CHÂTEAU LA LAGUNE
2022 3ème Cru Classé Ludon
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot. There is stunning freshness and drive on the nose of this glorious wine, followed by a strict, linear and amazingly adroit palate. Superbly refined and beautifully delicate, these are not the hallmarks one might expect from a ‘hot vintage’! La Lagune is assembled from the ground up, built on high tensile minerality and adorned with layers of elegant, soothing fruit and hints of discreet spice. Superbly long and buoyant, this is the first vintage that is biodynamically certified for La Lagune, and this wine certainly seems to wear this prestigious badge with pride. While this is already a mesmerising wine, I sense that it will unravel slowly, relying on dynamic acidity and refreshing bitterness to provide a reservoir of energy that will propel it for decades. Rating: 18.5+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2023)
* 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.
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Reserved nose with a floral edge. Pure and layered on the palate with balancing freshness. Tannins finely honed. Builds to a long and persistent finish. Potential for ageing. (JL) 13.7% Drinking range: 2030 - 2042 Rating: 17 James Lawther MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (May 2023)
This La Lagune 2022 is a real charmer, full-bodied and rich, well wrapped and with some lively fruit flavours. The tannins are well integrated and this looks to the future in what is a classical style for this estate. Rating: 93-94 La Revue du Vin de France (May 2023)
The 2022 La Lagune really takes a while to settle in the glass. It eventually sheds its veneer of oak to reveal attractive blackberry, sous-bois and pencil box aromas, and an exotic element loitering just off-stage. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins that lacquer the mouth. Quite dense and muscular, yet it retains definition and plenty of freshness on the finish. It will require bottle age, but it should evolve into a fine La Lagune. Drinking range: 2030 - 2060 Rating: 92-94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2023)
This is long and fresh with a linear feeling to the rich fruit, showing plums, redcurrants and spices, with chocolate and walnuts. Medium to full body. Fine tannins. This is the first year being certified biodynamic by Biodyvin and furthermore, La Lagune is always excellent in hot years. Rating: 95-96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)
Reminding me, like the 2019, of a modern-day version of the lovely 1990, the 2022 La Lagune bursts with aromas of dark berries, cassis, licorice and violets. Medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, it's a broad, sensual wine with velvety tannins and a suave, charming profile. With 13.8% alcohol, it remains classically proportioned, with a rather high pH of over 3.8 likely contributing to its open, giving style this year. Rating: 93-95 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)
Impressive La Lagune, with depth and reach, manages to deliver intense tannic architecture, with Left Bank power and concentrated cassis and bilberry fruits, with fresher pomegranate, citrus zest, mandarin oil, tobacco, cigar box all adding complexity. Supple tannins also, and plenty of them, with bitter almond notes adding focus on the finish. Ageing potential here, and an impressive vintage for the property. Harvest September 9 to 26. Owner Caroline Frey. Drinking range: 2029 - 2044 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Apr 2023)
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 on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at 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 £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
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). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2026. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.