|
 
In the 18th century, Count Jean-Basptiste Lynch, mayor of Bordeaux, inherited the estate and handed over management to his brother Michel Lynch, who was also mayor of Pauillac during the French Revolution.
Jean-Charles Cazes, highly respected in the Médoc for his experience in viticulture and winemaking, bought the property in 1934. With his son André, he devoted all his energy to Lynch-Bages for more than 35 years. In 1974, his grand-son Jean-Michel set about restructuring the estate.
Situated at the gates of Pauillac, overlooking the Gironde estuary from the crest of one of the most beautiful gravel ridges of the commune, the vineyards lie on gravelly slopes situated on the south and south west extremities of the town. The cellars and other buildings of the chateau are about 500 yards from Pauillac, and are clearly visible from the "route du vin".
LYNCH-BAGES takes a part of its name from the very ancient hamlet of Bages. The old "Domaine de Bages" seems to have existed within the same boundaries since the 16th century (the oldest descriptive documents conserved today date back to the beginning of the 18th century). It belonged for exactly three quarters of a century ( 1749 - 1824 ) to the Lynch family.
The Lynch-Bages estate (90 hectares) is located just outside the city of Pauillac, overlooking the Gironde estuary, on one of the most beautiful gravelly outcrops in the appellation.
In 1974, Jean-Michel Cazes (picture) set about restructuring the estate. He equipped it with up-to-date technical facilities, but kept the old vatroom dating from last century intact. It is now one of the Médoc's most unusual sights.The grapes are hand-picked and the wine is made in a vatroom containing 35 stainless steel vats equipped with temperature control systems. After blending, and a rigorous selection process resulting in a second wine, Château Haut-Bages Averous, the wine is traditionally aged in oak barrels for 12 to 15 months before bottling.
Once perfectly ripe, the grapes are 100% hand-picked. Merlot are harvested separately. The pickers are divided into two team grapes from different vineyard plots, and especially those from young vines can be kept apart.
The wine is chateau-bottled in May or June of the 2nd year after the vintage. For several years now, Lynch Bages has also produced a highly-reputed white wine : Blanc de Lynch-Bages. This is powerful and well-balanced, elegantly combining the finest Bordeaux white wine varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle.
  
Facts & Figures
Area under vine
90 hectares
Production
420,000 bottles
Soil
The well-drained soil consists mainly of Garonne gravel. The sub-soil (marl, chalk, and thick clay-sand gravel, or hardpan) forms a solid, but fairly disjointed foundation, enabling the roots of old vines to grow to a depth of 6-8 metres.
Grape varieties
73% Cabernet Sauvignon
15% Merlot
10% Cabernet Franc
2% Petit Verdot
Aging
12 to 15 months in 60% new French oak
Second wine
Château Haut Bages
Other wines
Blanc de Lynch-Bages (white)
Other chateaux
Chateau Les Ormes de Pez, Saint-Estephe
Chateau Villa Bel Air, Graves
  
Wines available
|
