Jean-Michel Cazes, the proprietor of Château Lynch-Bages who died in June, was a pioneer in Bordeaux, not only transforming the winery from a Fifth Growth to reach the second tier of Liv-ex’s classification, but also the Bordeaux wine industry through his pioneering efforts in wine tourism and the co-creation of AXA Millesimes, and Petit Village in Bordeaux. db investigates his impressive legacy. In June, Bordeaux proprietor and ambassador Jean-Michel Cazes died, leaving behind an impressive legacy. As the owner of Château Lynch-Bages and Ormes de Pez in Bordeaux, Cazes transformed the Bordeaux wine industry through his pioneering efforts in wine tourism and the co-creation of AXA Millesimes, a group of estates acquired by the French insurance business including Châteaux Pichon-Baron, Suduiraut, and Petit Village in Bordeaux. Cazes’ impact on Bordeaux as a whole cannot be understated, but here we will focus on Lynch-Bages and how the estate has performed in the last 20 years, which can partly be attributed to the improvements he made while he was at its head. A look at Château Lynch-Bages prices indexed over the past 20 years shows a steady increase with few dips and troughs, even amid a challenging macroeconomic environment such as the 2008 financial crisis. The effects of a price correction following excellent 2009 and 2010 vintages (and corresponding strong price hikes) can also be seen on the chart on the facing page, followed by more consistent growth from 2016 onwards. Additionally, Château Lynch-Bages has demonstrated its strength by consistently outperforming
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Fine Wine
