Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac 2022 - 5ème Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

World-renowned for its opulence and consistency, this Pauillac Fifth Growth has been owned by the Cazes family since the 1930s and has gained widespread acclaim since Jean-Michel Cazes took over its management in 1973. Following the successful handover from Jean-Michel to his son Jean-Charles, the estate has maintained all its vigor and vitality in recent vintages, preserving its depth while gaining greater tannic precision. The château produces an increasingly stylish dry white Bordeaux, though we are still awaiting a more precise wine for the second label, Écho. A new wine-making facility is under construction, and it promises to be monumental—after all, the estate must hold its own in a highly competitive world!

Decanter

About the wine:

Ripe and full-bodied on the palate, this wine is smooth, crisp, and lively. It features notes of ripe fruit—smooth, sweet blackcurrants and cherries—that are full-bodied and rich, as is the concentration of flavors. A delicate interplay of elements gives the wine structure on the palate, lending it power, precision, and concentration. It is still a bit reserved, with a certain tension in the unfolding of the flavors and a relatively lively finish, though this will lengthen with time. Fresh blueberries, damp stone, pencil lead, and graphite add a mineral touch. There is no excessive warmth, nor any oak or spice, which is also excellent. A wine with great aging potential, designed to be cellared, I believe. 2030–2050

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

The name of this wine combines that of the Irish merchants who owned it in the 18th century with that of a hamlet located just south of Pauillac. Since the 1930s, its success has stemmed from the ongoing efforts of three generations of the Cazes family: Jean-Charles, André, and Jean-Michel. The contribution of Jean-Michel, who has since handed the reins to his son Jean-Charles, has been essential. His success stems from the quality of the wines—produced from a vast 100-hectare vineyard—as well as from a well-thought-out development strategy that includes wine trading and tourism infrastructure (hotel-restaurant, shops).

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

This may be the most impressive Lynch-Bages we’ve tasted as an en primeur. What intensity, what brilliance! With tremendous concentration, it balances this with its harmony and lively freshness, which comes through in the salinity of its finish. Its definition is unprecedented.

About the estate:

It is now up to Jean-Charles Cazes to lead this prestigious Pauillac estate. His father, Jean-Michel—an exceptional figure in the Médoc, a tireless ambassador for Bordeaux wines, and the architect of this Fifth Growth’s reputation—is, however, never far away. The magnificent family estate, superbly situated on the Bages plateau, has produced an impressive series of wines without a single weak link since the early 1970s, establishing its rich, seductive, and immediately approachable style, while still being capable of aging gracefully. Now equipped with a spectacular, brand-new, state-of-the-art winery, the estate is more on track than ever, and its popularity among many wine enthusiasts is simply a well-deserved reward.

James Suckling

About the wine:

A superb Lynch from a hot vintage, with notes of blackcurrant, mint, dried lavender, graphite, and thyme on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied, it features fantastic tannins and a pleasant, cashmere-like texture that becomes slightly velvety on the finish. Let it age 4 to 5 years in the bottle. Best enjoyed after 2028.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

Château Lynch-Bages 2022 is composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Its intense purple color reveals a sensational Pauillac with a breathtaking (and classic Lynch-Bages) style, featuring aromas of dark blackcurrant, smoked tobacco, pencil lead, and crushed stone. These notes carry through into a full-bodied, powerful, and extremely concentrated 2022, featuring a dense and complex mid-palate, velvety tannins, perfect balance, and a rare blend of power and elegance. This estate is clearly in top form, and this magical beauty will need a decade (or more) to reach its peak. Not to be missed! 2035–2075

Terre de Vins

About the wine:

The finesse and smoothness of the tannins are the hallmarks of this vintage, as is its flavor profile, which is richer than usual for a wine released as a primeur. Its deep purple color, followed by aromas of candied red cherry, cocoa, roasted coffee, licorice, polished leather, blackcurrant, and peppermint, never cease to charm, and its subtle acidity promises a long aging potential.