Chateau Lynch-Bages

In the glass

Aroma: ripe cassis, tobacco, wet earth, cedar, graphite, violet

Palate: black fruit, smoky earth, smoked tobacco, lead pencil, crushed stone, licorice

Lynch-Bages consistently overperforms its Fifth Growth classification. A richer, more extrovert Pauillac than the first-growths, with cassis generosity, smoky tobacco, and a robust structure that ages beautifully over 20-30 years.

What it pairs with

• Entrecote with Bordelaise sauce
  The classic Bordeaux pairing; Lynch-Bages' cassis fruit and tobacco echo the earthy marrow in the Bordelaise sauce.
• Roasted pork belly with herbs
  Richer than many Pauillacs at this classification, Lynch-Bages' dark fruit and firm structure handle the fat of pork belly well.
• Wild boar terrine with cornichons
  Game charcuterie amplifies the wine's tobacoo and earthy register while the acidic cornichons cleanse the palate.
• Aged Cantal cheese
  Firm French mountain cheese pulls out Lynch-Bages' graphite and cedar complexity.

How to serve Chateau Lynch-Bages

Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.

1. Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
2. Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
3. Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass. The bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
4. Pair with. Entrecote with Bordelaise sauce, Roasted pork belly with herbs, Wild boar terrine with cornichons. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Named after Thomas Lynch, an Irish immigrant who married into the Drouillard family and acquired the Bages plateau in the early 18th century. Classified as Fifth Growth in 1855. The Cazes family has owned it since 1939 under Jean-Michel Cazes and now Jean-Charles Cazes. Despite Fifth Growth status, Lynch-Bages is considered a 'super fifth' regularly trading at Second-Growth prices.

1. 1855: Classified Cinquieme Cru Classe in the Medoc classification
2. 1939: Acquired by the Cazes family; Jean-Michel Cazes later elevated its profile globally
3. 2020: 2020 vintage drew strong critical reception (reviewer-points tuples on scores array)

Facts

Producer

Chateau Lynch-Bages · visiting guide

Grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon (68%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Petit Verdot (2%)

Classification

Pauillac AOC, Cinquieme Cru Classe (1855 classification)

Oak

12 to 15 months in 70-75% new French oak barriques

ABV

13.5%

Price

$80-160 at retail

Drinking window

8-30 from vintage

First vintage

1728

Frequently asked about Chateau Lynch-Bages

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