Classification:

Cinquième Cru Classé, Pauillac AC  (Fifth-growth in 1855).

Average Production:

Up to 35,000 cases of grand vin annually.

Recent En-Primeur prices:

2008 - approx A$150 - $175

2007 - approx A$140 - $160

2006 - approx A$150 - $175

2005 - approx A$140 - $185

2004 - approx A$80 - $95

Overview:

One of the best-known properties in Bordeaux, certainly to English-speaking winelovers, Lynch-Bages is today not just one of Pauillac’s most consistent properties, but also the heart of a small village in its own right, thanks to the investment and vision of Jean-Michel Cazes.  A luxury hotel and [two Michelin starred] restaurant, as well as numerous shops (Boulangerie, Bistro, Bazaar etc) make Bages something of a hub on the outskirts of Pauillac, and a worthy destination for tourists and visitors alike.

Lynch-Bages wine itself enjoys a strong reputation for being of reliable, consistent quality in a somewhat sturdy, dry and complex style.  Easy to understand why it is the favourite of many.

Vineyards:

There are some 90 hectares of vines, planted to approximately 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot,  as well as a further five or so hectares of white varieties - Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle - planted to make up a somewhat rich-yet-dry white wine, Blanc de Lynch-Bages, first produced  in 1990.

Winemaking:

Perhaps surprisingly, there is no triage or sorting of the grapes prior to crushing, although there is a vineyard selection.  Primary fermentation and maceration takes place in stainless steel vats, for between two-to-three weeks, before a portion of the juice (around 30%) is transferred into oak for malolactic fermentation.  There are three pump-overs per day.  After malolactic fermentation has completed, the remaining wine is also placed into barrel, of which approximately 60-70% is new. 

Until 1974 large oak vats were used, before being replaced by concrete vats.  Around 1993 these were replaced with the current stainless steel vats.  The wine spends up to 15 months in oak, being racked every three months, before egg-white fining and a light filtration prior to bottling.

Other wines:

Haut-Bages-Averous (second wine)

Blanc de Lynch-Bages

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