Saying Farewell to Bordeaux Legend Jean-Michel Cazes

1994. At Château Cordeillan‑Bages with Jean-Michel Cazes (second from left).

We were extremely saddened to hear of the passing of truly one of the greats in the biz, Jean-Michel Cazes, owner of such iconic estates as Château Lynch-Bages, Ormes de Pez, and Domaine Senechaux. We’d like to extend our condolences to the family as well as the fond remembrances by our Bordeaux team, below.

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From Clyde Beffa, Bordeaux Buyer/Co-owner:  

I met Jean-Michel in 1985 on my first Bordeaux trip. By1989 we were doing diners in the Bay Area—showing customers how fine the wines of Lynch Bages were. The first dinner we did in 1989 had a star-studded lineup of Jean-Michel, Anthony Barton, May Eliane Lencquesaing, Jean-Paul Valette, Anthony Perrin, among others.

Over the years Jean-Michel did many dinners with us in California—the Fête du Bordeaux dinners were legendary with Jean-Michel, Anthony Barton, young Jean-Guillaume Prats, and the leader, Mickey Dora.

Coming from IBM in the 70s, Jean-Michel learned quickly and brought Lynch to the forefront of great Bordeaux wines. We will miss him terribly—he, like his good friend Anthony Barton, were GOOD people—simple as that. My God what great times we had both in Bordeaux and California. JM, rest in peace. We will never forget you.

Jean-Michel at a tasting at K&L San Francisco.

From Ryan Moses, Bordeaux Buyer and Key Accounts Manager

At yesterday’s news of the passing of Jean-Michel Cazes yesterday, K&L Owner and Bordeaux Buyer Clyde Beffa so aptly said, “K&L has lost a great friend and one of Bordeaux’s best.” From anybody that has reveled in a bottle of Lynch-Bages over the years to those that have enjoyed the modern era of Bordeaux in America, we all owe a great debt to one of the towering figures in fine wine.

A local to Bordeaux whose father was mayor of Pauillac, Cazes didn’t immediately set roots in the wine industry; rather he pursued a degree in the U.S. and worked in tech. But when circumstances brought him back to the family business, it was a game-changing moment at Lynch-Bages. After taking the helm, Cazes revolutionized the estate, borrowing modern techniques while staying true to his prized Pauillac terroir.  His exacting approach produced some all-time classics from the previously humble property. 

But amazingly, his brilliance in the winery is just the beginning of his accomplishments. Cazes was one of the pioneers in the U.S. wine market for Bordeaux, developing Lynch-Bages as a sweet-spot buy in collectible Bordeaux that has few rivals even to this day. It is an amazing tribute to his efforts that there are few other labels that carry the universal and lasting impact as the iconic red, white, and black of Lynch-Bages.

Cazes influence also expands well beyond Lynch-Bages. He was also the pioneer in a similar astronomical rise in this generation of the AXA group’s wines (Pichon-Baron, Suiduiraut, Quinta do Noval), while developing properties across the world under the distributor JM Cazes Selections. This kind of global influence was relatively unparalleled in Cazes’s day and age, but it became the footprint for the kind of scope that is now commonplace in today’s fine wine scene.

Most of all, Jean-Michel Cazes was a genuine, kind, and sincere individual whose infectious energy took over the room wherever he went. He blazed a trail that many of us dream about and did so with an integrity and quality that is rarely seen. The wine world has lost a titan, and K&L (like many others) has lost a great friend. It will be hard to pick the perfect bottle of Lynch-Bages as the right tribute, as there are so many meaningful vintages that are delicious, engaging, and dynamic. But that in itself speaks volumes to the unforgettable force of Jean-Michel Cazes.

Ralph with Jean-Charles Cazes, the next generation.

From Ralph Sands, Longtime K&L Bordeaux Specialist

Jean-Michel's tireless travel, pouring his family's fine wine and inviting customers to the estate, and then following up with a warm welcome, helped lift all of Bordeaux to the elite level it enjoys today. 

He was indeed a great friend of K&L, and I will miss him dearly.