Château Lynch-Bages gets its name form its 17th century founder, Thomas Lynch, whose father emigrated from Ireland in 1691 to Bordeaux. Thomas Lynch married a woman in the village of Bages who inherited the estate that is now Château Lynch-Bages. In the 18th and 19th centuries the estate was bought and sold several times, but in 1937 it was purchased by the grandfather of the current owner, who is is Jean-Michel Cazes. In the 1950s and 1960s the wines of Château Lynch-Bages were some of the most heralded of Pauillac and Jean-Michel has continued to focus on quality. Although Château Lynch-Bages is a Fifth Growth Bordeaux according to the 1855 classification, most reviewers say the château’s wines are much closer to the quality of Second Growth wines. The estate includes 235 acres planted to 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Vines are 35 years old, on average, and 38,000 cases are produced annually.