Blanc de Lynch-Bages 2018

“Just picked honeysuckle, orange rind, Granny Smith apples and vanilla are a treat to smell. Packed with citrus on the palate, the lemon chiffon finish is perfect for current drinking. The wine is a blend of 59% Sauvignon Blanc, 21% Semillon, and 20% Muscadelle.” - 93 PTS, JEFF LEVE, THE WINE INSIDER (04/2019)

"The 2018 Blanc de Lynch Bages is showing a little reduction, opening out to notions of warm peaches, passion fruit and gooseberries plus suggestions of honeysuckle, coriander seed and chalk dust. Medium-bodied, the palate is completely filled with tropical and citrus flavors plus a racy backbone, finishing long with a touch of chalkiness." - 90-92 PTS, LISA PERROTTI-BROWN, THE WINE ADVOCATE (04/2019)

WINERY NOTES:

TASTING: “A bright and flavorful white with stone fruit and citrus aromas racing along and a nicely defined, slatetinged finish. Blanc de Lynch-Bages 2018 offers lovely complexity with balance and lift.”

BLEND: 59% Sauvignon, 21% Sémillon, 20% Muscadelle

AGEING: 6 months in barrels on lees (50% new wood)

VINEYARD AREA: 7 hectares

SOIL: Garonne Gravel

HARVEST: Hand-picked and sorted at the vineyard

VINTAGE: “The 2018 vintage began with a relatively late bud break, due to particularly rainy winter conditions. However, this was needed to fully recharge the groundwater of the cool soils where the whites are grown. Flowering, fruit set and veraison progressed smoothly. Harvesting took place between 5 September and 11 September under very favourable weather conditions. Picking began with the Muscadelle and was followed by the Sauvignon Blanc, the vineyard’s main varietal. The Semillon was finally the last varietal brought in the cellar. Harvesting took place exclusively in the morning, to prevent the grapes from suffering from the afternoon high temperatures. Upon arrival at the cellar, the sanitary state of the grapes was perfect. Since 2013, the technique chosen for handling the grapes as they arrive at the cellar has depended on the varietal and berry quality: direct pressing without de-stemming; direct pressing with de-stemming; or pressing after cold maceration for twelve hours using dry ice. Following fermentation, mainly in barrels (two thirds in barrels, one third in vats), ageing on lees began in October and ended six months later, just before bottling in April.”