Château Lynch Bages, 5ème Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2019
Jean-Charles described 2019 as “Blue Velvet”, a vintage that offers “a beautiful complementarity between fruity Merlots, rich in sugar… and dense, well-structured, very fresh Cabernets”. His flagship Lynch Bages is a glorious, grandiose wine, boasting huge concentration, yet there’s a sense on grace and poise. There’s a lovely florality to the fruit; violet scented cassis, Asian spice, sumptuous crème de mûre, notes of pencil shavings, tobacco and cedar. It feels more exuberant than the cerebral, introverted 2018, yet it’s just as profound. There’s a veneer of fleshy fruit that covers the muscular, brooding core of deep cassis that delights the palate. Restrained, controlled, this builds and builds revealing layers of fruit and mineral complexity. Dense, but never weighty, this glides effortlessly coating the palate revealing swathes of purple fruit, painting a picture of fine detail with its glorious tannic profile. So much energy, so much power; what a fabulous Lynch Bages. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.
critic reviews
The 2019 Lynch-Bages is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it gallops out with bold notions of warm cassis, stewed black cherries, and boysenberry preserves, followed by hints of tar, violets, and star anise. The medium to full-bodied palate is intense and nuanced with firm, grainy tannins and great tension, finishing long and layered. Classic great Pauillac.
The 2019 Lynch-Bages has an outgoing bouquet, the new oak not as well integrated as its peers at the moment, more inchoate by comparison. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, quite saline with black pepper, controlled and focused towards the classy finish. It oozes sophistication and feels extraordinarily long. Wondrous. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.
A true classic from this estate, the 2019 Lynch-Bages has turned out brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis and sweet blackberry fruit mingled with licorice, mint, cigar wrapper and loamy soil. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it's a deep, multidimensional wine built around a chassis of rich, powdery tannins and succulent balancing acids. The last vintage produced in Lynch-Bages old winery, it will be interesting to compare this benchmark wine with subsequent vintages over the coming years.
Tight black fruits, run through with espresso, cocoa bean and bitter black chocolate shavings. Brilliant quality, with tannic heft and precision. Takes a jump halfway through the palate and lifts right off. I have tasted this several times over the past few months, and it consistently performs. 75% new oak, Eric Boissenot consults.