Château Lagrange 2018

Rock-solid Cab here, with mouthwatering black currant and blackberry fruit flavors laced with a graphite edge and innervated with bramble, tobacco, bay and violet notes through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2035. 20,800 cases made.

Beautiful reflections through the body of this wine, with fresh acidity, and an attractive sense of uplift across the palate, although the actual fruit is a little subdued right now, which as it opens shows damson and bilberry. There is a real tannic frame, and a build-up on the finish as you see just how concentrated these dark fruits are.

Extremely perfumed with currant and blackberry aromas, as well as flowers. It is medium- to full-bodied with firm, creamy tannins that frame some pretty, elegant fruit for the vintage. Try after 2024.

Deep in color, the wine wastes little time strutting its stuff. The spicy, fresh, vibrant red berries, cigar box, tobacco leaf and cedar grab your attention. When the wine hits your palate with all its layers of juicy, sweet, energetic fruits, things really get going, ending with a finish that is lush, round, supple, fresh and lively. As I wrote during the barrel tastings, this is the finest vintage of Chateau Lagrange ever produced! As this ages and develops more softness and nuances, the wine could score even higher.

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, faint brightening on the rim. Tobacco savouriness on the nose, fine herbal notes, dark berries, delicate liquorice and cassis, mineral with a hint of cedar. Juicy, black cherry, vivid, integrated tannins, good freshness, red berry touch on the finish with some saltiness. A late bloomer. (2025-2040)

Bright dark purple colour. Pure and floral nose displaying violet, blackberry, cassis, fine tobacco and a hint of toasted oak. Nice palate combining density and freshness, youthful but well-rounded texture with grainy tannin, good layers of finely spicy fruit and a long muscular finish.

Deep purple garnet with violet rim. Delicate cherry bouquet with blueberries, lilac notes and licorice. Mid-palate shows a silky texture and a tight-knit, supportive structure, with plenty of fruit intensity. The aromatic finish offers a firework of blue berries, cassis drops and minerality—an elegant delicacy and, above all, a compelling value. Chapeau, Matthieu Bordes!

Kunz barrel sample 19: medium-bodied, silky, fresh bouquet, blueberries, cassis, cedar, graphite, coal. Dense, classic, elegant palate with plenty of fine tannins, tightly woven structure, powerful dark aromatics, delicate fruit, long, fresh finish.

Medium-bodied, silky, fresh bouquet, blueberries, blackcurrant, cedar, graphite, coal. Dense, classic, elegant palate with plenty of fine tannins, a tightly woven structure, powerful dark aromatics, delicate fruit, long, fresh finish. 18/20 2025 - 2050

Black chocolate and intense blackberry and bilberry fruits, clove and black pepper spice, touches of cigar box, sage, bay leaf and pencil lead. The berries in 2018 were the smallest ever, from the northeast wind that arrived in September and took 1 hl/ha of yield out every day—which, together with the high alcohols, meant extraction had to be carefully controlled in the cellar. Successful and enjoyable. 3.42 pH, 54% first wine, 50% new oak. Eric Boissenot consultant.

Refined, elegant, a little lighter than the Léoville, but with plenty of finesse and pedigree in the tannic support.

A fine success, with notes of black pepper and plum. The texture is very supple and aromatic on the palate, with great length on the finish.

Dense garnet red. A great deal of finesse in the bouquet of Lagrange 2018. I find the freshness of red berries with raspberry aromas, followed by notes of licorice wood and a candied nuance; beautiful balance between freshness and ripeness. Juicy, fruity character on the palate. Harmony is ensured by the brightness of the acidity and the density of the tannins. The latter are smooth, fine, and guarantee excellent ageing potential. A balanced, refined yet powerful Lagrange that really stands out.

Logo on the cork: DF

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lagrange explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked red and black plums with suggestions of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic vibrancy for the ripeness, packed with juicy black fruits and compelling tension with a finely grained texture to support, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Nicely done!

The flagship 2018 Château Lagrange is a more dense, backward, serious wine, offering an unevolved yet incredibly promising bouquet of cassis, blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, and violets. A big, rich, full-bodied Saint-Julien, it delivers thrilling purity of fruit, plenty of background oak, ripe, silky tannins, and a great mid-palate. This is serious stuff, but it's going to require patience. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades.

This smoky wine still shows some wood aging flavors. Structure comes from this wood aging as well as the rich blackberry-fruit tannins and concentration. The succulent Cabernet Sauvignon is ripe and full. It needs time, so drink from 2026.