Château Lagrange 2019

A powerful, unctuous and elegant Cru Classé of Saint-Julien

The estate
In the Médoc, Château Lagrange is one of the iconic references of Saint-Julien. The property boasts ancient origins dating back to Gallo-Roman times, when the estate housed the "Villa Rustica". It was back then that the Order of the Templars first began producing wine at the property. Château Lagrange experienced a real golden age in the 18th century and earned the title of 3rd Classified Growth in the Official Classification of 1855. It was in 1983 that Château Lagrange was acquired by the Japanese group Suntory and its president Keizo Saji. Following a major renovation and investment project carried out by the dynamic new team, Château Lagrange has become one of the top producers of the Saint-Julien appellation.

The vineyard
The exceptional Château Lagrange vineyard covers 118 hectares of vines in one piece. The vineyard enjoys a superb location on two low hills. The vines are 45 years old on average. They face north-south and are planted in silica-gravelly soils with a clay-limestone subsoil. The vineyard enjoys a temperate climate with oceanic influence.

The vintage
A year marked by significant climatic contrasts, 2019 brought a wet and cold spring, followed by a hot and dry summer with significant sunshine. Beginning on September 18 and ending on October 14, the 2019 harvest was the longest that the property has known, yielding very light fruit. The harvest took place according to the ripeness of each grape variety. At Château Lagrange, the 2019 vintage yielded "the richest grapes in the modern history of the estate".

The winemaking
Plot and intra plot selection. 102 thermoregulated stainless steel vats for 103 vineyard plots. Different tank capacities: From 36 to 220 hl. Lots classified according to the grape variety, vine age, terroir and ripeness of the grapes. Vinification at 26628 ° C for 21 to 28 days. Moderate daily pump-overs or punch-downs. Malolactic fermentation by co-inoculation.

The ageing

Ageing for 21 months, 50% in new oak barrels.

The blend
Cabernet sauvignon (80%), merlot (18%), petit verdot (2%).

The tasting
Tasted en primeur, the Château Lagrange 2019 expresses the exceptional richness and great freshness of its fruit and the terroir of this iconic property of Saint-Julien. In this 2019 vintage, Cabernet Sauvignon truly dominates the blend, a first in the history of the domain. Intense and expressive, the aromatic bouquet reveals beautiful notes of black fruit, reminiscent of morello cherries and blackcurrant. On the palate, the attack reveals a full-bodied and fleshy texture, structured by tannins that combine power and velvety smoothness. Endowed with a rare elegance and stylistic signature, the Château Lagrange 2019 is certainly in line with the great vintages of the property.