1998 Lynsolence

1998 is the debut vintage for this garage wine (the neighbor of Monbousquet and Valandraud). It is made from a 5-acre parcel of 35-year old Merlot vines, tiny yields (30 hectoliters per hectare), over a month of cuvaison, and aging in 100% new oak. There are 750 cases of this sexy, sumptuous wine that falls just short of being outstanding. A dark ruby/purple color is followed by a jammy bouquet of black fruits, and a medium to full-bodied, straightforward, juicy, succulent, fleshy wine. There is good structure under all the fat and fruit, but it does not possess the complexity and nobility often found in these micro-cuvees. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.