Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac Grand Cru 2020
(Bordeaux, France) - [JS 99] [DM 98] [WE 96-98] [WS 96, #3 Top 100 of 2023] [JD 96] [VM 96] [TWI 96] [WA 95+]

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Terrior of Lynch Bages vineyards:

In the heart of the Médoc on the banks of the estuary, Pauillac (Gironde, France) has been the true birthplace of Grand Cru Classé wines since 1855. The Lynch-Bages vineyards are planted across 100 hectares in the region.

Its enjoys a mild climate, homogeneous geology and a topography of well-defined outcrops in the South and South-West of the town. These factors all contribute to bringing Lynch-Bages' soils their warmth and excellent natural drainage towards the river which ensures optimum water supply to the vines.

Technical Data:
Soil: Garonne Gravel
Harvest: Hand-picked and sorted at the vineyard
Ageing: French oak barrels for 15 months (80% new wood)
Blend of the 2020: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot

Ratings & Reviews

99 Points - James Suckling:
"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." (Dec 2022)

98 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"One of my favourite wines of the vintage, this is a wonderful example of high definition winemaking but still offering plenty of Pauillac swagger. 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." - GH (Jan 2023)

96 Points & #3 Top 100 Wines of 2023- Wine Spectator:
"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." - JM (Mar 2023)

96-98 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"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" - Roger Voss

96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"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 that carries serious concentration as well as building, ripe, velvety tannins. While it doesn't have the elegance of the 2019, it brings beautiful cassis and blackberry fruit, lots of spice, graphite, and lead pencil aromatics, terrific balance, and a blockbuster finish. It's going to need at least a decade and will have 40-50 years of prime drinking." (Mar 2023)

96 Points - The Wine Independent:
"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." - LPB (Jun 2023)

96 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2020 Lynch-Bages, the first vintage vinified at the new winery, has a beautifully-defined bouquet with a strong estuarine influence, brine and seaweed infusing the black fruit. It's almost understated at first, but it opens wonderfully in the glass - quintessentially Pauillac. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, quite concentrated that is counterbalanced by a fine bead of acidity. The saline note on the finish is superb, lingering in the mouth. What an absolutely delicious Lynch-Bages for the long-term." - Neal Martin (Feb 2023)

95+ Points - Wine Advocate:
"The vintage that inaugurated the estate's new state-of-the-art winery, the 2020 Lynch-Bages has turned out very nicely, offering up aromas of crème de cassis and blackberries mingled with notions of pencil shavings, spices and classy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with good concentration, ripe, powdery tannins and a seamless, integrated profile for such a young Lynch-Bages, it shows considerable promise. The blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot incorporates more Merlot than usual, reflecting relative yields in the vintage more than any stylistic shift." - William Kelley (Apr 2023)