Château Lynch-Bages 2020

Compact, dry, with slightly powdery tannins but well-balanced alcohol; well made, though not quite on the level of the excellent 2021.

Gorgeous from the start, with cassis and violet notes leading off, followed by additional waves of black cherry and blackberry fruit as well as sweet tobacco and iron. Shows subtle savory and cedar hints that stay in the background, as the iron note pierces through the fruit on the finish. Almost approachable for the fruit, but wait if you can. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040. 20,000 cases made.

One of my favourite wines of the vintage, this is a wonderful example of high-definition winemaking while still offering plenty of Pauillac swagger. It smells dark and slightly savoury, full of black fruit and toasted aromas. Bright and lively on the palate with clarity and precision to the berry fruit, shining and clear with juicy, mouthwatering acidity—so much energy in the glass. Chalky, graphite-laced tannins fill the mouth, giving structure and clear terroir markers with a lingering minerality on the finish. Perfectly weighted with incredible delectability and drinkability. Persistent with a long finish. Superb effort.

A beautifully layered red with blackcurrant, hazelnut and lead-pencil character and fine, velvety tannins. Full-bodied and reserved. It’s like a tightly knit ball of polished tannins that are cashmere in texture. So very long and impressive. Give this time. A terrific Lynch. Better after 2027.

The first vintage made in their brand new, state-of-the-art cellars pops with its showy display of peppery spices, mint, cigar box, cassis, blackberries, cedar, and crème de cassis. The wine is full-bodied, fresh, long, deep, intense, powerful, and chewy, leaving you with an ocean of sweet, ripe, pure cassis to chew on. This refined-styled vintage of Lynch Bages will age for decades. Drink from 2027–2060.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Hints of liquorice and black cherries, fine oak spice, attractive bouquet. Juicy, balanced, ripe blackberries but also red fruit, tight tannins, slightly leafy finish, not yet fully developed, certain ageing potential.

The 2020 Château Lynch-Bages brings even more density and depth and is another vin de garde in the vintage. A blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, aged in 75% new barrels, this inky-hued beauty boasts a ripe, powerful, full-bodied style with serious concentration as well as building, ripe, velvety tannins. While it doesn't have the elegance of the 2019, it delivers beautiful cassis and blackberry fruit, plenty of spice, graphite, and lead pencil aromatics, terrific balance, and a blockbuster finish. It's going to need at least a decade and will offer 40–50 years of prime drinking.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: dense, velvety, creamy, finely opulent, dark bouquet; black cassis, black cherries, licorice, truffle, dark bread crust, nougat. Dense, powerful, velvety, creamy palate with intense dark fruit, plenty of fine tannin, concentrated structure, complex, powerful, dark aromatics, very long, dense, powerful finish with lots of lingering flavors. (19/20). 21: tasting note by René Gabriel: barrel sample. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. Deep, extremely dense purple-violet. Cherry-like bouquet, bread crust, roasted notes, lots of plum, cassis, blackberry and a great Cabernet spice. On the palate, substantial, rich, compact and, logically, still clearly astringent. Shows dramatic concentration and seems, presumably, to point toward Lynch 2000+. This will be something! But it needs patience. Tasted three times in the same week at the estate on different days. And then rounded up with conviction. 20/20 buy and wait!

Silky, sweet, fruity, powerful, creamy, dark, complex bouquet; cassis cream, licorice, graphite, vanilla, subtle dried fruit, fine plum notes. A concentrated, multi-layered, powerful palate with plenty of fine tannins, a dense, finely muscular structure, intense, dark and diverse aromatics, and a very long, dense finish with abundant lingering aromas. 19/20 2027 - 2055

A superb Lynch Bages that grabs you and carries you through the palate, slowly edging forward. Poised with a ton of slate and pencil lead on the finish, this is pure Pauillac, so precise and full of character, with so much grip; it's classic, with a mouthwatering finish, feeling profound yet thoroughly approachable. 75% new oak, pH 3.73. First vintage in the new winery.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Lynch-Bages is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, aged for around 18 months in French oak barriques, 75% of them new. Warm scents of cassis, blueberry preserves, and juicy blackberries jump from the glass, followed by suggestions of rose oil, cedar, anise, and menthol with a waft of graphite. The medium-bodied palate has a solid structure of grainy tannins and great tension to support the energetic black fruits, finishing light on its feet.

95-96

At first, a monumental nose, as if steeped in acacia honey, which gains lift with floral freshness. As it opens, notes of dark fruit tease the senses, oscillating with more classic aromas of graphite and leather. The palate doesn’t beat around the bush, showing a crunchy red-fruit core and a subtly toasted finish. No doubt less hedonistic than previous vintages of Lynch-Bages, which, like many other Bordeaux wines, move further away each year from Parker’s influence. The tannins remain intense, suggesting good cellaring potential.

This is the first vintage vinified in the new winery at Lynch-Bages. The pursuit of precision has therefore been optimized thanks to tools that enable more precise fermentations. The result lives up to expectations—or rather to projections—as the ambitions had already been clearly set beforehand! The wine shows density, verve, and tannins of remarkable precision. It is this latter point that probably highlights the ambitions of the Cazes family. The wine is deep, linear, compact, and built on a tannic structure that will carry it far. So much serenity, so much quiet strength in Lynch-Bages! A great success!

The nose is fresh, fruity and offers concentration, a fine grain, concentration (with elegance), as well as a subtle linearity and complexity. It reveals notes of bright/fresh small black berries, morello cherry, violet and, more slightly, wild strawberry, combined with touches of ripe wild red fruits, blueberry, as well as fine hints of cardamom, black tea, cherry blossom, graphite, discreet notes of dark chocolate and toast, and an imperceptible hint of cumin. The palate is fruity, fresh, balanced, very precise, and offers juiciness, minerality, lovely definition, a certain darkness, indulgence, beautiful energy, a discreetly tight structure, aromatic purity, fullness/harmony, lovely complexity, a multi-layered side and energy. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy blackcurrant, vibrant boysenberry and, more slightly, wild strawberry, combined with touches of violet, juicy/fresh blueberry, bright purple plum, racy minerality (almost discreetly iodized), cornflower, star anise, licorice (zan), as well as discreet hints of tobacco, cardamom and black licorice stick. The tannins are elegant, precise, massive yet delicate and supple. A very fine/pleasant bitterness on the finish/persistence. Notes of chocolate and a touch of caramelization/brown sugar in the background/aftertaste. This is a rich wine, with freshness, all in subtlety and harmony.

96–98. Barrel Sample. Bold black fruits and dense, textured tannins are very much in the style of the estate. What is new in this vintage is the extra precision that lifts the wine, bringing together the beautiful black currant flavors of ripe Cabernet Sauvignon with a refined texture of sophisticated tannins. This is an impressive wine, sure to age over many years.