Château Lynch-Bages
1985
Levels: one bottom neck, one top shoulder; one bin soiled label (2)
1986
Level: bottom neck (1)
Château Gruaud-Larose 1986
Level: top shoulder; scuffed label (1)
Château Monbrison 1989
Levels: bottom neck; one one bin soiled label (3)
Château Lagrange St. Julien 1990
Levels: bottom neck or better; bin soiled labels (5)
Château Calon-Ségur 1995
Levels: into neck (3)
Château Clerc-Milon
1986
Levels: into neck; two bin soiled labels (6)
1995
Levels: bottom neck; two nicked capsules (3)
24 bottles per lot

Type: Red Wine
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux

ABOUT THE WINE
The out of date nature of the 1855 classification system is clearly demonstrated when reflecting on the quality of Château Lynch-Bages, originally deigned a fifth growth. Tremendous wines in the late 1950s and early 1960s clearly indicated the outstanding potential of the property. After sharing a down period of the late 1960s and early 1970s experienced by many properties in Bordeaux, fortunes began a reversal when Jean-Michel Cazes took over the property from his father in 1973. He appointed the talented Daniel Llose as business director in 1976 and culminated massive investment in Lynch-Bages with 25 massive steel vats in 1980 to cleanup and control the winemaking process. The percentage of new oak used the Grand Vin was also more than doubled. This investment was fortuitously evinced by the exceptionally good 1982 and 1983 vintages, both bringing forth the fleshy, generous style of wine healthily promulgated by Lynch-Bages.