France

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

Petit Verdot

Ch. Lagrange

Chateau Lagrange 3eme Cru Classe Saint-Julien

Bordeaux

Saint-Julien

2014 is an intermediate vintage in Bordeaux, but also one that has a very good fruit and which becomes available quite early. It is therefore exciting to try this now. 

The nose is intensely fruity with black currants and blackberries. There are also classic markers such as graphite and cedar. But it is very primary so that the fruit dominates. The palate is medium-bodied, intensely fruity and with fine-grained but noticeable tannins. It is nicely balanced. The finish is medium long and acidic. 

It is very primary, but still very good and appealing to drink now. It also paired well with a classic steak. 92 points.

Expert

Richly concentrated plum, cassis, and damson, this is powerful, with the highest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon than any vintage since 2000. Firm but fine in its architecture, this combines succulent tannins with a gourmet edge of sweet fruit. The structure is beginning to soften but it needs another few years to fully open, so give it either a good long carafe of three hours or more, or wait. 40% of production in the 1st wine, with 60% new oak. Eric Boissenot consultant.

Inside Bordeaux

Made from 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2014 Lagrange is deep garnet-purple in color. It rolls out with ready-to-go notes of preserved plums, dried mulberries, and mince pie plus wafts of fallen leaves and dried herbs. The medium-bodied palate is chewy and rugged, with just enough fruit and a firm finish.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Classically balanced St Julien, firm cassis and white peppers, enjoyable mid palate texture, slate textured tannins add grip and tension, successful in the vintage.

The 2023 Lagrange is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of red cherries, cassis, and blueberry jump from the glass, followed by hints of  violets, graphite, and moss-covered tree bark with a touch of cloves. The medium-bodied palate is vibrant, with a lively line of acidity and ripe fine-grained tannins framing the delicate black and red fruit flavors, finishing with a savory lift.  The blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot, with pH 3.47.

The 2021 Lagrange has a medium to deep garnet-purple color.  It needs a lot of swirling and shaking to wake up notes of fragrant soil, Sichuan pepper, and lavender, giving way to a core of blackcurrant pastilles, kirsch, and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is finely crafted with approachable, grainy tannins and just enough freshness to support the elegant black and red berry flavors, finishing with a quiet intensity.

An enjoyable Lagrange, with a feeling of well-measured confidence, balanced and plenty of dark cassis and bilberry fruits. Serious, as is often the case with these 2020 wines, clearly one that needs time, but there is slate and fresh mint leaf in abundance, with grip and confident tannic architecture. 50% less volume than usual after the dry summer. An upscore from En Primeur.

Solbær, plommer, solbærblad, blyant, lær, grønne urter og noko fat. Kjølig og intens frukt, god syre og eit fersk tanninpreg som treng tid.

WSET 3

Black chocolate and intense blackberry and bilberry fruits, clove and black pepper spice, touches of cigar box, sage, bay leaf and pencil lead. The berries in 2018 were the smallest ever, from the northeast wind that arrived in September and took 1hl/h of yield out every day - which together with the high alcohols meant that extraction had to be carefully controlled in the cellar. Successful and enjoyable. 3.42ph, 54% first wine, 50% new oak. Eric Boissenot consultant.

Intens, men også balansert og kompleks duft av rødbærsfrukt. Mer lær og tobakk kommer frem etter en times dekantering. Røde/mørke bær, snev av paprika og litt vanilje med en tørr avslutning.


Amatør

A stunningly successful Lagrange, easily one of the best ever at the property, with complexity, density, and staying power. Combines the exuberant texture of the 2009 with precision and clarity of fruit. The conditions of the vintage meant the smallest size of beries in 35 years, and although the tannins are clearly present they are finessed and sappy. A very young wine, but balanced and seductive, with lush cassis and blackberry fruits. 3.47ph, 60% new oak - this is an upscore from my last tasting of this vintage, but it is really singing. Harvest October 3 to October 24 with a record (since Suntory purchase) 49% of production making it to the 1st wine. Eric Boissenot consultant.

The fruit flavours from the first moments are plump, rich, round, and clearly successful, majoring on blackberry and loganberry, if a little soft through the mid palate. Fine tannins, attractive mint leaf finish. The lowest percentage of Merlot to date, this is good quality and will be approachable soon. Overall a great vintage, despite the excellent summer being threatened by a huge September rainstorm where 97mm of rain fell in St Julien (compared to 120mm in St Estèphe and 180mm in the most northerly stretches of the Médoc). It meant that the team at Lagrange brought in 85ha of grapes in 5 days, the quickest time on record (although in total the harvest stretched from September 21 to October 12). 35% of production in the 1st wine, 60% new oak. Eric Boissenot consultant.

The 2013 Lagrange is made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet in color, it gives up notes of stewed red and black plums and blackcurrant jelly leading to hints of dried Provence herbs, menthol, and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is firm, grainy textured, and refreshing, with plenty of vibrant black fruits and an herbal lift on the finish.

A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2012 Lagrange is deep garnet in color. It offers mature black fruit notes of dried mulberries and blackcurrant cordial plus suggestions of cigar box, red loam, and tree bark. The medium-bodied palate has lovely freshness and firm, chewy tannins, finishing a touch hard.

02.07.21

Før dekant:
Lukt: sjokolade, mørke bær, solbær, mørk kirsebær, tre lukt, vanilje, trøffel, gress, blyantspiss

Smak: Blast innslag og midtpart. Ingen markant overgang. solbær gjennom hele. Ettersmak av mørk sjokolade og blyantspiss. Litt skarpe taniner God munnfølelse.

Etter dekant. 1 time:
Lukt: solbær/vanilje , trøffel, litt simplere i lukt.

Smak: inngang av solbær overgang til paprika. Sitter lenge med solbær, paprika og vanilje i finish. Leskende, medium tanniner. Medium syre.

The 2009 Lagrange, 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot, is deep garnet in color. It prances out with pretty suggestions of potpourri, forest floor, garrigue, and tilled loam over a core of creme de cassis and blackberry pie. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock full of gregarious black fruits supported by a solid frame of grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing with great length.

The 2008 Lagrange is composed of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet in color, it needs a little coaxing to bring out notes of baked black cherries, boysenberry preserves, and warm cassis plus wafts of sauteed herbs, damp soil, and tapenade. The medium-bodied palate is lively, with firm, chewy tannins and subtle fruit, finishing a little short and firm. Drink up!

A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 7% Petit Verdot, the 2007 Lagrange is deep garnet-brick in color. It charges out of the gate with rambunctious notes of baked blackberries, stewed black cherries, and dried mulberries plus hints of menthol, charcuterie, and crushed rocks with a touch of wild sage. The medium-bodied palate is mature and chewy, with plenty of savory accents and a slightly rustic finish.

Dark cassis and bilberry from the first moments, with the tone of the wine showing powerful concentrated fruits and firm tannins that remain imposing at 16 years. An excellent 2006, one for lovers of St Julien, and of savoury Médoc spices. A handover vintage in terms of the winemaking team, the last one fully under Marcel Ducasse with Mathieu Bordès arriving for the blending. Harvest Sptember 18 to October 5, 60% new oak for ageing. Eric Boissenot consultant.

The nose is fruity with black currants and blackberries. There is also cedar, graphite and moist cellar. It is classic both in terms of geography and vintage. 

The palate has a dense and concentrated fruit. The tannins are noticeable but elegant. It is balanced and appealing. 

The finish is long and fruity. It's still very young, but has started to open up and is lovely to drink now. It will develop positively over the next 10 years and may stay at a high level for 50 years.

Classic and balanced, cassis, bilberry, touches of rosebud and raspberry leaf. A gentle wine that is easy to drink and easy to love. This was a large crop with yields heading upwards of 60hl/h, which meant careful sorting and green harvesting in the vineyard (Lagrange had been the first in St Julien along with Leoville Las Cases to do so in the 1980s). Eric Boissenot consultant. An old school classic. 60% new oak, 46% 1st wine.

2024	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2023	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2022	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2021	kr 789,00Not available	Excellent
2020	kr 799,90Available	Excellent

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. Lagrange
Vintages	2014
Country	France, Bordeaux, Saint-Julien
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	14 %
Acid	4,7 %
Sugar	< 3 g/l

Packaging	Glass
Cork type	Naturkork
Selection	Bestillingsutvalget
Wholesaler	Belmonte Wine Co AS
Carrier	Skanlog AS