Château Lagrange Saint-Julien 2025 - 3ème Grand Cru Classé (Primeurs)

This vast vineyard estate, which—like its neighbor Gruaud-Larose—is remarkably uniform, has seen its vines mature and impart an unprecedented intensity to its grand cru, while refining its style over the past three years thanks to the efforts of the current technical team. Its wine is a straightforward, classic, almost mineral expression of the finest terroirs of Saint-Julien, revealing an undeniable similarity in flavor and style to Léoville-Las-Cases—which is no small compliment. Excellent value for the price.

A beautiful, vibrant color in the glass—a brilliant pink. On the nose, fragrant aromas of blueberries and flowers. Soft and supple, it immediately offers lovely liveliness and energy, with juicy acidity—blueberry and cranberry—as well as savory tannins with notes of crushed stone that lend a lovely density on the palate and linger on the finish. A good balance between power and energy, elegance and finesse. Freshness is evident, as is the layering of flavors. Notes of powdered milk chocolate and flint on the finish. pH 3.52. Aged for 21 months, 60% in new barrels, 40% in one-year-old barrels. 2034–2049

It is often thanks to the owner’s dedication that Bordeaux châteaux are able to reach their full potential. Lagrange was not so fortunate, changing hands frequently. It wasn’t until the Japanese group Suntory took over in 1983 that the estate received the attention it deserved: the vineyard was replanted, a new winery was built, and, most importantly, a top-notch team was assembled under the leadership of Marcel Ducasse—who was replaced in 2007 by Bruno Eynard, who had served as his assistant for 17 years. The new winery now facilitates even more precise plot-by-plot winemaking.

Acquired by the Japanese group Suntory in 1983, the château quickly established itself as a reliable and consistent performer within the appellation, producing elegant, well-structured, and consistently affordable wines. It is a vast estate managed with great care, but its most recent vintages—while by no means disappointing—have struck us as slightly less compelling. In a highly competitive landscape, facing neighbors who spare no effort to produce the finest wines possible, Lagrange seems somewhat stagnant, leading us to remove its star.

With an intense purple color, the 2025 Château Lagrange offers aromas of ripe blue and black fruits, spicy wood, smoked tobacco, violets, and graphite on the nose. Composed of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, it will spend 21 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which are new. It has an alcohol content of 13.5% and a pH of 3.5. On the palate, it is rich and medium-bodied to full-bodied, with a pure, complex, and graceful texture, velvety and well-integrated tannins, good depth on the mid-palate, and a superb finish. This is yet another brilliant wine from this château, which has been producing world-class wines for some time now without receiving the recognition they deserve.

What elegance, subtlety, and intensity in this bouquet! Inviting notes of blackberries and blackcurrants complemented by refreshing hints of eucalyptus. On the palate, the wine begins with a sense of density. This sets the stage well and paves the way for a linear, fresh profile punctuated by powerful, perfectly integrated tannins. A juicy, powerful, yet harmonious wine—fresh and persistent, with great aging potential! 2035–2050

Deep purple color with violet highlights and a black core. An elegant, refined nose with aromas of blackcurrant and blackberry, along with notes of peony, vanilla, and gingerbread spices, as well as elegant toasted notes and subtle oak. On the palate, it is well-structured, with ripe tannins, nice acidity, elegant fruit, and delicate notes of sweet spices. It has a compelling finish.