| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Loads of tension and form. It can be cellared for decades, but it's balanced and beautiful already. Lots of blueberry, licorice and blackberry character. Try in 2018.
Concentrated bilberry and blackberry fruits, with tannins that remain a little abrupt even at 12 years old. This has plenty of classic St Julien balance, firm tannins and real grip through the palate, but it lacks the generosity of the 2009. Built for ageing. The blend of the 2009 and 2010 is very similar (and from almost identical plots in the vineyard), and yet the two wines are so different in expression. Vintage variation is of course part of the briliance of Bordeaux, but I suggest giving this vintage three to four hours in a carafe before drinking, to really allow those tannins to soften, or cellar for another few years. 49hl/h yield, 60% new oak. Eric Boissenot consultant.
Somewhat of a beast, this monolithic, oaky wine is full-bodied, highly extracted and difficult to evaluate. Some hints of roasted herbs, chocolate, black currant and coffee are present, but the oak dominates, as do the tannins. This wine seems much woodier, and more closed and foreboding than any other St. Julien I tasted. Forget it for 7-8 years and hope for the best.
Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Lagrange gives up notes of baked blackcurrants, stewed plums and fried herbs with nuances of crushed rocks and balsamic plus a touch of fungi. Full-bodied, the palate has a firm line of grainy tannins and fantastic freshness helping to define the black fruit and earthy flavors, finishing a little lifted. Drink 2020-2033.
Headily perfumed. Sweetly charming on the front palate and then it segues into structured chew. Real vitality here. Very cool and dry on the end - not succulent at this stage!
Notes of singed alder, graphite and charcoal wrap around the core of intense blackberry paste, warm plum sauce and currant preserves. Turns sleek and racy on the well-knit finish despite the notable grip. Best from 2015 through 2030
Fine expression of Cabernet fruit, elegant, less robust than many, but very good texture and depth. Drink 2018-30.
Flowers, leather, sweet spice and vanilla. Lively and focused, detailed and nuanced – in high definition. Gorgeous blackcurrant and black cherry elements. Fruity, but the balance is equally split between freshness and fun, and complexity and seriousness. Not the most demonstrative, but for purity, tension, terroir signature and drinkability this is excellent. Very enjoyable. Drink 2024-2045.
Lagrange's relatively new winemaking team appears to have backed off the aggressive oak regime and the result is a wine with better overall balance. Still a backward, muscular/masculine style of St.-Julien, it reveals abundant tannin along with a subtle hint of vanillin intermixed with lead pencil shavings, white chocolate, black currant and cassis characteristics. Although less expressive than some of its 2010 peers, it is a big, powerful, rich wine that needs a decade of cellaring. It should last for 30 years.
Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru in London. The Lagrange has a very refined, sophisticated bouquet with blackberry, bay leaf, cedar and sous-bois, all with fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine grippy entry. There is a lot of citrus fruit here, lending the 2010 tension and poise. It remains linear and focused, saving something up for the future. Excellent. Tasted December 2012.
Tasted at the chateau, the crop was picked between 29th September and 20th October, with much of the crop (the Cabernet) picked between 13th and 19th October. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, this is a very tightly wound on the nose, the Cabernet Sauvignon imparting a strictness and tautness: blackberry, wild hedgerow, cedar and a touch of graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, a real sense of symmetry here with fine acidity. Very refined tannins and yet there is certainly great structure cloaked beneath that pure blackberry, cassis and cedar-infused fruit. Long in the mouth on the finish that is slightly drier than the 2009 when compared alongside. This is an outstanding Saint Julien from one of its most consistent performers in recent years. Drink 2018- Tasted March 2011.
Great nose of blueberries, spices and hints of walnuts. Full body, with a lovely finish of well-integrated tannins and a long, long finish. This is structured yet all in finesse. Best in years. Try in 2018.
A wine, with very pretty balance and length already. Full body, with a wonderful core of ripe fruit and a persistent silky finish. Lasts for a long time. Dense
