Cazes Pauillac De Lynch-Bages 2018 750ml

Truly a baby Lynch-Bages (well, the third wine) it is a wonder that this member of the Lynch-Bages Family is not more widely lauded.  That is to say it is pretty much a perfect expression of Pauillac, impressive and rich, all autumn, cedar and dark berries. It was first created in 2009 and is made entirely from the fruit of the property.

The wine comes from the younger vines and is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. It is a wonderful introduction to the property and while clearly Pauillac, the young fruit character gives a forward, supple style that delivers delicious early drinking.

For Pauillac, the 2018 vintage was extremely good and some stunning wines were made.

The growing season began, like much of Bordeaux that year, with a reasonably mild winter which was then followed by a shockingly wet spring. The season saw rains and deluges on a scale seldom seen before and producers had to mitigate the threats from both rot and disease. However, summer eventually came, and the hot sun helped to dry out the soaked vines. However, the soaked water-logged soils would prove crucial in sustaining the vines throughout the arid months ahead. Although some of the younger vines suffered from dehydration, the majority of well-established vines successfully pulled through and the good weather remained in place over the harvest.