Investment Recommendation: Château Lynch Bages 2003 (12x75cl) RPJ: 95 pts

Managed by the well respected Cazes family, Lynch Bages has transformed into a global brand with a strong following in Asia, Europe and the United States.

According to last year's ‘Liv-ex Classification’, which attempted to mimic the Bordeaux 1855 classification by ranking chateaux based purely on market price, the modern-day Lynch Bages sits comfortably among the Second Growths - a telling reflection of the extent to which the brand has developed in recent years.

We are anticipating a baseline price across Ch. Lynch Bages of around £1,600 for vintages scored below 95pts and around £2,000+ for those vintages scoring 95+pts. The ’03 falls into the latter category and as this wine approaches its optimum drinking window, we are anticipating a price spike as many Far Eastern consumers pile in to one of their favourite wines.

Lynch Bages continues to be one of the wines that are bought up in bulk by consumers in the Far East and as brand continues to drive buying habits and with inflated prices for the ’00, ’09 & ’10 vintages, the price for Lynch ’03 looks increasingly attractive.

Tasting Notes

“This sexy, evolved, dense ruby/purple-tinged 2003 reveals notes of smoke, herbs, black currant jam, licorice and graphite. Full-bodied, opulent and flamboyant, it is another example of a stunning 2003 northern Medoc that can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 more years. This irregular vintage hit its zenith in the northern Medoc and in a handful of limestone terroirs in St.-Emilion. In contrast, other areas, particularly Pomerol, Graves and the sandy, gravelly soils of St.-Emilion, experienced difficulties in 2003.”

Robert Parker Jnr, Wine Advocate (196), August 2011

Having been rescored up from 89 points at the end of August ’11, this 95 point Lynch Bages ranks alongside some of the best vintages this vineyard has ever produced. Below is a comparison table for recent Lynch vintages in descending order of RPJ score (left) and market value (right).

Lynch Bages Comparable Vintage Table:

It’s clear to see from the above table that whilst the ’03 is one of the top rated Lynch vintages, it’s also one of the cheapest on the market, offering clear investment value. What’s more, it’s from a prime Bordeaux vintage, which can be anticipated to grow to a similar price level as those at the top of the comparison chart.
 

The scrolling trades below are brought to you in association with the London International Vintners Exchange
 

Ch. Cos d’Estournel 2009
More Information

Ch. d'Yquem 2008
More Information

Ch. L'Evangile 2008
More Information

Ch. L'Eglise Clinet 2006
More Information

Ch. Lynch Bages 2003
More Information