2022 Chateau Lynch Bages - 5eme Cru Pauillac

Decanter.com – 97 pts – GH: *Blackcurrant and bramble fruit with savoury herbal nuances on the nose, this smells rich and potent. Tense and focussed, compact from the get go, present tannins give grip and hold. This is definitely not out to charm, more serious, stern and focussed but there's such overall precision. This is in high definition, supremely controlled and well worked with mouthfilling ripe tannins. I like the chewy aspect and there’s balancing acidity, hidden now by the density, that will sustain the wine for decades to come. Floral notes and some minerality come through giving the nuance so it’s not all heft, but there’s clear muscle on show. A long finish gives the sense of structure and style. An impressive wine. 95 IPT. 3.71pH. Ageing 18 months, 75% new oak. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 4.1 g/L total acidity. Harvest 12 September - 24 September.* - 04/2023

Falstaff Magazin – 97 pts – PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Zart nach Velours und Nugat, ein Hauch von Minze und Cassis, schwarze Waldbeeren sind unterlegt, Orangenzesten. Saftig, komplex, schwarze Beeren, reife Kirschen, etwas Nugat, reife, tragende Tannine, mineralisch und lange anhaftend, sicheres Entwicklungspotenzial.* - 01/2023

Vinum Magazin – 18/20 pts: *Zurückhaltend fruchtig. massiver, aber auch ungemein tonischer Wein mit Fleisch, Struktur und Spannkraft, grosse aromatische Länge, perfekt eingebundenes Tannin; herrlicher Lynch Bages von perfektionistischer Machart.* - 04/2023

WeinWisser – 19/20pts – GL, TW: *66 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 28 % Merlot, 3 % Cabernet Franc, 3 % Petit Verdot. Ungeheuer dichtes und tiefgründiges Bouquet, edle Cassiswürze, zarte Flieder- und Irisnoten, Graphit und Schokopastillen. Am komplexen, geradlinigen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, perfekt balancierter Rasse, engmaschigem und zupackendem Tanninkorsett sowie durchtrainiertem Körper. Im konzentrierten, langanhaltenden Finale schwarzbeerige Konturen, tiefschürfende Mineralik und körnige Adstringenz. Was für ein präzises Kraftpaket dieses Jahr.* – 04/2023

JancisRobinson.com – 18/20pts – JL: *66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Aromatically spicy and exuberant, the fruit generous and full. Layers of fruit on the palate backed by an impressive tannic frame. Real power and persistence. Harmonious as well. Long life ahead.* - 04/2023

Vinous.com – (95-97) pts – AG: *The 2022 Lynch-Bages shows all the classic Lynch layers, but dialed up to the maximum. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2022 packs tremendous punch. Sweet dark cherry, spice, leather, menthol, licorice, plum and mocha all open with time in the glass. The tannins are imposing, and yet there is more than enough fruit to balance things out, at least to some degree. I expect the 2022 will need a decade to shed some of its tannin, but it is formidable, even in the early going. Impressive. Tasted two times. "This is the third time in history we are above 14% in alcohol, the others were 2018 and 2019," Jean-Charles Cazes explained.* - 04/2023

Vinous.com – (95-97) pts – NM: *The 2022 Lynch-Bages was picked 12 September, around 15 days earlier than usual until 24 September at around 35hL/ha. Aged for 18 months in 75% new oak, it has a backward nose that demands a lot of encouragement. This is not as immediate as the 2016 or 2019 at the same stage. Powerful blackberry and boysenberry fruit, cedar and light tobacco notes, this feels like an edifice of aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, beautifully balanced, very harmonious yet there is an enormous backbone here that (again) is reminiscent of Mouton. Extremely long on the finish, this will need its barrel maturation to fully knit together and it is going to be a Pauillac for the long haul.* - 04/2023

Thewinecellarinsider.com – (96-98) pts – JL: *Opaque in color, the wine is packed with with smoky cassis, blackberries, tobacco leaf, black cherries, licorice, flowers, chocolate, and blackberry liqueur. Powerful, full-bodied, rich, dense and intense, the wine is long, vibrant and intense. 2022 is a palate staining wine with never before seen levels of concentration. But, even with all that concentration, the wine remains balanced, fresh, and Pauillac in style. The finish holds your attention for 50 seconds or more while it builds and refreshes. The wine blends 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, 14.2% ABV. 3.71 pH. The harvest took place September 12 - September 24. The yields were 35 hectoliters per hectare. The Grand Vin was produced from 70% of the harvest. Drink from 2027-2060.* - 05/2023