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Goedhuis, January 2022, Score: 17
A little reserved aromatically, however in the palate this wine is far from shy and comfortably confident in its quality. Notable structure, it provides a great Pauillac expression, powerful with dark black currant leaf flavours. The tannins have taut leathery character to them and although give a firmness and a slight drying sensation, the overall sweetness of fruit pulls through at the end. This is both a great Pauillac and a great example of the very best of the 2018 vintage.
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Goedhuis, April 2019, Score: 93-95
72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. This is a big dense wine full of sweet dark cassis. It is powerful and structured with the characteristic Pauillac punch of tannins driving the wine throughout the palate. A savoury touch on the finish gives an added dimension, but the lasting sensation is a wine with real muscle.
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Neal Martin, March 2021, Score: 94
The 2018 Lynch-Bages has a wonderful bouquet of supremely well-defined blackberry, briar, crushed rock and pencil lead aromas that develop more floral scents with continued aeration (the samples were monitored over 6–8 hours). The palate is beautifully balanced with fine-grained tannins and superb acidity. Fresh and focused with a touch of graphite toward the finish. There is a swagger, a bit of brio, about this Lynch-Bages, one that will age over 30–40 years with style. Bravo, l’equipe Cazes! Drink 2024-2050
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Antonio Galloni, May 2019, Score: 93-96
The 2018 Lynch-Bages is a potent, racy wine endowed with real textural depth and intensity. Even so, it retains terrific nuance and vibrancy. All the classic Lynch-Bages signatures are present, but amped up, with huge tannins and equally huge fruit. The 2018 is going to need at least a few years to shed some of its baby fat. Today, it is decidedly rich and unctuous in style. Rose petal, lavender, mint and sweet spice add striking layers of aromatic nuance. The blend is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.
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Wine Advocate, April 2019, Score: 96-98
The 2018 Lynch Bages is made up of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot aging in 75% new barriques. Very deep purple-black in color, the nose is quite coy and restrained to begin, fanning out to offer pure, ripe blackcurrants, black cherries and preserved plums with wafts of red roses, cigar box, incense, cardamom and fenugreek with savory touches of black olives, Marmite toast and smoked meats. Full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, with a solid foundation of very firm, very ripe, grainy tannins and superb freshness supporting the generous black fruit layers, finishing long with provocative ferrous suggestions.
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James Suckling, April 2019, Score: 97-98
This is incredibly powerful and structured with so much tannin backbone and length, yet it’s cool and fresh with a compact palate and great length. Muscular.
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Decanter, April 2019, Score: 97
This is hugely impressive right from the off - strap on your walking boots, get your crampons at the ready, there is a wall to climb - not one that you ever hit by the way, because contrary to expectations this unfurls slowly, keeping the peak just out of sight. It’s great quality and one of my favourites from this property because it’s full of power but with a caress, so much tannic power too and yet so light of foot. It’s filled with absolutely delicious black chocolate, rosemary, cardamom and pepper but also lets the light in thanks for a fresh core running through. Having tasted it a few times it’s clear it’s going to age extremely well. A yield of 38hl/ha. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040
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Matthew Jukes, April 2019, Score: 18+
A stunning Cabernet nose leads the way and this signals the start of a rather imposing wine. Exquisite fruit concentration coupled with prodigious length make this a bit of a beast and I found myself searching for detail among the power and extraction. Big and just about balanced with rather racy tannins and a lot of oak, this is a monolithic Lynch Bages and I hope that it starts to unravel soon for fear that it will always be a little bit too muscular and tough.
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Wine Spectator, April 2019, Score: 96-99
Dark cassis, plum and cherry fruit flavors stream through in this red, harnessed well by bolts of iron along the way. Sweet tobacco detail echoes through the finish, which is seriously long. An extremely rock-solid wine in the making here.
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Julia Harding, April 2019, Score: 17
Black core. Spicy, intense cassis nose. Imposing grip in the tannins holding everything prisoner at the moment but they are compact and dense rather than tough. Chewy, dense, powerful and 'masculine'. Highly structured and muscular but well balanced. Not a charmer but finely built in its power. Drink 2028-2040
