6866 Chateau Lynch Bages 2009 Pauillac

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. The estate once belonged to the famous Lynch family, of Irish origin, and was acquired by Jean-Charles Cazes in 1934. His grandson, Jean-Michel Cazes restructured the estate in 1974, adding state-of-the-art winemaking equipment, while keeping the former wooden vats as a reminder of the 19th century.

The grapes are all hand picked and then carefully sorted before crushing. A very strict selection is made prior to blending and the wine is traditionally aged in oak barrels before bottling.

Winemaker Notes

#93 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2012

Very powerful and well-balanced. The color is deep and the nose reflects the sunny growing season with remarkable ripeness and overtones of blackcurrant and black fruit. The wine starts out unctuous and straightforward on the palate with impressively concentrated, elegant tannin accompanied by plenty of body. 2009 Lynch-Bages has a rich and opulent flavor enhanced by fresh acidity that contributes to perfect balance and an incredibly long aftertaste.

Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

Critical Acclaim

Vivino 4.5

Wine Spectator

Tight and backward, this has dense, almost chewy layers of fig, currant and plum cake behind a very solid wall of cedar, roasted vanilla and charcoal notes. There's serious grip on the finish, with an iron edge that won't quit. Best from 2015 through 2035.

96 points Wine Enthusiast

A dense, immense, solidly powerful wine. The ripest fruit overflows, paralleling the dark, solid tannins. As so often, Lynch-Bages is a blockbuster, dark and concentrated, with immense aging potential.

Cellar Selection

96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The medium to deep garnet colored 2009 Lynch Bages is boldly scented of crème de cassis, blackberry pie and baked plums with chocolate box, incense and underbrush suggestions plus a waft of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, taut and well sustained in the mouth, it has a firm, grainy texture and a lively backbone lifting the black fruit core to a nice long finish.

96 points James Suckling

A powerful and ripe wine with a wide-screen personality, this makes a very bold statement without becoming a jot heavy. Serious tannins at the long finish suggest this has long-term aging potential. D95