Belong Wine Company
Château Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1986
Two Paddocks
The Last Chance Proprietor's Reserve Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015
Some say celebrities don't belong in wine, but Sam Neill proves those people are wrong. He's done an excellent job with the Last Chance Pinot Noir. A really great example of what the Central Otago, especially it's most southern parts, can't produce. — 6 years ago
Azienda Agricola Valentini
Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2010
Some songs just belong on repeat. — 7 years ago
Martinelli
Bondi Home Ranch "Water Trough Vineyard" Pinot Noir 2014
Nice little pinot but man these 2014 Martinelli Pinots could all use about 4-5 years of bottle aging! 1 of 4 brought with us on a little weekend getaway, and was a great accoutrement. Nice acidity, great raspberry grit and had an herbal nose and finish. Really pleased, and even more pleased that the rest are in the lockup where they belong for a few years. — 7 years ago
Gustafson Family Vineyards
Logging Road Vineyard Syrah 2013
We belong to the Gustafson wine club. It's the first wine club my wife and I have agreed on for both white and red. The Petit Syrah from 2013 was stunning and this is just about as nice. Pairs well with a home made pepperoni pizza that doesn't have a spiced sauce. Licorice, raspberry and vanilla and notes. Lots of pepper! — 7 years ago
Domaine Coche-Dury (J.F. Coche Dury)
Les Vaumuriens Pommard Pinot Noir
Does not belong to Coche any more. Very delicate pommard — 8 years ago
Brys Estate
Estate Grown Merlot 2011
We belong to the Brys wine club. A very good but little known Michigan winery. For our Michigan friends we recommend it as one of their best selections. A visit to the winery on Old Mission Peninsula is worth your time. Friendly and knowledgable staff. — 8 years ago
Alexana
Revana Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011
We are big fans of Alexana wines. We belong to their wine club and enjoy their various vineyards. It would be on our recommended Pinot Noir list. — 8 years ago
Château Lynch-Bages
Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2000
The 2000 is delicious but, it is evolving at a glacial pace. Out of magnum.
On the nose, touch of barnyard, glycerin, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, dark,,turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals.
The body is full, round & sexy. Dry softened, sweet tannins. ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, fresh tobacco leaf, saddle-wood, dry underbrush, dark, turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals. The acidity is magnificent. The structure, tension, length and balance are sensational. The finish is drop dead gorgeous. I’d still hold mine another 5 years as long as you have 3-4 bottles for more 5 year increments.
Photos of, their Estate vines, Clyde Beffa-Owner of K&L Wine Merchants, Owner of Chateau Lynch Bages - Jean-Michel Cazes, guests of the dinner and a sunset view from their Estate.
Producer notes and history...Lynch Bages takes its name from the local area where the Chateau is located in Bages. The vineyard of what was to become Lynch Bages was established and then expanded by the Dejean family who sold it in 1728 to Pierre Drouillard.
In 1749, Drouillard bequeathed the estate to his daughter Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Lynch. This is how the estate came to belong to the Lynch family, where it remained for seventy-five years and received the name Lynch Bages. However, it was not always known under that name.
For a while the wines were sold under the name of Jurine Bages. In fact, when the estate was Classified in the 1855 Classification of the Medoc, the wines were selling under the name of Chateau Jurine Bages. That is because the property was owned at the time by a Swiss wine merchant, Sebastien Jurine.
In 1862, the property was sold to the Cayrou brothers who restored the estate’s name to Chateau Lynch family.
Around 1870, Lou Janou Cazes and his wife Angelique were living in Pauillac, close to Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron. It was here that Jean-Charles Cazes, the couple’s second son, was born in 1877.
In the 1930’s, Jean-Charles Cazes, who was already in charge of Les-Ormes-de-Pez in St. Estephe agreed to lease the vines of Lynch Bages. By that time, the Cazes family had history in Bordeaux dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century.
This agreement to take over Lynch Bages was good for both the owner and Jean Charles Cazes. Because, the vineyards had become dilapidated and were in need of expensive replanting, which was too expensive for the owner. However, for Cazes, this represented an opportunity, as he had the time, and the ability to manage Lynch Bages, but he lacked the funds to buy the vineyard.
Jean-Charles Cazes eventually purchased both properties on the eve of the Second World War. Lynch Bages and Les-Ormes-de-Pez have been run by the Cazes family ever since. In 1988, the Cazes family added to their holdings in Bordeaux when they purchased an estate in the Graves region, Chateau Villa Bel Air.
Around 1970, they increased their vineyards with the purchase of Haut-Bages Averous and Saussus. By the late 1990’s their holdings had expanded to nearly 100 hectares! Jean-Michel Cazes who had been employed as an engineer in Paris, joined the wine trade in 1973. In a short time, Jean Michel Cazes modernized everything at Lynch Bages.
He installed a new vat room, insulated the buildings, developing new technologies and equipment, built storage cellars, restored the loading areas and wine storehouses over the next fifteen years. During that time period, Jean Michel Cazes was the unofficial ambassador of not just the Left Bank, but all of Bordeaux. Jean Michel Cazes was one of the first Chateau owners to begin promoting their wine in China back in 1986.
Bages became the first wine sent into space, when a French astronaut carried a bottle of 1975 Lynch Bages with him on the joint American/French space flight!
Beginning in 1987, Jean-Michel Cazes joined the team at the insurance company AXA, who wanted to build an investment portfolio of quality vineyards in the Medoc, Pomerol, Sauternes, Portugal and Hungary.
Jean-Michel Cazes was named the director of the wine division and all the estates including of course, the neighboring, Second Growth, Chateau Pichon Baron.
June 1989 marked the inauguration of the new wine making facilities at Lynch Bages, which was on of their best vintages. 1989 also marked the debut of the Cordeillan- hotel and restaurant where Sofia and I had one of our best dinners ever. A few years after that, the Village de Bages with its shops was born.
The following year, in 1990, the estate began making white wine, Blanc de Lynch Bages. In 2001, the Cazes family company bought vineyards in the Rhone Valley in the Languedoc appellation, as well as in Australia and Portugal. They added to their holdings a few years later when they purchased a vineyard in Chateauneuf du Pape.
In 2006, Jean-Charles Cazes took over as the managing director of Chateau Lynch Bages. Jean-Michel Cazes continues to lead the wine and tourism division of the family’s activities. Due to their constant promotion in the Asian market, Chateau Lynch Bages remains one of the strongest brands in the Asian market, especially in China.
In 2017, Chateau Lynch Bages began a massive renovation and modernization, focusing on their wine making, and technical facilities. The project, headed by the noted architects Chien Chung Pei and Li Chung Pei, the sons of the famous architect that designed the glass pyramid for the Louvre in Paris as well as several other important buildings.
The project will be completed in 2019. This includes a new grape, reception center, gravity flow wine cellar and the vat rooms, which will house at least, 80 stainless steel vats in various sizes allowing for parcel by parcel vinification.
The new cellars will feature a glass roof, terraces with 360 degree views and completely modernized reception areas and offices. They are not seeing visitors until it’s completion.
In March, 2017, they purchased Chateau Haut Batailley from Françoise Des Brest Borie giving the Cazes family over 120 hectares of vines in Pauillac!
The 100 hectare vineyard of Lynch Bages is planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel, chalk and sand soils.
The vineyard can be divided into two main sections, with a large portion of the vines being planted close to the Chateau on the Bages plateau. At their peak, the vineyard reaches an elevation of 20 meters. The other section of the vineyard lies further north, with its key terroir placed on the Monferan plateau.
They also own vines in the far southwest of the appellation, next Chateau Pichon Lalande, on the St. Julien border, which can be used in the Grand Vin. The vineyard can be split into four main blocks, which can be further subdivided into 140 separate parcels.
The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.
The vineyards are planted to a vine density of 9,000 vines per hectare. The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.
Lynch Bages also six hectares of vine are reserved for the production of the white Bordeaux wine of Chateau Lynch Bages. Those vines are located to the west of the estate. They are planted to 53% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Semillon and 15% Muscadelle. On average, those vines are about 20 years of age. Lynch Bages Blanc made its debut in 1990.
To produce the wine of Chateau Lynch Bages, vinification takes place 35 stainless steel vats that vary in size. Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of 30% French, oak barrels with the remainder taking place in tank.
The wine of Chateau Lynch Bages is aged in an average of 70% new, French oak barrels for between 12 and 15 months. Due to the appellation laws of Pauillac, the wine is sold as a generic AOC Bordeaux Blanc, because Pauillac does not allow for the plantings of white wine grapes.
For the vinification of their white, Bordeaux wine, Blanc de Lynch-Bages is vinified in a combination of 50% new, French oak barrels, 20% in one year old barrels and the remaining 30% is vinified in vats. The wine is aged on its lees for at least six months. The white wine is sold an AOC Bordeaux wine.
The annual production at Lynch Bages is close to 35,000 cases depending on the vintage.
The also make a 2nd wine, which was previously known as Chateau Chateau Haut Bages Averous. However, the estate changed its name to Echo de Lynch Bages beginning with the 2007 vintage. The estate recently added a third wine, Pauillac de Lynch-Bages.
— 6 years ago
Kellerei Bozen
St. Magdalener Classico Südtirol Huck Am Bach Lagrein Schiava 2017
Reds from This region can have a real creosote component- can either turn off or be catnip to some. I belong to the latter group. This is a 2017 wine. — 5 years ago
Greywacke
Marlborough Chardonnay 2014
Marlborough doesn’t solely belong to Sauvignon Blanc, and this Chard is here to prove it. Expansive and palate coating, it tastes of poached pear, ripe yellow apple, brioche, and toasted macadamia. Rich and the spiritual opposite of the same region’s entry SBs. — 6 years ago
Equipo Navazos
Nº 47 Jerez-Xérès-Sherry La Bota de Palo Cortado Palomino Fino
Pali Cortado, around 80 yrs old from solera that used to belong to Gasper Florido. Single Cask, bottle December 2013. The aroma on this was incredible. The taste was the opposite from the nose. Smoke/burnt note with notable presence of walnuts. Preferred this over the 49. Great bottle to try. First time experiencing old sherry. — 7 years ago
Futo
He•li•an•thus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2013
Awesome wine that I have never had. Acme fine wine in Napa sent it to me. It's the only "automatic mailer" club I belong to!! Recommended by David Lentine & he was correct as always!
@David L
Highly recommend the wine — 7 years ago
Frank Family Vineyards
Reserve Chiles Valley Zinfandel 2013
2013 in July 2016. This Zin drinks smooth and mature. Yet another reason to belong to the Frank Family wine club (not available elsewhere). — 8 years ago
C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España)
Imperial Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2010
The day the world realises what amazing value lies in Rioja will be a sad day for my wallet. What promises to be a classic vintage from one of THE classic Alta producers for $30? You don't get that anywhere else. Deliciously aromatic. Dried flowers and dried orange peel in a spice cupboard which is exactly where they belong. Surprisingly approachable for a young Reserva with such stuffing - fine tannins and great acidity in perfect balance with bitter cherry compote and dark chocolate on the finish. So good with the lasagne we paired it with. I ate so much bloody lasagne. I just didn't want it to end. This wine is ready to go right now but I will be buying a case and attempting to hold it until the ruby turns brick-orange and all the secondary complexities of this classic bottling come to fruition. Christ, I'm full! — 8 years ago
Bill Bender
Sweet Jesus was this firing on Thursday night! Contributed by the Iowa barrister who keeps the criminals on the street where they belong @Aaron Hamrock. It was ethereal. Sweet and exotic and just pure pure pure. Complex layers of smoky dark fruit, cedar, spice box. Rich, elegant and drinking beautifully. — 5 years ago