"Jane Anson, Decanter.com 96/100
One of the clear standouts where the fruit has real depth and is laced with black chocolate, liquorice, cassis as well as cassis bud. Cabernet dominant, will some angularity to the tannins but this is high quality, and has a floral lift and juiciness to it. A food vintage, because acidities are pretty high, but this delivers one of the best wines of Pauillac. New optical sorter used this year. 65% new oak, 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 66% of production in the first wine. Drink 2021 to 2040 Reviewed Feb 2021
Robert Parker 90-93/100
Another strong effort produced under the administration of Jean-Charles Cazes (the son of Jean-Michel Cazes, who spent decades building Lynch Bages into one of the most popular Bordeaux estates), the 2011 boasts an inky/purple hue in addition to copious aromas of black currants, incense, forest floor and ink. Deep, rich, medium to full-bodied and layered with supple tannins as well as the vintage's freshness and vibrancy, it should age easily for 20 years.
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate 90-92/100
The 2011 Lynch Bages is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot raised in 75% new oak. It has an elegant, understated bouquet compared to its peers, with pure blackberry and cedar aromas, linear and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a gentle but firm grip, with a harmonious crisp quintessential Pauillac finish with graphite lingering on the aftertaste. This is a stylish Lynch Bages, one born to be drunk and enjoyed. Tasted April 2012."
Overlooking the Gironde estuary at the entrance to Pauillac, the vines of Lynch-Bages are located on the Bages plateau, on one of the finest gravelly rises in the appellation. Formerly owned by the illustrious Lynch family, of Irish descent, the estate was acquired by Jean-Charles Cazes in 1939. Housed in a building dating from the end of the 16th century, the historic vat room was built in the 1850s. It is still present today, miraculously intact and carefully preserved. Used until 1976, it paints a complete picture of the winemaking techniques of the period. In 2017, the Cazes family embarked on a new chapter in the history and life of the property with the renovation of their winemaking facilities. While in-depth analyses of the soils and vineyard have been conducted for several years, the renovation project, entrusted to the American architect Chien Chung Pei, is a natural part of this quest for excellence. Marking four centuries of history and the culmination of four years’ hard work, the 2020 vintage, the first created in the renovated cellars, opened a new chapter in the life of the estate. The estate is 105 ha and is planted 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot on Garonne gravel. ©ugcb
