CHÂTEAU LA LAGUNE
2015 3ème Cru Classé Ludon
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. There is some definition to the black fruit here, but this is not as good as Poujeaux, and likely to be more expensive. Rating: 87-88 L&S (Apr 2016)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The assemblage in 2015 is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, a slight increase in Cabernet which seems to have performed well here in this vintage. A dark, spicy and enticing nose, with roasted black cherry fruit, also dark blackcurrants, showing a little of the dried fruit-skin, gritty, curranty desiccation of the vintage. A very fine, supple, polished palate, medium-bodied but there is texture and flesh here, and plenty of oak too. Pretty fruit, dark as per the nose but perfumed, with violets and rose petals, really ripe and impressive tannins, confident but working well within the wine. Fresh, bright and classic, with lovely suppleness to the texture. This is very good indeed. Rating: 16.5-17.5/20 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2016)
Unusually deep crimson. Really very luscious on the nose - a full, broad exposition of the vintage on the nose. Heady without being gratuitously sweet. Juicy and lively. Some rigour on the finish as though efforts were consciously made to imbue classic structure. One of the most exciting Lagunes I can remember. Drinking range: 2024 - 2038 Rating: 17 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2016)
The nose is both direct and exotic with Asian spices, then an almost Mediterranean richness of flavour and La Lagune’s seductively smooth texture. An exciting wine; a real classic. Drinking range: 2021 - 2040 Rating: 94 Steven Spurrier (Apr 2016)
The 2015 La Lagune has a rich and slightly heady bouquet with lavish black cherry and cassis fruit that need to obtain more definition and composure. This seems to be trying a little hard. The palate is ripe and rounded on the entry, the tannin here a little stringy with a straightforward, slightly attenuated and saline finish that I hope will flesh out during élevage. This just lacks the sparkle that I discerned in the 2014 last year - let's see how it turns out in bottle. Drinking range: 2020 - 2032 Rating: 88-90 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)
The 2015 La Lagune is an absolutely delightful Haut-Médoc with forward fruit, lovely juiciness and tons of personality. Sweet tobacco, cedar, menthol, red cherry and earthy notes abound in this expressive, highly nuanced wine. Rating: 88-91 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)
The finesse and beauty in this wine is really something with blueberry, blackberry and licorice character. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and a long and gorgeous finish. Tactile and fine. Rating: 93-94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Mar 2016)
Château La Lagune
Haut-Médoc Troisième cru 1855 Château La Lagune is the highest ranked property outside of the principal Haut-Médoc appellations. It is in Ludon-Médoc, about halfway between the village of Margaux and the city of Bordeaux. Like so many Bordeaux estates, the early 20th Century was a period of considerable decline - by the time La Lagune's saviour George Brunette bought the near derelict estate in 1958 there were just 4ha of vineyard left. He set about a whirlwind renovation and a complete replanting of the vineyard, although a few short years later, in 1961, he sold La Lagune to Champagne Ayala. Today, Château La Lagune is owned by the Frey family who continue to drive the estate forward. The 80ha of sandy-gravel vineyard are planted with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and an unusually high 10% Petit Verdot. The Grand Vin spends 18 months in wood, with 55% being new every year (down from a previously over impressive 100% new). Interestingly, once La Lagune barriques have been used twice, they are sent off to the Rhône to be used by Paul Jaboulet, also owned by the Frey family. Today, Château La Lagune is one of the wines to look out for in the Haut-Médoc, usually outperforming its Third Growth status, whilst its less than lofty appellation keeps a lid on the price. Certified organic from the 2016 vintage.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those of the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do call us, but see the 'practical notes' below.
Ordering
Prices are per case as listed 'in bond London'.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment from you to buy the wines you order on release, subject to the price being below the upper price of the estimated band on our website. You may also set your own upper price limit, lower or higher than ours. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability. Providing this firm commitment to us effectively gives you priority.
Wines listed on the website (after any pre-orders and allocations have been fulfilled) can be ordered in the usual way via the website order form or by email or telephone 020 7221 1982, always subject to stock remaining.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are contractually binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of the confirmation date, apart from pre-orders which are binding if the release price is below the top estimate or other price you have set.
Invoices are raised at the In Bond price, excluding any duty and VAT which will become payable at the prevailing rates on arrival of the wine if required duty paid.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or credit transfer. We reserve the right to charge 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £1000, orders below this total will be charged £16.50+ VAT when the wine invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery for 2016 Bordeaux primeurs will probably be completed by October 2019, but we make no guarantee as to specific delivery times, and some of the Sauternes may be later.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes) for immediate payment. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option, but do please note that confirmed orders are still binding as above even if the final invoice has not been issued.
When the wine is shipped, unless previously specified we will assume that delivery is to be to bonded storage with Elephant Storage, but in any case, we will contact you requesting any alternative instructions. If you have another bonded delivery address you would like the wine to go to, please tell us at the time of ordering. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue invoices at the rates prevailing at the time for the excise duty (currently £25.98 per case) and the VAT (currently at 20%) on the total of the wine cost and the duty.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the bottle size you want. Even if a wine is only listed in one size, you can order any bottle or case size you want if the property supplies it, but you must order the case/bottle size you require and check that the correct size has been invoiced.
Additional charges are as follows:-
- +£15 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£15 per case of 6 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£35 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£45 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.