Chateau Lynch-Moussas

Chateau Lynch-Moussas was started by the Lynch family, descendant of an Irish soldier named John Lynch who settled in France in 1691, establishing himself as a trader of textiles, wool and leather in the port of Bordeaux. He married a local girl called Guillemette Constant, and together they had two children.

His son Thomas was active in vinous circles and made the acquisition in the two estates that bear the name today, Lynch-Bages and Lynch-Moussas in Pauillac, but also Dauzac in Margaux. Moussas was referred to the small village of the same name next to the vineyards.

In the 1855 classification the estate was ranked a cinquieme cru, with the size of the estate was about 150 hectares then, already considerable, but only a proportion was planted to vines. Phylloxera, the economic depression and the wars had done the damages to this estate similar to others, and the estate was sold to Jean Casteja in 1919.

Until Emile Casteja took control in 1969, it was in a state of disrepair, with the vineyards contracted to just a few hectares, the buildings and cellar in poor shape. The first few vintages under Emile was actually made at the nearby Batailley until the repair of the estate was completed.

Under Emile the vineyards began replanting, and the chai and chateau also renovated. Now it is the home of Emile’s son Philippe, who looks after the estate. He also runs the family negociant firm Borie-Manoux and is the president of the Conseils de Grands Crus Classes en 1855.

The vineyards now amount to 60 hectares, some adjacent to Batailley and Grand-Puy-Lacoste, and others near Moussas and Duhart-Milon. Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon at 70% of the plantings, the remaining is Merlot, growing on the Gunzian gravel soils that are typical in the region.

The fruit is manually harvested, before fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel vats with malolactic fermentation in the same vessel, before ending in 60% new oak barrels. The wine is fined using egg white but not filtered before bottling, with the grand vin of annual production about 20,000 cases. There is a second wine called Les Hauts de Lynch Moussas.

I have recently tasted the 2004 vintage and below is my tasting note:

Appearance

Clear, with deep ruby color core, a garnet rim, and legs.

Nose

Clean, the nose shows medium (+) intensity aromas of ripe black fruit of blackberry, plum, maturity notes of savory, sweet spice of cloves, mineral notes of pencil shavings, animal notes of meaty and farmyard, oak notes of cedar and some vanilla. The wine is developing. 

Palate

Dry with medium acidity, the wine has a medium (+) tannin, smooth and has a silky texture. Medium in alcohol, it has medium (+) body and medium intensity flavors of black fruit such as dark cherries and blackberry, oak notes of vanilla, herbal notes of black tea. The wine has a medium finish.

Conclusion

Good quality Pauillac with a fairly intense nose, showing good complexity, particularly some strong maturity characters, the wine has an easy-to-recognized typicity on the pencil shavings note, and the palate is balanced with a smooth tannin supporting the flavors of reasonable concentration and finish. It is ready to drink now and can maintain for another 2-3 years.