Passing the Baton: Lynch-Bages 1945-2018
BY NEAL MARTIN |
[Post-script: This article was written and submitted prior to the passing of proprietor Jean-Michel Cazes, who died on June 28. A bona fide legend, Cazes was an entrepreneur, a charismatic bon viveur only equalled by his friend, his partner-in-crime, the late Anthony Barton. Both men lit up the darkest rooms. I was fortunate to have met him countless times over 25 years, one of the last, when he offered reminisces about vintages for my “Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide” book, and another just to say bonjour during the vertical that was the catalyst for this piece. Unwaveringly friendly, approachable and witty, Cazes always had time to chat about wine or whatever else was occupying his mind and was always looking forward to the next adventure. He had many in his storied 88 years. I was in Bordeaux when news of his passing emerged. I was not the only person to sense a significant page turning, a chapter closing, as we spent a balmy June evening discussing how he is the last in a generation of proprietors that did not work for Lynch-Bages, but for the good of the region of Bordeaux. I considered re-editing this article, but apart from one or two minor tweaks, chose to keep it as it was written…]
I have never been to the Emerald Isle. I would love to sip Guinness in some rustic inn bursting with blarney and sing-song as geometric formations of boys and girls tap-dance out in the street. It’s just a question of finding time. I will do so one day. In the meantime, I have to listen to Enya, read Joyce and drink Claret, whose roots lie over the Irish Sea…such as Lynch-Bages.
My association with this Pauillac estate stretches back to the salad days of my career, many moons before I dipped a quill into an inkwell and ruined wine writing. Exporting Bordeaux to Japan for my former employers, Lynch-Bages was one of the most popular wines because it was widely known, easy to pronounce, comparatively cheap and tasted delicious in a classical Pauillac style. My erstwhile company bought one pallet after another, guzzled in multitudinous restaurants as soon as it was written on their wine list, especially off-vintages such as 1994 and 1997, making them rare to find now in the market. The upside is that I often had the pleasure of meeting proprietor, the late Jean-Michel Cazes, one of the most articulate and, vying with the late Anthony Barton, most charismatic personalities in Bordeaux. Subsequently, I became acquainted with the Cazes family, not least his son Jean-Charles, who currently runs their several estates, as well as overseeing the construction of Lynch-Bages’s winery.
Though I have penned several articles over my career, I was long overdue for another. Jean-Charles Cazes invited me to the estate for a vertical tasting of 25 vintages served single-blind, followed by a smattering of more mature vintages. These have been augmented by others, mainly poured from larger formats at the château and the “sprinkles on top,” a couple of post-war vintages. But first, we examine the history of Lynch-Bages, focusing on the inter-generational bonds between André, Jean-Michel and Jean-Charles Cazes.
Jean-Charles Cazes pictured in the 1930s when he ran an insurance company in Pauillac.
History
Before I map out the history, I recommend readers seek out the recently published “From Bordeaux to the Stars,” a personal memoir of Jean-Michel Cazes that makes for engrossing reading, available in English and French. One of the best books on any Bordeaux château? Without question, yes.
This article looks at the father-to-son ownership of Lynch-Bages over the last century. Jean-Michel Cazes’s recent passing marked the end of an era. But as we shall see, he had the foresight to ensure the next generation, not least his son Jean-Charles, would continue to build on his immense achievements.
