Which Pauillac QPR as poor mans Lynch Bages?

WINE TALK
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After recently falling in the BDX rabbit hole I compiled a list of my recent buys which are kind of a result of some of the usual suspects on WB from @Robert.A.Jr to @William_Kelley and I found pretty much all sub regions got covered except Pauillac and Pomerol.

As for Pauillac, theres Lynch Bages (93, I know I know, not that great a vintage) which I got suggested in a nice place in Bordeaux way back in like 98ish and which I later bought a case of which is long gone … ya know … infanticide and all.

As I am trying to a) keep my buys in the 30-50€ range and b) probably are getting too old to buy BDX to cellar for like 2+ decades anyway - not looking to buy Lynch Bages.

So whats the „next best“ in Pauillac considering 30-50 bucks range and LB style?

Looking at Haut Bages Liberal, Battailley, Haut Battailley, Fonbadet, Pibran, Pedesclaux, d’Armailhac, Grand Puy Ducasse … open to suggestions.

As for my preference between traditional/modern … probably somewhere in between … getting hooked on BDX way back through LMHB and going through my old OWC and memories my buying in the 90ies has been along the lines of:

LB, Lagune, d’Issan, Pojeaux, Chasse Spleen, ChapelleHB, HautMarbuzet

with recent buys of:

Branaire Ducru, Cantemerle, Cantenac Brown, Capbern, Caronne St. Gemme, Grand Corbin-Despagne, LMHB, Lanessan, Langoa Barton, Larose-Trintandon, Lilian Ladoys, Mangot, Moulin Saint-Georges, Sociando-Mallet, Tronquoy-Lalande

Thanks

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It’s funny, that exact phrase “poor man’s Lynch Bages” actually popped in my head when I had the 2018 Pichon Comtesse Reserve last week.

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All of the ones you mention are good bets, plus, as Vince says, Pichon Comtesse Réserve. Armailhac has upped its prices in recent vintages, costing close to your 50€ maximum, whereas you can still find HBL for around 35€ or less, for the same quality or thereabouts.
I think if I was to choose two, it would be HBL and Pichon Comtesse Réserve.

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Ha, hard to say Poor Person’a LB, but in their own right, I like D’Armailhac and Haut Bages Liberal. The 2016 Fonbadet is a winner as well, just a notch behind, but also less expensive.

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I am reminded of the poem. This the correct version.

Big fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite them, and little fleas have lesser fleas, and so ad infinitum

Lynch is poor man’s Mouton, Clerc Milton is poor man’s Lynch, Duhart is the poor man’s Clerc etc etc

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What have you done with Alfret? Fonbadet has been a Rolland client since 2014! The world might never be the same …

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I don’t drink much Bordeaux (mostly Burg) but I took a detour a few weeks ago while driving through France and went to Grand Puy Lacoste. Emeline Borie graciously invited me and my wife to tour and taste with her. There is a special place in my heart for GPL. I think that the GPL and Lacoste Borie are terrific wines at their price points. I have no idea how they compare to Lynch Bages. We tasted the’12 and the ‘20 GPL and ‘20 Lacoste Borie which can be drunk with pleasure now.

As an aside, the Maison D’Estournel is a beautiful hotel. Emeline recommended local dining at Le Lion D’Or: sort of a Bordeaux version of Ma Cuisine where the locals/winemakers chow down (and you can BYO!).

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I would’ve thought Duhart is more of the poor man’s Lafite considering they are both owned by the Rothschild family.

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Chateau La Becasse, It’s hard to find in the US, but is definitely a poor mans LB. My only experience is with the '05, but it was a great buy @ < $300 a case OTD.

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Batailley is def great QPR if you have patience, it’s for the long haul. D’Armailhac also good value and Clerc Milon nearly as much.

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Love love
Love Clerc Milon!

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thank you guys for all the feedback, much appreciated

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The 2019 Haut Batailley is really nice. I would but HB at the top of your original list, then Pedesclaux and d’Armailhac.

And, if you liked D"issan, you should try some current vintages. IMO, their wines are stellar and priced below their quality.

Cheers!
Ed

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I love that wine but it’s significantly Merlot-based. To me it‘s like a blend of modern winemaking (nicely structured but easy to drink youg) and older-school PLL character (when it had more Merlot). Pichon Baron’s 2nd wines are also on the order of half Merlot.

A while back I looked through the Pauillac and St. Julien 2nd wines to see which ones were more Cab-heavy and the one I landed on was La Réserve de Leoville Barton.

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You’re probably right. I guess where I see the kinship is in Lynch-Bages fleshier, mineral, broader-shouldered version of Pauillac. The mental image I often have when drinking L-B is of a rugby player with a solid core, a few extra pounds of flesh, and a great smile (maybe missing a couple teeth) … whereas PLL is more of a fleet-footed soccer forward or a dancer. Perhaps to drag the analogy two steps too far, Reserve de la Comtesse is like a dancer with a solid core, a couple missing teeth and a few extra pounds??? In the best possible way of course! :joy:

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Here’s an obscurity that is worth trying if ever seen. No longer bottled under this name, but perhaps older ones are floating around in Europe.

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How was the 2012? Recently picked up a few of them but have yet to try it.

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Grand Puy Ducasse

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I was guessing this was going to turn out to be either Iris de Gayon or Behere. I still have a bunch of the 05 Behere and it is better now than ever. There is one more Pauillac cru artisan that hasn’t been absorbed into a big estate yet - Chantecler, in the Neal Rosenthal portfolio. It costs more than it should, but it’s excellent.

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why not Echo de Lynch-Bages? More merlot but same team, same philosophy etc.

Meyney just to the north also has more Merlot but in the requested price range and a good QPR imo.

And LB has a lot more Merlot than the most upper crust Pauillacs anyway . …

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