Château Lynch-Bages 2018

Spicy aromatics with a pronounced oak imprint; noticeable extract right from the outset, austere and massive in style; a texture that is still merely lying in wait yet dense; very closed at this stage; needs to mature.

Composed of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Lynch-Bages was aged in 75% new barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it soars out of the glass with a magnificently expressive nose of blueberry compote, black cherry preserves and blackcurrant pastilles, plus suggestions of dark chocolate, licorice, tar and violets with a waft of hoisin. The medium to full-bodied palate is just as impactful as the nose, coating the mouth with juicy black berry and spicy layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with a refreshing earthiness coming through at the end.

Vibrant, with a violet and cassis lead-in that then expands to include steeped black cherry and plum fruit as well as extra savory, iron and licorice root notes. Nice latent grip too, with a mouthwatering tug of earth at the very end. The fruit is so vibrant, it's a tease now, but there's structure here for the long haul, so be patient. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040.

Gorgeous floral aromatics, violets alongside cherry stones and cinnamon. Grippy tannins set the tone straight away; this is a serious and impressive wine with a powerful texture and a concentration of ripe fruits, bitter dark cocoa powder, dried herbs and gentle spices that dominate the palate. The grippy tannins have a chalky minerality that coats the entire mouth, while the acidity keeps things lifted, preventing it from becoming too heavy or overwhelming. This is muscular—still with some tension—yet it retains a sense of direction and precision. A confident bottling with brilliant ageing potential.

Aromas of blackberries, cloves, licorice, dried leaves, graphite and black olives. It’s full-bodied with firm, tight tannins. Structured and tannic with beautiful austerity and a long, mineral and layered finish. The tannins grow on the palate. Try from 2026.

An utterly fabulous wine, the 2018 Lynch-Bages captures all of the richness and generosity that make the year so appealing, and yet doesn’t stray too far from its classic feel. Rose petal, lavender, spice, sweet red berry fruit and mint are all beautifully lifted in the glass. Racy and silky to the core, the 2018 is a real head-turner from the very first taste. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. Readers will have a very hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine.

Deep and dark in color, the wine exudes crème de cassis, blackberry, black cherry liqueur, BBQ smoke, Cuban cigars and a background note of roses. On the palate, you find richness, round, juicy, multi-layered essences of rocks, stones, earth and lusciously textured, ripe, succulent fruits. The wine liberally coats your palate with layer after layer of sweet berries that hang with you for at least 50 seconds. With a decade of aging this will clearly be one of the top vintages of Lynch Bages ever produced! And considering their crack record, that is really saying something. The wine blends 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, 14.1 ABV.

Dark ruby with purple reflections. Already approachable. The seductive bouquet has attractive cassis fruit, delicate mint and liquorice notes, pleasant fine oak and hints of nougat. Juicy and tightly-knit, with fresh cherries, ripe supporting tannins, good freshness, and blackberry confit on the finish. It needs further time to develop (2025-2050).

Purple with an opaque core. Delicate perfume of freshly picked blackcurrants, Dominican tobacco and dried thyme, followed by exotic woods, dark chocolate truffles and elderberry juice. On the complex palate, there is great drive, a tight-knit tannin framework and abundant ripe (finely grained) extract. In the focused finish, this giant shows its full class, with noble cassis spice and exotic woods, ending with a majestic astringency and a lingering aftertaste that lasts for minutes. Impressively confirms its top result at the time as a barrel sample!

Kunz barrel sample 19: (72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 14.1% alc. vol.) Concentrated, velvety, elegant bouquet: black berries, plums, currants, licorice. Dense, layered, velvety palate with varied dark aromatics, a creamy, muscular structure, plenty of fine tannins, dark fruit, and a very long, powerful, aromatic finish. (19/20). 21: Tasting note by René Gabriel: The color is virtually black with violet highlights at the rim. Powerful, almost heady bouquet, with an almost liqueur-like note without being sweet; tar in the background, then dark noble woods, dark chocolate and lots of cassis, as well as a nuance of black currant. On the palate the dark aromatics continue; it shows a fundamentally masculine character and will develop into a veritable Pauillac personality. I find this to be a very classic, representative Lynch-Bages, reflecting some of the great vintages of the past. At a very high quality level, it likely has enormous aging potential. Unfortunately at the expense of early charm. (20/20).

Sensual, dense, complex, profound, dark bouquet: cassis cream, plums, currants, dark noble woods, tobacco squares, truffle. Concentrated, multi-layered, elegant, powerful palate with dense dark fruit, plenty of fine tannins, compressed aromatics, an elegant, dense, finely muscular structure, and a very long, dense, full finish with many dark afterflavors. Can still improve. 19/20 2025 - 2060

Plum, damson, with a touch of gunsmoke reduction on the first nose, rich and nuanced in colour and aromatics. Pure, chiselled cassis and blackberry as it opens, with cocoa bean, sage, cardamom, grilled cedar, smoked earth and pencil shavings, widening through the mid-palate to reveal a creamy texture. Exuberant in character, plenty of vintage signature. A yield of 38hl/ha, 75% new oak.

The 2018 Lynch-Bages is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs plenty of swirling before classic notes of cassis, cedar chest, and warm plums emerge, leading to nuances of violets, star anise, unsmoked cigars, cardamom, and wood smoke. Full-bodied, dense, muscular, and built like a brick house, it has a rock-solid frame of ripe, grainy tannins and remarkable tension, finishing very long with lots of mineral sparks. Give it a good five years, then stand back when you pop the bottle and enjoy the fireworks!

Intense color, pronounced oak influence that doesn’t mask a monumental structure; all about power, without aggressiveness. Patience required.

One of the most flamboyant wines of the appellation. The fruit is explosive, the palate is bursting with flavor, and the fine tannins coat the mouth. Impressive in its indulgence.

Lynch Bages positions itself brilliantly and convincingly. It perfectly embodies Pauillac’s typicity with aromas of cedar and graphite, along with scents of black berries. On the palate, finesse takes the lead, with a fine balance between the precision of compact tannins and the character of freshness brought by the acidity. I note Lynch Bages’ ability to assert its finesse without losing sight of its power. A fine achievement!

The nose is fruity, elegant, and offers power, intensity, a lovely fine grain, and depth. It reveals notes of black cherry, ripe wild berries, and, more lightly, crushed raspberry, with touches of crushed redcurrant, blackberry, racy minerality (warm gravel/terroir), cardamom, licorice stick, tobacco, a hint of black pepper, and black olive. The palate is fruity and balanced, showing a juicy/mineral backbone, good definition, gourmandise, tension, a lovely fine grain, some gloss, as well as subtle straightness and precisely controlled power. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy wild blackcurrant, small wild black fruits, and, more lightly, wild raspberry, joined by touches of red cherry, tobacco, camphor, and hints of toasted/caramelized oak, vanilla pod, almond, with a very discreet hint of hazelnut. The tannins are well-handled, elegant, fine, and very finely grained. Good length and persistence.

95–97. Barrel Sample. This vintage shows the elegant side of a typically powerful wine. It offers dense black fruits that are balanced by the stylish wood aging and bold tannins. This impressive wine is likely to age well.