CHÂTEAU LYNCH BAGES
2015 5ème Cru Classé Pauillac
Creamy-rich, lovely top-note of fine red fruit. The density is all here, and this very much does what Lynch Bages does. Big tannins, but all nicely wrapped in fruit and smooth body. Feels like it has a high proportion of Cabernet and this gives it more elegance and a sense of concentration on the long finish. Lovely length. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Rating: 93-94 L&S (Apr 2016)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2015 Lynch-Bages has an intense nose of black fruit, cedar and pencil box aromas. This is muted at first but it only takes a few swirls to unleash the aromas. The palate is medium-bodied and beautifully balanced, with grainy tannins, real depth and grip. This has dispensed with some of its surliness and there is now more brightness toward the finish. The 2015 is excellent. Drinking range: 2026 - 2058 Rating: 96 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jun 2025)
The 2015 Lynch-Bages has a very complex bouquet with layers of blackberry and bilberry fruit, crushed stone, cedar and graphite. It becomes earthier with aeration, with a hint of cough candy in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins. This is intense, backward, almost surly, yet the finish has incredible precision and persistence. Not to be underrated. Tasted at the Lynch-Bages vertical at the château. Drinking range: 2026 - 2060 Rating: 96 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jul 2023)
Excellent quality, but a little less depth through the mid palate than the 2014 or 2016 - making it one of the rare wines where the 2015 vintage is not beating out the 2014 in a vertical. Could simply be that it is closed down right now, as those Pauillac tannins can be pretty fierce in the early days. Certainly as it opens the texture deepens and widens, and you find coils of bilberry and raspberry fruits with waves of smoked earth, sage and saffron spice. 75% new oak. Drinking range: 2025 - 2042 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter (Apr 2022)
The 2015 Lynch-Bages has a fresh, vibrant bouquet of blackberry, graphite, cedarwood and just a touch of spice. The palate is medium-bodied with fresh acidity and well-balanced, but not quite as complex as the aromatics augur. While I like the precision here, it just does not kick in as I expected. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting. Rating: 93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jul 2019)
Brambly and attractive ripe blackberries and red-plum aromas with some floral accents, too. The palate has a very plush, polished and regal shape as tannins frame up a core of ripe black fruit. Succulent, impressive finish. Drinking range: 2022 - Rating: 95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Feb 2018)
One of the finest Pauillacs of 2015, Lynch-Bages is rich, racy and voluptuous. A rush of dark red and purplish stone fruit, mint, new leather, spice and blood orange give the 2015 a very decidedly exotic character that is impossible to miss. Raspberry jam, mocha, new leather and expressive floral notes appear with time in the glass, rounding things out nicely. Even though the 2015 is quite forward and open at this stage, the wine has plenty of stuffing as well as the underlying structure to support many years of exceptional drinking. This is a stellar showing for Lynch-Bages. Drinking range: 2025 - 2055 Rating: 96 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2018)
Very dark, very sweet – seems simpler than the Ch Pichon Baron tasted immediately before. Maybe this shows how much they need a new chai? Fine and dense but there is a slight green note to this. Drinking range: 2024 - 2038 Rating: 17 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Nov 2017)
Year in, year out, the Cazes make one of the most reliable classed growths, a wine that’s generally good value as well as a pleasure to drink. This intense, well structured Pauillac is firm and quite oaky, but with plenty of dark berry fruit and acidity for balance. Drinking range: 2022 - 2035 Rating: 94 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (May 2016)
This is really charming aromatically, showing convincing black cherry and a dusting of icing-sugar sweetness. There is a confident start to the palate, and this character is maintained through the middle, gently texture but with some plusher seams, all fresh and poised. A very complete style, with lovely definition to the fruit, ripe but fairly firm tannins, and a charming presence and balance. Fresh, poised, showing some concentration, in the context of the vintage this is a really charming success. An impressive result. Rating: 16.5-17.5/20 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2016)
Two thirds of the crop. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Much deeper crimson. Minerals and spice - a very winning combo - on the nose. But bone dry on the end after some pretty dry tannins. Very solid but needs time. Drier than many vintages. Still pretty tight. Drinking range: 2026 - 2040 Rating: 17+ Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2016)
Superb nose of black fruits showing exuberant ripeness. It’s very robust on the palate, a hallmark of Lynch-Bages, but a hint of silkiness and freshness remains. This has a good future ahead. Drinking range: 2023 - 2045 Rating: 93 Steven Spurrier (Apr 2016)
They 2015 Lynch Bages is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that was picked from 23 September until 2 October, matured in 75% new oak. There is an overwhelming sense of purity on the nose: perfumed, almost floral blackberry, wild strawberry, graphite and cedar scents, unmistakably Pauillac in style. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannin, a keen citrus thread that impart tension and ample freshness. Tasting this as the first wine of the day, it instantly refreshes the mouth and leaves it tingling with energy after it has departed. This is an excellent, top-grade Lynch Bages that deserves 8-10 years in bottle and then will offer three decade of pleasure, maybe more. Drinking range: 2025 - 2060 Rating: 93-95 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)
A total knock-out, the 2015 Lynch Bages is racy, sumptuous and super-expressive. Raspberry jam, mocha, dark spices and leather flesh out as the 2015 shows off its broad, ample frame and inviting personality. The 2015 is a decidedly dark, flamboyant Lynch Bages with enough depth to drink well for several decades. Although a bit atypical, the 2015 Lynch Bages is nevertheless quite attractive. Rating: 91-94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)
Very classic styled Lynch with pretty ripe fruit and tannin balanced. Full body, firm and chewy tannins yet polished and refined. Alcohol and fruit balance are lower than other top years and give this wine freshness and energy. Rating: 95-96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2016)
This is packed with juicy currant, black cherry and blackberry fruit carried by warm stone and graphite notes. Offers lovely sweet spice hints through the finish, which is fleshy and integrated. Really sappy and intense, yet the smooth structure lets it all glide through beautifully. Rating: 92—95 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2016)
Château Lynch Bages
Pauillac Cinquième cru 1855 Thomas Lynch emigrated to Bordeaux from Galway in Ireland in 1691. He had two children and it was his son Thomas who associated the family name with Bordeaux by inheriting Lynch-Bages through his wife, and buying Lynch-Moussas and Dauzac in Margaux. Jean-Charles Cazes, who had recently bought Château Les Ormes de Pez in St Estèphe, took the tenancy of Lynch-Bages in 1934, and bought the property outright five years later. It has been the ownership of the Cazes family, who still own the estate, which turned Château Lynch Bages into the leading estate it is today, far exceeding the seemingly lowly 5th growth status bestowed upon it in 1855. There are 90ha of vines in the small village of Bages, just south of Pauillac. Red grapes are planted to 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Wines are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel before ageing in wood (60% new) for 15 months. There has been a second wine produced at Lynch-Bages since 1978 that was originally called Château Haut Bages Averous, but has recently been renamed Echo de Lynch Bages. A small amount of Château Lynch Bages Blanc is made from 40% each of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon and 20% Muscadelle.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those of the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do call us, but see the 'practical notes' below.
Ordering
Prices are per case as listed 'in bond London'.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment from you to buy the wines you order on release, subject to the price being below the upper price of the estimated band on our website. You may also set your own upper price limit, lower or higher than ours. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability. Providing this firm commitment to us effectively gives you priority.
Wines listed on the website (after any pre-orders and allocations have been fulfilled) can be ordered in the usual way via the website order form or by email or telephone 020 7221 1982, always subject to stock remaining.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are contractually binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of the confirmation date, apart from pre-orders which are binding if the release price is below the top estimate or other price you have set.
Invoices are raised at the In Bond price, excluding any duty and VAT which will become payable at the prevailing rates on arrival of the wine if required duty paid.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or credit transfer. We reserve the right to charge 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £1000, orders below this total will be charged £16.50+ VAT when the wine invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery for 2016 Bordeaux primeurs will probably be completed by October 2019, but we make no guarantee as to specific delivery times, and some of the Sauternes may be later.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes) for immediate payment. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option, but do please note that confirmed orders are still binding as above even if the final invoice has not been issued.
When the wine is shipped, unless previously specified we will assume that delivery is to be to bonded storage with Elephant Storage, but in any case, we will contact you requesting any alternative instructions. If you have another bonded delivery address you would like the wine to go to, please tell us at the time of ordering. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue invoices at the rates prevailing at the time for the excise duty (currently £25.98 per case) and the VAT (currently at 20%) on the total of the wine cost and the duty.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the bottle size you want. Even if a wine is only listed in one size, you can order any bottle or case size you want if the property supplies it, but you must order the case/bottle size you require and check that the correct size has been invoiced.
Additional charges are as follows:-
- +£15 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£15 per case of 6 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£35 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£45 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.