Château Lagrange 2019

The story of Château Lagrange is all about second chances.  The famed Third Growth property has a comeback story that rivals the tremendous resurgence tale of Château Margaux. Interestingly enough, this Saint-Julien estate has quite a bit in common with the Margaux First Growth.   Both properties had promising origins and  phenomenal terroir, but had their fortunes fall over the years.  That being said, both Château Lagrange and Château Margaux were resurrected from the depths by families and companies that were fully committed to producing some of the highest quality wines on the market.  In the case of Château Lagrange, it was the Suntory company that brought the estate to staggering new heights.   Many of the wines from Château Lagrange are considered a phenomenal value, and savvy wine buyers should not miss adding the fine offerings from this estate to their collection.   

Château Lagrange had fairly humble beginnings.  Reports of the vineyards originated in 1631, and eventually the property was acquired by the Baron de Brane in the 1700s.  The Baron had multiple properties and it was very clear he had an eye for exceptional terroir.  He owned Château Brane Cantenac, and Château Brane Mouton, a property that is known as the incomparable Château Mouton Rothschild today.  The estate rose to prominence when it was acquired by Count Duchatel who added a drainage system to the vineyard. Though this may not seem like an incredibly novel concept, in the 1800s it was revolutionary.  Eventually, Château Lagrange was classified in 1855 as a Third Growth estate.  The estate declined in quality and changed hands multiple times. Some of the choicest parcels were sold off to other châteaux such as the Super Second darling, Château Ducru Beaucaillou and Château Gloria.  In 1983, Château Lagrange was purchased by the large Japanese distillery Suntory (known for its top-quality beer and out-of-supply cult whisky, Yamazaki) and that’s when the incredible transformation really began.

Suntory spared no expense in revitalizing the once defunct château.  They modernized the winemaking facilities and took on the massive undertaking of replanting the vineyards.  Under the direction of Marcel Ducasse, whose reign at Château Lagrange encompassed 1993 to 2007, the vineyards expanded from 48 to 138 hectares.  Château Lagrange is planted with 35-year-old vines on average that mostly consist of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.  Interestingly enough, Château Lagrange also has some white varietals planted on the estate as well.  One can find plantings of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Gris planted on the gravely soil.   

The enthusiastic winemaker, Kenji Suzuta, oversees the viticultural process and crafts energetic and stunning wines.  Château Lagrange yields about 60,000 cases of its wine on a yearly basis.  These wines are incredibly powerful and tannic in their youth, requiring some time to age in bottle.  After about 8-10 years or so, they soften and reveal their aromas of black currant, cedar, and a distinctive herbal quality.  The quality of Château Lagrange continues to improve with each passing vintage, yet the prices still remain affordable, proving offerings from the estate are worthy additions to any cellar. 

"Inky, glass-staining in colour, this is richly textured and intense, easily rivalling the best ever vintages at the property. Filled with creamy damson and cassis fruit, with a sense of precision and restraint to the frame, held in by fine but plentiful tannins. 30% 1st wine, highest ever Cabenet Sauvignon, 50% new oak for ageing. An exceptional wine, marking 125 years since the founding of Suntory in Japan. Eric Boissenot consultant." - Jane Anson, (02/18/2022), Ratings: 96, Drink: 2027-2048

"While I don't think the 2019 Château Lagrange matches the 2018, it's not far off, with a more elegant yet still concentrated style. Beautiful crème de cassis, spicy oak, tobacco, chocolate, and new saddle leather notes all emerge on the nose, and it stays tight, compact, and focused on the palate, with plenty of firm tannins. It opens up beautifully with time in the glass but merits 4-6 years of bottle age, and it should evolve for 20-25 years or more." - Jeb Dunnuck, (04/12/2022), Ratings: 95

"The 2019 Lagrange has turned out beautifully in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, blackberries and cassis mingled with hints of loamy soil, pencil shavings and bay leaf. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with an ample core of lively fruit, powdery tannins and succulent acids, it's suave and seamless, concluding with a long, expansive finish. The result of an extremely rigorous selection, and incorporating fully 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is the finest wine this château has produced in the modern era. Remarkably, it was released at the same price en primeur as the 2005!" - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, (04/07/2022), Ratings: 95

"The 2019 Lagrange, which was picked over the longest period ever, has a compelling bouquet of beautifully defined black fruit laced with cedar and light graphite notes. The palate is smooth, fresh and vibrant, with great depth, perfectly judged acidity and a brilliantly focused finish. Winemaker Mathieu Bordes has crafted the best Lagrange in recent years, a benchmark for the estate." - Neal Martin, Vinous, (02/17/2022), Ratings: 95