Chateau Lynch Bages

Stretching over some 100 hectares in the commune of Pauillac, the vineyards of Lynch-Bages lie entirely upon the soil of choice for great wines, formed along the estuary by the alluvia from the gravel of Médoc. The property sits among favourably designed hillcrests located south and southwest of the city. This particular topography allows for both a natural drainage of soils to the river and, with help of the water table in shallow areas, a fine feeding of water for the vines.

 

From a geological point of view, the soils of Lynch-Bages are homogeneous, consisting mainly of Garonne gravel of Günz (early Quaternary) from the slow erosion of the Pyrenees by the Garonne. Highly filtered and loam poor, these gravely and sandy soils collect heat during the day to better release it during the night. Poor and scantly fertile, they allow a moderate growth of the vine and promote the subtlety of the fruit. Well drained, this promotes a deep root: the slight clay content in the subsoil brings freshness and allows regular mineral nutrition to the vine.

 

Located at the 45th parallel, 50 km north of Bordeaux, the terroir of Lynch-Bages enjoys a temperate climate. The Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde estuary play a fundamental role in regulating temperature. Combined with the natural barrier of the Landes forest alleviating the effect of harsh weather coming in from the west, they help to create a highly specific microclimate that is especially conducive to the cultivation of the vine. The winters are cold with few frosts, springs often wet, summers hot and autumns sunny: conditions that allow the Atlantic type varietals to reach optimum ripeness while maintaining the finesse and elegance that characterize the terroir.