Château Lynch Bages, 5ème Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2015
The 2015 Lynch Bages is fashioned from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. This doesn't quite have the refinement of the very best 2015s, but this is nonetheless a wonderful, large-scale Lynch Bages made for the long term. The bouquet is brooding and serious with lots of floral, mineral infused black fruit. Hints of liquorice, graphite and bright cranberries intersperse the mass of coaly crème de mûre fruit. Swathes of restrained, well measured inky black fruit, notes of earth and violets tease the palate. This is powerful, concentrated stuff yet there is a sappiness, freshness and elegance that keeps this vital and mouth-watering. The smooth stone tannins are large scale, even profound and provide a lasting impression of fruit.
critic reviews
The 2015 Lynch Bages offers red berry fruit, wild hedgerow, game and cumin on the nose. This is nicely focused and controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. It's harmonious with tobacco- and black pepper-infused red fruit. This is structured and very fine, though more evolved than its Pauillac peers. Tasted blind at the 2015 Bordeaux Ten-Year-On tasting.
Slate and cocoa bean on the opening, delicious wine, soft rose petals, bilberry and cassis fruit, waves of black tea and steely tannins, great quality, not quite the depth through the mid palate of the 2014 or 2016, but this is full of Pauillac signature and will age well. 75% new oak, Daniel Llhose technical director.