| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Haut Médoc |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
The 2015 la Lagune was a wine that left me perplexed out of barrel despite tasting it two or three times back in April 2016. Now in bottle, I am more optimistic, although I still have a nagging feeling that it could have been even better. It remains relatively sultry compared to its peers, with a subtle floral note accompanying the tar and cedar-infused black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied and balanced, although I maintain that it would have benefited from more substance. For sure, there is a sense of energy here, but it is a La Lagune that plays it safe; it could have striven for greater things (as it subsequently did in 2016). Anticipated maturity: 2021 - 2040.
The finesse and beauty in this wine is really something with blueberry, blackberry and licorice character. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and a long and gorgeous finish. Tactile and fine.
Tasted blind. Strange spicy note – odd oak? – but rich fruit. Difficult to score this. Could easily seduce but certainly isn’t pure. Very hard.
Drink 2024-2029
Managed by Caroline Frey (of Paul Jaboulet Aîné in the Rhône Valley), the 2015 Château La Lagune is an impressive, elegant, concentrated Haut Médoc that’s going to be even better with short-term cellaring. Cassis, toasty oak, Asian spices, and black tea notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, layered and lengthy Haut-Médoc. Count me in as a fan and it’s up with the top wines produced from this estate. 2018 - 2033
Sweet and ripe the nose has depth the palate starts with rich black cherry and dark chocolate. Supple and rich in the middle the tannins are fine well handled with sweet fruit filling out the back palate and giving depth on the finish.
From this vintage La Lagune will mention Organic Viticulture on the label. The nose here is heavenly with red and black fruits combining perfectly. There is no trace of oak because it is perfectly integrated at this stage. The mid-palate is silky and tender and the finish is superbly long and ripe with stunning poise and control in the tannins. This is a very well-balanced La Lagune and it has the edge on the superb 2014. I also tasted the 2015 Les Cabernets Sauvignons, a pure Cabernet bottling which Caroline Frey has made from time to time to highlight the excellence of her Cabernet and this showed amazing purity and focus, with thrilling weight and density. It has superb ripeness and control and this is all the more impressive because of the slimness of the body. I awarded it a half point more than the blend in my notes.
The 2015 La Lagune has a rich and slightly heady bouquet with lavish black cherry and cassis fruit that need to obtain more definition and composure. This seems to be trying a little hard. The palate is ripe and rounded on the entry, the tannin here a little stringy with a straightforward, slightly attenuated and saline finish that I hope will flesh out during élevage. This just lacks the sparkle that I discerned in the 2014 last year - let's see how it turns out in bottle. Drink 2020-2032
More complex on the nose than most. Some definite sweetness at the start which melds into marked fine tannins and something pretty appetising. I would expect this to improve considerably in bottle and to be worth waiting for.
Drink 2024-2040
Unusually deep crimson. Really very luscious on the nose - a full, broad exposition of the vintage on the nose. Heady without being gratuitously sweet. Juicy and lively. Some rigour on the finish as though efforts were consciously made to imbue classic structure. One of the most exciting Lagunes I can remember.
Drink 2024-2038
