2022 Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, Bordeaux

66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Cask sample.

Aromatically spicy and exuberant, the fruit generous and full. Layers of fruit on the palate backed by an impressive tannic frame. Real power and persistence. Harmonious as well. Long life ahead.

Drink 2032 - 2055

One of the vintage's most powerful, muscular wines is the 2022 Lynch-Bages, a full-bodied, broad-shouldered Pauillac that unfurls in the glass with aromas of cassis, cherries, mint, pencil shavings and petroleum jelly, framed by nicely integrated new oak. 

Liberally extracted, its deep core of fruit is underpinned by an imposing chassis of rich, powdery tannin and lively acids. Always rather forbidding from barrel, Lynch Bages always seems to come together in bottle, and the 2022 has the makings of another success for this address.

The 2022 Lynch-Bages shows all the classic Lynch layers but dialled up to the maximum. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2022 packs tremendous punch. Sweet dark cherry, spice, leather, menthol, liquorice, plum and mocha all open with time in the glass. 

The tannins are imposing, and yet there is more than enough fruit to balance things out, at least to some degree. I expect that 2022 will need a decade to shed some of its tannins, but it is formidable, even in the early going. Impressive. Tasted two times. 

"This is the third time in history we are above 14% in alcohol; the others were 2018 and 2019," Jean-Charles Cazes explained.

Drink 2032 - 2052

The 2022 Lynch-Bages was picked on 12 September, around 15 days earlier than usual, until 24 September at around 35hL/ha. Aged for 18 months in 75% new oak, it has a backward nose that demands much encouragement. This is not as immediate as the 2016 or 2019 at the same stage. 

Powerful blackberry and boysenberry fruit, cedar, and light tobacco notes feel like an edifice of aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, beautifully balanced, and very harmonious, yet there is an enormous backbone here that again) is reminiscent of Mouton. 

Extremely long on the finish, this will need its barrel maturation to knit together fully, and it will be a Pauillac for the long haul.

Drink 2032 - 2075

Wow. Blackcurrants, blueberries, blackberries and flowers. Full-bodied with beautifully integrated tannins that melt into the wine. Persistent and precise. A fantastic wine for the cellar. 66% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot.

The Grand Vin 2022 Château Lynch Bages checks in as 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It actually reminds me slightly of the 2019, and while it's a classic Lynch Bages powerhouse, it has beautiful balance and purity. 

Cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and chalky minerality all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with terrific tannins and a layered, incredibly impressive profile that continues to open and evolve with time in the glass. Tasted twice with consistent notes.

Blackcurrant and bramble fruit with savoury herbal nuances on the nose, this smells rich and potent. Tense and focussed, compact from the get go, present tannins give grip and hold. This is definitely not out to charm, more serious, stern and focussed but there's such overall precision. This is in high definition, supremely controlled and well worked with mouthfilling ripe tannins. 

I like the chewy aspect and there’s balancing acidity, hidden now by the density, that will sustain the wine for decades to come. Floral notes and some minerality come through giving the nuance so it’s not all heft, but there’s clear muscle on show. A long finish gives the sense of structure and style. An impressive wine. 

95 IPT. 3.71pH. Ageing 18 months, 75% new oak. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 4.1 g/L total acidity. Harvest 12 September - 24 September.

Drink 2030 - 2050

Full on inky purple in colour, this is sculpted and full of character. Intense, not just a reflection of the vintage but in the increasing concentration found in Lynch Bages over the past decade. Delivers so much character, wtih charcoal, soot, campfire, liquorice, slate, bilberry, cassis. Hugely impressive and complex, will age for decades. 

As it opens and those fierce tannins loosen their grip a little, the floral character of the Cabernet Sauvignon becomes more clear. It's austere right now, with shoulders and muscles, but I am fully on board. One to wait for. 75% new oak. Harvest September 12 to 24.

Drink 2032 - 2050