| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Lynch Bages is one of the most popular and reliable châteaux of Bordeaux. Release prices of this archetypal and significant Pauillac (100 hectares) are usually modest compared to those that consumers are happy to pay for mature vintages. This much-loved château, owned by the Cazes family for nearly a century, consistently makes one of our most demanded and biggest selling wines. Jean-Michel Cazes' son, Jean-Charles, is now in charge and recent vintages have been amongst the best ever. A new state of the art winery was completed in 2020. The second wine is now labelled "Echo de Lynch", replacing Haut Bages Averous. The Cazes family recently added near neighbour Haut Batailley to their portfolio but this will be kept separate from Lynch Bages.
The 2021 Lynch-Bages is one of the vintage's bigger, broader-shouldered wines, offering up aromas of crème de cassis, plums and spices, framed by a generous application of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, dense and chunky, with a velvety attack that segues into a layered core of fruit framed by generously extracted tannins, it concludes with a long, lusty finish. Fully 40 hectares of this estate is now cultivated organically, principally those parcels that adjoin the houses of Pauillac. As is almost invariably the case with this estate, it will repay a bit of patience. Drink 2031-2051.
The 2021 is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Maturation will be 18 months in 75% new oak in the new winery. Jean-Charles feels that it is similar to the 2008 and 2014 vintages. One of the deepest-coloured wines of the vintage. Equipped with black fruit, nutmeg, allspice berries and a lightly exotic spice on the nose. The acidity of the vintage freshens the dark fruit on the palate, and together with a firm but ripe frame of tannins keeps everything tight and refined. This is a deep, vertical wine, the cassis fruit flecked with tones of graphite, wood spice and tobacco. There is a focus to the fruit here - there is not the blockbuster power of the past three vintages, this is rather a driven, intense, tightly coiled wine that will reward patience.
This is really cool to smell, with lead pencil shavings, iron filings and oyster shells. Blackcurrants, too. Full to medium body with layers of firm tannins, but a dusty and powdery texture, too. Lovely finish. 67% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 5% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc.
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Lynch-Bages rolls out of the glass with effortlessly expressive notes of creme de cassis, black raspberries, and mulberries, giving way to hints of crushed rocks, wild sage, and wood smoke. Light to medium-bodied, the palate has a sturdy frame of firm, grainy tannins and bags of freshness framing the muscular fruit, finishing long and minerally. The blend is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot. This wine is due to be aged for 18 months in oak, 75% new. The wine has a pH of 3.72 and an IPT of 90.
2027-2053
This is impressive, reduction on the first nose but it clears to show gentle smoked oak, bitter cocoa beans and liqourice, giving balance the the fresh acidities that stud the blackberry and raspberry fruits. This is powerful, with a structure that feels similar to the 2014 or the 2008 - a little subdued and austere, but with ageing potential. A high tannin index of 90IPT. Harvest September 27 Lynch through to October 9. One of the best in Pauillac, finishing up with chewy tannins.
The second vintage vinified in the Cazes family's new winery, the 2021 Lynch-Bages unwinds in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, sweet berries, loamy soil, black truffle and cigar wrapper, framed by nicely integrated new oak. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and muscular, it's a serious, layered, powerful, youthfully structured wine that will come together beautifully with maturation in barrel.
