CHÂTEAU LA LAGUNE
2024 3ème Cru Classé Ludon
A balanced, textural and refined red with cherries and sweet spices. Medium-bodied with fine tannins. Velvety texture with a long, denser finish. Rating: 93-94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2025)
In Bond
75cl bottles (wood case of 6)
* 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 2024 La Lagune takes a little time to coalesce in the glass, but a mélange of red and black fruit, cedar and cigar box emerge with time and lend more complexity. The palate is medium-bodied, fleshy and relatively forward with sweet ripe tannins. What is missing is a bit of grip and nuance on the finish, though it is fresh and there is a pleasant dash of white pepper on the aftertaste. Give it two or three years. Drinking range: 2029 - 2044 Rating: 89-91 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2025)
52 CS 42 M 6 PV 13% Sweet spices and herbs with blackcurrant fruit underneath and some cedary oak and graphite. Juicy acidity and freshness with mid-weight tannins. Chalky minerals and good depth on the finish. This is a very creditable wine for the vintage and much effort in the vineyards clearly shows through. Rating: 92 Rod Smith MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2025)
The 2024 La Lagune is a rich, deep wine. Dark-toned fruit, new leather, scorched earth, graphite and dried herbs all run through this potent, expressive Haut-Médoc. The tannins still need time to come together, but there is enough depth and overall pedigree for that to happen. Although it is not especially showy today, La Lagune has a good bit of potential. Tasted two times. Drinking range: 2028 - 2044 Rating: 91-93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2025)
Attractive leafy aromatics, juicy and chalky, this is tasty, old school, charming. These are not generous Cabernets but they have finesse and balance. Earlier drinking than recent vintages at La Lagune, this provides a great window into the skillful winemaking going on at this dynamic estate, owned by Caroline Frey. Harvest 23 September to 9 October. 50% new oak. 3.4 pH. Drinking range: 2030 - 2042 Rating: 91 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Apr 2025)
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. Many properties specify a standard case format, and may make additional charges for six-bottle cases, for example. We offer wood cases of six bottles as standard where these are available without extra charge, but we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. If you want six-bottle cases where a 12 bottle case is offered, please check for the extra case charge. 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
- +£9.50 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 2027. 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.