2016 CHÂTEAU LAGRANGE 3ème Cru Classé Saint Julien, Lea & Sandeman

CHÂTEAU LAGRANGE

2017 3ème Cru Classé Saint Julien

Grapes Cab Sauv, Petit Verdot, Merlot
Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Sub-district Haut Médoc
Village Saint Julien
Classification 3ème Cru Classé
ABV 14%

When we tasted with the talented general manager Matthieu Bordes, he explained it was a difficult year for them here. It was the worst hit of the big names here in St Julien by the frost and, as such, much fruit was lost and much re-jigging of the normal blending had to be done. There is 35% less of Grand Vin in 2017 and it is not quite up to the heights this estate has been hitting recently. The wine is attractive - a broad attack is generous and richly scented with dark ripe berries, but we then hit a harder, tighter middle which is less charming and finishes brightly - but without the confidence and the charm of some of their recent greats. They had anticipated they would be able to use the 2nd generation fruit that flowered after the frost - it was 18 days behind the surviving first fruit. They did follow this through and make a wine - but it was not up to scratch so they had to sell it off and not include it in the estate wines. Lots of hard work was done here and they have made a good fist of it. Rating: 89-91 L&S (Apr 2018)


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Savoury and concentrated dark fruit, with raspberry puree alongside cassis, rose stem, cloves and chocolate shavings. The frost that struck in the early part of the year impacted Merlot more than Cabernet, meaning very little Fiefs de Lagrange 2nd wine, and a full 55% of production went into the 1st wine. 50% new oak, packed full of the precision that is more and more clear in recent vintages of Lagrange. Eric Boissenot consultant. Rating: 92 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Feb 2022)

The 2017 Lagrange was bottled in July 2019. It is a barrel sample that I had reservations towards after the vineyard was affected by frost. Head winemaker Mathieu Bordes told me that it was parsed out by marking the vines and selling anything unsatisfactory to the distillery. For me, it still misses some vigour and complexity on the nose, especially comparing it to other vintages. The palate is fresh on the entry with pretty red fruit, almost Burgundy-like in style. Fleshy, red cherry and crushed strawberry flavours linger on the finish. It has improved since last year but I suspect it will be most enjoyable for early drinking. Drinking range: 2021 - 2035 Rating: 89 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2020)

The 2017 Lagrange was picked from 20 September until 4 October at 28hl/ha, the smallest since 1991, the Grand Vin matured in 50% new oak. The pH is around 3.6 and the alcohol around 13.3°. I found the bouquet missing the same cohesion as the 2014, 2015 and 2016 at this stage, a little light and missing the complexity that this property can produce. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, a little masculine in style compared to the 2016 with a noticeable saline influence. What is missing is the flair and weight of the best vintages of Lagrange can offer, a Saint-Julien somehow “distracted” by the frost that reconfigured the final blend and feels less assured. Drinking range: 2020 - 2030 Rating: 87-89 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2018)

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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