Château Lynch Bages 2018

Château Lynch Bages is one of the most recognizable properties in Bordeaux. This is due to the tireless exploits of Jean-Michel Cazes, who was quite possibly one of the most active brand ambassadors of all time. This charming, charismatic man dedicated his entire life to a crusade promoting this excellent Fifth Growth Pauillac estate, ensuring everybody knew of the greatness of Château Lynch Bages. Jean-Michel Cazes even agreed to send a half bottle of Château Lynch Bages to the moon in 1985, making sure it was the first wine in outer space.  Yet despite all of the fanfare and brilliant marketing, the truth about the grand vin of Château Lynch Bages is that the wine is excellent.  At this property, the viticultural team doesn’t just talk the talk - they walk the walk. 

Château Lynch Bages derives part of its name from the ancient village of Bages which was a commune for winemakers of many generations.  In 1862, the property was sold to the Cayrou brothers who named it after Thomas Lynch, the patriarch of the original family that owned the estate.  Château Lynch Bages was classified as a Fifth Growth in 1855, and less than a hundred years later was acquired by the legendary Jean-Michel Cazes.  Jean-Michel Cazes was already very well respected in the Wine Trade due to his ownership of Les Ormes de Pez, a leading Cru Bourgeoise estate located in St-Estéphe.  He bought Château Lynch Bages shortly before World War II and the property has stayed within the Cazes family ever since.  

The vineyards were expanded to 100-hectares in the late 1990s and Jean Michel Cazes made sure everything was modernized at Château Lynch Bages.  A new vat room was installed – though the old vat room is still available to visit to this day.  In 2017, a massive renovation and modernization of the winery’s technical facilities took place.  The project was headed by Chien Chung Pei and Li Chung Pei, sons of the famous architect,  I.M. Pei, who designed the glass pyramid for the Louvre (Le Grand Louvre) in Paris.  The wine cellar is now a 100% gravity flow facility, with impressive vat rooms that house 80 stainless steel vats in various sizes for parcel-by-parcel vinification.  Château Lynch Bages is one of the most cutting-edge estates in terms of wine technology, using satellite imaging to survey the vineyard and conducting soil surveys to ensure the vines reach their full potential.  Château Lynch Bages also produces a gorgeous white wine, Blanc de Lynch Bages, that is said to be one of the finest white wines in all of Graves.

The wines of Château Lynch Bages can be enjoyed young but continue to unfold beautifully with time.  The vintages have continued to dazzle and impress with their deep color, tannic structure, controlled concentration and impressive sophistication.  They are accessible and friendly, but also possess the dignity of the finest Pauillacs.

"One of the finest vintages I've ever tasted from this address, the 2018 Château Lynch-Bages has everything you look for in a great wine: incredible aromatics, richness without weight, perfect balance, and a purity of fruit that's just about off the charts. Dense purple, it reveals a glorious perfume of blackcurrants and blackberry fruits, a deep, unctuous mouthfeel, building tannins, and a complex array of cedar pencil, tobacco, wood smoke, and chocolate. A true blockbuster in every sense, with masses of fruit and tannins as well as moderate acidity, it will probably merit a triple-digit score in a decade and is a 50+-year wine from this team." - Jeb Dunnuck, (03/16/2021), Ratings: 98

"Plum, damson, with a touch of gunsmoke reduction on the first nose, rich and nuanced in colour and aromatics. Pure chiselled cassis and blackberry fruits as it opens, with cocia bean, sage, cardarmon, grilled cedar, smoked earth and crayon, widening through the mid palate to reveal a creamy texture. Exuberant in character, plenty of vintage signature. A yield of 38hl/ha, 75% new oak." - Jane Anson, (03/11/2022), Ratings: 96, Drink: 2026-2044

"An utterly fabulous wine, the 2018 Lynch-Bages captures all of the richness and generosity that make the year so appealing, and yet doesn’t stray too far from its classic feel. Rose petal, lavender, spice, sweet red berry fruit and mint are all beautifully lifted in the glass. Racy and silky to the core, the 2018 is a real head-turner from the very first taste. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. Readers will have a very hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, (03/31/2021), Ratings: 96

"Composed of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Lynch-Bages was aged in 75% new barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it soars out of the glass with a magnificently expressive nose of blueberry compote, black cherry preserves and blackcurrant pastilles, plus suggestions of dark chocolate, licorice, tar and violets with a waft of hoisin. The medium to full-bodied palate is just as impactful as the nose, coating the mouth with juicy black berry and spicy layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with a refreshing earthiness coming through at the end." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, (03/31/2021), Ratings: 96