2019 Château Lagrange Saint-Julien

Product Description

Château Lagrange is one of the great historic estates of Saint-Julien. In medieval times it was known as the “maison noble de Lagrange Monteil”, and its reputation as a wine estate dates back to the 17th century. Its golden age came in the 19th century under Count Tanneguy Duchâtel, Minister of the Interior to King Louis-Philippe, who owned it from 1842. A visionary proprietor, Duchâtel expanded the estate to some 280 hectares, installed an innovative network of clay pipes to drain the soils, and was among the first to use sulphur against the vine disease oidium. His efforts were rewarded in 1855, when Lagrange was ranked a Third Growth in the famous Classification.

The century that followed was far less kind. After Duchâtel’s death, parcels were gradually sold off to neighbours, and by the early 1980s only around 56 hectares of productive vineyard remained. The estate’s revival began in December 1983, when it was acquired by the Japanese group Suntory, the first Asian purchase of a Bordeaux classified growth. Suntory embarked on a huge programme of replanting and restoration, rebuilding the cellars and returning the vineyard to its former glory. A second wave of investment from 2008 gave the team the tools to pursue ever greater precision. Today the estate is led by general manager and winemaker Matthieu Bordes, who has made the wines since 2006, alongside vice-president Keiichi Shiina.

Lagrange lies in the south-western corner of Saint-Julien, and its 118-hectare vineyard forms a single block around the château, a rarity in the Médoc. The vines grow on two gravel hillocks that rise to around 24 metres, an impressive height by Saint-Julien standards. These deep, stony, free-draining gravels are a perfect home for Cabernet Sauvignon, which forms the backbone of the grand vin, supported by Merlot and Petit Verdot. Each parcel is vinified separately, so the team can select only the finest lots for the Château Lagrange blend before it is aged in French oak.

The result is a Saint-Julien of classic poise: refined and expressive, with ripe blackcurrant and black cherry, cedar, graphite and subtle spice, carried by fine-grained tannins and a long, elegant finish. Long admired as one of the most consistent performers of the 1855 Classification, and one of its best values, Château Lagrange combines historic pedigree with meticulous modern craftsmanship. It is delicious after a few years in bottle and will reward patient cellaring for decades.