Château Lynch-Bages - Grand Cru Classé Pauillac 2015 (Magnum)

Château Lynch-Bages takes its name from the historic hamlet of Bages and the Lynch family of Irish descent, whose association with the property began in 1750. Thomas Lynch acquired the estate throug marriage, and his son Michel helped develop its reputation through improvements in drainage, vineyard management, and grape selection. In 1855, Lynch-Bages was classified as a Cinquième Grand Cru Classé, or Fifth Growth, securing its place among the distinguished estates of the Médoc.

The estate’s modern identity is inseparable from the Cazes family, owners since 1939. Their roots in Pauillac reach back to the nineteenth century, when an ancestor arrived from the Ariège to work in the Médoc. Jean-Charles Cazes, originally a baker, established the family’s winemaking legacy; his son André restored and expanded the vineyard. Jean-Michel Cazes, who joined his father in 1973, led extensive modernization and helped build the château’s international reputation. His son, also named Jean-Charles, took over the family estates in 2007, representing the fourth generation. 

Situated south and southwest of Pauillac, overlooking the Gironde estuary, Lynch-Bages cultivates more than 100 hectares. Its deep Garonne gravel soils drain freely and retain warmth, supporting the ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon alongside Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Detailed vineyard mapping has divided the estate into approximately 200 sub-parcels, allowing the team to tailor cultivation and harvesting to the characteristics of each section. The estate also received High Environmental Value Level 3 certification in 2018. 

A notable recent milestone was the new winery designed with Chien Chung “Didi” Pei, first used for the 2020 vintage. Its gravity-based handling system and 80 fermentation vats allow smaller vineyard selections to be vinified separately, bringing greater precision to the final blend. Alongside this investment in wine, the Cazes family has made hospitality part of the estate’s identity, notably through Château Cordeillan-Bages, opened in 1989. Lynch-Bages’ story brings together centuries of Pauillac history, four generations of family stewardship, and a continuing willingness to innovate.