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, retaining its depth while gaining precision in its tannins. The château produces an increasingly stylish dry white Bordeaux, though we still await a more precise wine for the second label, Écho. A new fermentation cellar is under construction, and it promises to be monumental, as 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 expansive, just like the concentration of flavors. A delicate layering of elements structures the wine on the palate, giving it power, precision, and concentration. It is still a bit shy, with a tension present in the release of flavors and a relatively lively finish, though this will lengthen with time. Fresh blueberry, damp stone, pencil lead, and graphite add a mineral touch. Without excessive warmth, oak, or spices—which is also excellent. A wine with great aging potential, designed for the long haul, I think. 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 been the result of the tireless 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 is linked to the quality of the wines, produced from a vast 100-hectare vineyard, as well as to a sound 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 a 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 unparalleled.

About the estate:

Jean-Charles Cazes now bears the responsibility of steering 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 point since the early 1970s, establishing its rich, seductive, and immediately accessible style, while remaining 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 lovers is simply a fitting 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 for 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 hue 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 define this vintage, as does its flavor profile, which is richer than usual for a young wine. Its deep purple hue, followed by aromas of candied red cherries, cocoa, roasted coffee, licorice, polished leather, blackcurrant, and peppermint, continue to captivate, while its delicate acidity promises excellent aging potential.