Matt

9.7

Absolutely smashing! Captures everything I love about Champagne: terroir, freshness and purity, lees and autolytic notes with a dollop of post disgorgement bottle age. Perfect harmony of reductive, oxidative, and tertiary elements coming together. At its lower atmospheres this gained a gorgeous vinous feel too it which had me thinking Batard Montrachet at times. Tangerine marmalade, succulent and ripe asian pear, poached apple, pineapple, spring honey, toasted hazelnut, sweet cream, brown butter, chalk, orchard blossoms, salt, brioche. 100 CH, 5.5 g/l, 9 years on lees, 4/2014 disgorgement — 5 years ago

Fredybeans

9.4

Robe noire
Nez épicé fume dû cèpe et des notes d orange sanguine
Bouche fraîche mûre pleine suave et dense à la fois finale dense mais suave juteuse long sur l épicé et une noirceur aromatique manque une profondeur pour être sur un terroir plus noble mais extra
👍👍 — 6 years ago

with picolator

Fredybeans

9.5

Robe jaune
Nez classe avec des notes gourmande et florales
Bouche ample et généreuse avec une énorme densité et un fraîcheur en finale apporté par le terroir et une plénitude liée au travail à la vigne et à l élevage
Respect 👍👍👍👍 — 7 years ago

with picolator and El

Fredybeans

8.9

Jaune claire
Nez pomme fruit jaune frais
Bouche fraîche tendue et pourtant aromatiquement riche
Longueur portée par l acidité
— 7 years ago

P A

9.2

The first of 8 wines from the storied and legendary Burgundy producer Joseph Drouhine with 4 generations of wine production in Burgundy and 20+ years in Oregon. Paired with a very Canadian wild fare the the Chateau Joseph Drouhine rightfully prides itself on the “L’ Élégance Naturelle’ of their wines which express the wine’s pure terroir heritage and a dedication to simple elegance and finesse. This selection from Oregon is no exception. Surprising in its polished refinement this medium bodied wine presents tastes of lemons and lime, hints of soft fruit, spice and terroir specific minerality that lingers softly on the back of your mouth. Paired with Canadian appetizers of caribou, oysters and scallops. Pure bliss Cheers 🍷🇨🇦🇺🇸 — 7 years ago

Joe Lucca

9.4

Raising a glass to @Diana L tonight for a personal best in the Philadelphia Broad Street Run. The 2014 vintage of this is a bit brighter and cleaner than the '13. The nose screams of the terroir, cool, earthy and gravelly. Crystalline cherry fruit on the palate; lively acidity reveals nice layers. Clean and lasting finish. — 8 years ago

with Diana

Nimmi Malhotra

9.0

21 Feb 2017 exhibits terroir. 738 is the 2010 vintage. Pale lemon, citrus nose of lemon oil, has minerality. It's zesty and nutty. On the palate- firm elegant and lots of body. Dosage of 2.5g/l.
Mainly chard 61%
PN 18%
Reserve 33%
$460 — 8 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.1

Darker gold in colour. Mineral, maybe even petrolly, nose. Subdued apricot, paraffine, floral nuances, some hazelnut, saffron, tobacco and mushroom too. Hint of orange-peel-bitterness in the mineral-driven finish. Seems a little more mature than anticipated. Don't get me wrong, I like it. But I kept wondering whether this has evolved too quickly (premox) or is this stuff extremely marked by the terroir and the choices of the winemaker...? — 9 years ago

Audrey Goodridge

9.5

What a treat! A degustation with Micheline the matriarch of this very special grower family in Oeuilly. Super complex nose with stone fruit and honey. Coating, complex mouth with apricot, peach and honey. The finish goes on forever. So smooth with great vinosity. Cuvée Louis a blend of 4 years 96, 97, 98, 99. 15 years on the lees. Degorgement May 2015. 50% Chardonnay 50% Pinot noir. Bottled may 2000. Dosage 3G/L! The Tarlants have so many years of knowledge and it's all about the terroir for them. You can taste it in their beautiful champagnes. — 9 years ago

Nicholas Livingston

9.6

Glorious Chardonnay from a dynamic and promising vintage and thus very capable as a non dosé, extra brut, this ŒNOPHILE may be labeled 1er Cru but this is perennially 80% and more Grand Cru -an admixture of Chouilly, Cramant, Cuis, and Oger. Finishing off at a mere 1.5g/l rs, this penetrating Blanc des Blancs is just right by nature with ample ripe Asian pear lending an exotic fragrance to complement a baked ginger spice, and rye tangerine -with great depth for a vintage debutante leading off into this world in its first blush -into a world with a growing suspicion of non dosé after years en vogue. Its star rose among the great restaurants for its clear taste of goût de terroir -after all: without dosage there's nothing to hide behind (!) but despite what we read repeated in the press when the sommeliers speak in private paroles the consensus I hear is that this category's pendulum is on its return swing after some lean years left us wanting. Gimonnet's ŒNOPHILE however proves how balanced years marrying beautifully ripened fruit with racy minerality can not only pull it off but are all the better non dosé! This is a treat and I look forward to tasting this over the next decade to see it come of age and wow us all into certainty that non dosé Champagne in the right year and right hands can age gloriously. — 10 years ago

Ron R

9.3

Screw cap.
For $9 from K&L, this is exceptional. Presents a mineral-driven, steely nose, which transitions to the palate. Love the citrus fruits combining with delicate white flowers. Most memorable is the piercing minerality - mainly limestone. For the price, it’s unbeatable. Below $20 in the white wine class, no country touches France. — 5 years ago

with Anne-marie

Matt

9.4

Yes! Pretty much spot on from previous notes but this has shed some baby fat, really taking stride and showing Le Mesnil sur Oger raciness and chalky mineral depths. Great nose, high-toned, palate has plenty of breadth yet still carries a lot of energy and length. Love the harmony the dosage has brought forth in this wine. 100 CH 12/16 disgorgement 5g/L dosage — 7 years ago

Ebbe Bonde Soerensen

9.0

My first time with this wine after the dosage is like Extra Brut 5-6 g/l, I’m very sensitive to dosage , but this does not affect me. Great Chardonnay , terroir, long aftertaste and creamy delicious , wow this is so great 🥂 — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

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.



— 7 years ago

Reuben Smith

9.1

Great Sonoma Pinot noir. Full flavour, can really taste the terroir. Planning to have at wedding. Stone fruits like cherry and plum in flavour. $18 at K&L — 9 years ago

Clay McLachlan

9.4

This is a beautiful bottle of bubbles. The terroir sings, it is racy and delicious. This bottle entirely from the 2011 vintage made with 65% Pinot meunièr, 20% Pinot noir, and 15% Chardonnay is an Extra Brut with 3.5g dosage/l. — 10 years ago

Jonathan Wood

9.0

Getting a bit soft, but still has that crunchy red fruit and mineral deliciousness. — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Haut-Bailly Dinner in SF with Veronique Sanders of Haut-Bailly.

The 2010 is an excellent vintage but, it is for the later part of your life or your children.

This is drinking beautifully with a 4 hour decant. The structure & tension are just starting to their softening stage. The length and balance are in the forget about it range and will just get better & better. Ripe, stunning fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum & a touch of blue fruits. Moist clay & top soils, stones, mint, graphite, fresh tobacco, dark cola, anise to black licorice with stunning, withering floral bouquet. Acidity is perfect. The finish is everything you want in a Bordeaux.

Definitely a 99-100 point wine in 15 years plus.

Served with the Cheese Plate; Red Hawk, Hop Along & Roquefort. @Mathilde French Bistro

Photos of; Clyde Beffa Owner of K&L Wine Merchants & Veronique Sanders, dinner menu & pairing, Veronique talking terroir/vintages & dinner guests. — 5 years ago

Fredybeans

8.9

Pourpre
Nez de sang fruit noire et poudre noire
Bouche acidité apportant un certain équilibre
Belle densité et super équilibre fiable juteuse et épicée avec qu en même de l alcool
Bien car pas de sur extraction — 6 years ago

JB RAY

9.2

Très beau vin , arômes délicats , très belle matière en bouche , un côté très terrien que je ne l attendais pas à retrouver sur ce terroir, épices fines , j ai presque senti de la truffe ! Ça donne vraiment envie d en encaver — 7 years ago

JB RAY

9.2

Très beau vin , le terroir est bien la , très beau volume malgré l année , style classique — 7 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.3

Very delicious, sturdy, yet youthful and vibrant BdB.

Terroir: Avize
Disgorged: July 2015
Dosage: 5,83g/l — 7 years ago

with Krystal

Brenda C

8.9

Better and more salinity chilled. Trailing dryness. K&L: $14.99 — 8 years ago

Nico J. Snyman

10

Dégorgé: Nov/15, Dosage: 3g/l,
Outstanding, Bérêche has definitely redefined the quality that terroir driven Champagne can produce, needs a large glass/border-line decant, but the structure & noblesse are so well defined, excellent. — 8 years ago

Michael Brown

9.2

Notes of orange blossom and peach. Higher acidity gives this sweet wine (140g/l) more character. Minervois a great terroir for Muscat. — 8 years ago

Ian Blackburn

10

One of the greatest wines I have ever enjoyed red or white. Rich yet zesty, sizzling yet abundantly fruited, chiseled yet tender ... Perfume like aromas: apple and pear, exotic woods, vanilla, cream, beeswax, toasted brioche, raw earth, wet stone, wild flowers and Lemon Curd... it was sensory overload - an explosion of nuance - The richness gave way to the acidity; The structure gave way to the terroir and yet the Riches was still there as was the acid as was the terroir on an on and on - perfection!!! Served out of 3 L at Gwen restaurant on Sunset Blvd during the "best bottle" dinner hosted by wineLA on February 8, 2017. 100 points drink now through the rest of your life time.... I do hope to try this again someday somewhere. — 8 years ago

JB RAY

9.3

C est superbe de finesse et de longueur , la tension est la et il a digéré son élevage qui masquait un peu le terroir .
On est proche de l eau de roche — 9 years ago

Christine Havens

9.2

More Hungarian splendor—the 2013 Szent Tamás Nyulászó boasts a wonderful inner luminescence. Quietly elegant notes of bosc pear, almond, orange marmalade, and quince are the hallmark of this single vineyard designate. Nyulászó is one of Tokaj's grand crus, and the vines are seated in brick-hued volcanic soils rich in zeolite, at the crest of the South-Zemplén Mountains. Aging in Hungarian oak has gifted this blend of Furmint and Hárslevelű with softly glowing transparency and texture. Minerality shines through. 13.0% ABV 3.1 g/l RS | Sample — 9 years ago

Damien Roy

9.3

Magnifique vin de Savoie avec toute l expression d un terroir on est jamais déçu — 10 years ago

Scott Kraft

9.4

1995. Unbelievably fresh. Shows its granite terroir. Nice mushroomy nose. Ahhhh. — 10 years ago