite are lifted by minerals and violet. Enters pure, dense and round, then shows lively, precise flavors of black fruits, dried nuts, ink and minerals. This has greater volume and flesh than the 2006, along with a brooding, sneaky concentration and a very long, supple finish. The best Lynch-Bages in years, this should prove to be a great wine in time, and a huge success for this estate.

Review date: January 2012

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 92 points

As for the 2005 Lynch-Bages, it is a sexy, surprisingly soft and accessible style of wine, with a deep ruby/purple color, loads of crème de cassis, cedar wood and forest floor notes, medium to full body, ripe tannin and a long, fleshy finish. Drink it over the next 15+ years.

Review date: June 2015