Professional reviews
Robert Parker (94)
The 2022 Lynch-Bages is one of the most muscular, chunky wines of the vintage in the Médoc, offering up aromas of dark berries, cherry preserve, pencil shavings and creamy new oak, followed by a full-bodied, rich and extracted palate that's dense and blocky. While Lynch-Bages always seems to come together with time, the 2022 is certainly going to require some patience.
Winespectator (96)
There's an iron spine buried in this red, providing a sleek grounding wire for the core of succulent blackberry and black currant preserves. Singed alder, chestnut leaf and ink notes fill in along the way. Ends with authority thanks to the precise, fine-grained finish, which sports a regal mouthfeel. Offers exactly what this vintage is all about -- ripeness and freshness. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
James Suckling (98)
A terrific Lynch from a hot vintage with blackcurrants, mint, dried lavender, graphite and thyme on the nose and palate. Medium- to full-bodied, it shows fantastic tannins with a lovely texture that reminds me of cashmere, becoming slightly chewy in the finish. Give this four to five years of bottle age. Try after 2028.
Jancis Robinson (17.50)
66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.
Dark and dense. Spicy nose and rich fruit. Just a little hollow in the middle. Very savoury with a bone-dry finish. Uncompromising! This will need a lot of time. (JR)
Vinous (97)
The 2022 Lynch-Bages shows all the classic Lynch layers, but dialed up to the maximum. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2022 packs tremendous punch. Sweet dark cherry, spice, leather, menthol, licorice, 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 the 2022 will need a decade to shed some of its tannin, 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.
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
The 2022 Château Lynch-Bages is based on 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and 3% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Its inky purple hue is followed by a sensational Pauillac that has a blockbuster (and classic Lynch-Bages) style in its darker currants, smoke tobacco, lead pencil, and crushed stone-driven aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied, powerful, massively concentrated 2022 that has a dense, layered mid-palate, velvety tannins, flawless balance, and a rare mix of power and elegance. This is a château that’s clearly firing on all cylinders, and this magical beauty will need a decade (or more) to hit the early stages of its prime drinking window. Don't miss it!
Decanter (97)
Ripe and generous on the palate, this is chewy, crunchy and alive. Ripe fruit is there - chewy and sweet black currants and cherries - fleshy and filling - as is concentration of flavours, but there's a delicate layering of elements which builds the wine on the palate giving power but also focus and precision. Still feels a little shy, with tension there in the funnelling of flavours and a relatively crisp finish but this will elongate in time. Cool blueberries, wet stones, pencil lead and graphite give the mineral touches. No overt heat, oak or spice which also is excellent. One for the long haul. Built with ageing in mind I think.
