CHÂTEAU LAGRANGE
2005 3ème Cru Classé Saint Julien
| Colour | Red |
| Origin | France, Bordeaux |
| Sub-district | Haut Médoc |
| Village | Saint Julien |
| Classification | 3ème Cru Classé |
| ABV | 14% |
46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot. Taut, dry, tannic, powerful dense and very correct. Dry and firm, and showing, despite the high Merlot content, a strongly vigorous Cabernet character. Intense, sweet fruit, linear and direct with a long tannic finale. All there but needs time. Rating: 92 L&S (Apr 2006)
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Balanced, classic, fine tannins, stretched out through the palate, delicate and finessed. Not as powerful as some 2005s right now but one to recommend for opening and drinking. Rose petals, blond tobacco, freshly cured leather, wild strawberries, gentle hedgerow and earthy acidity. A lovely surprise, a lesson in understated, unfussy, elegant claret. More evolved than some, but this is where I feel good 2005s will end - a delightful fine, easy to drink and utterly moreish glass of wine. 60% new oak, 43% 1st wine. Eric Boissenot consultant. Drinking range: 2022 - 2040 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter (Sept 2022)
Clear ripeness to the blackberry and cassis fruits, with spiced clove and sage spices and slate texture to the tannins. Full of signature touches of great vintage, even if less concentrated and powerful than many 2005 St Juliens right now and moving into a sweet spot for drinking. Harvest September 21 to October 10, 43% of 1st wine (as an aside, look out for the 2005 Fiefs de Lagrange, as it is more than 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and excellent value). 60% new oak, 43% 1st wine. Eric Boissenot consultant. Rating: 94 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Feb 2022)
The 2005 Lagrange was picked from 21 September until 10 October. It has a harmonious and vigorous bouquet with blackberry, cedar, tobacco aromas and just a light estuarine scent that emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins and much more mid-palate presence than prior vintages. There is more body and grip, a sense of boldness towards the finish that should stand it in good stead for long-term ageing. Superb. Tasted at the Lagrange vertical at the estate. Drinking range: 2021 - 2040 Rating: 93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Dec 2020)
Château Lagrange
St Julien Troisième Cru Classé 1855.
The fortunes of Château Lagrange were revived with the purchase of the estate by Japanese spirits giant Suntory in 1983. Before that, the 20th century had been a difficult time. Some vineyard had had to be sold off (to Ducru-Beaucaillou and Gloria) and the reputation had slipped considerably.
Marcel Ducasse was employed to run the estate, and the new owners pumped in investment.
Marcel retired after the 2008 vintage and the succession passed to his maitre du chai, Bruno Eynard. Bruno gave way in turn to Matthieu Bordes in 2014. Change has been rapid, with a new building program and the cuverie with an extraordinary 102 stainless vats of differing sizes corresponding to the different parcels by soil type and vine age. Climate change led them to question whether they needed as much Petit Verdot as they have in the vineyard. In recent vintages it has been easy to ripen the Cabernet Sauvignon fully, and since they seek elegance, it would seem right to emphasise the Cabernet and leave out the Petit Verdot which is really there to boost the power, but interestingly Bordes regards its omission from the blend on 2009 as a mistake.
Château Lagrange is one of the larger Médoc estates, much of the vineyard lying a little further inland than many of its Saint Julien rivals. There are still 115ha under vine, 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot for the red wine. Wines spend 217-21 months in wood (50%-60% new).
The second wine, produced since 1985, is Les Fiefs de Lagrange, and this accounts for a large proportion of the production, as nowadays only the best parts of the vineyard are ever considered for the Grand Vin. A small amount of white wine, Les Arums de Lagrange, is produced too, named after the arum lilies around the lake in front of the château
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RELATED PRODUCTS
1996 CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE BARTON 2ème Cru Classé Saint Julien
Left Bank Bordeaux France 13% Red
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot.
The 1996 Leoville Barton appears more youthful than the 1996 Langoa Barton in the glass with a healthy deep garnet core. The aromatics unfurl gracefully in the glass revealing briary, wild hedgerow, black truffle and san...(read more)
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