Why did wines from La Lagune as a 3rd Growth seem unpopular amongst wine drinkers here in Hong Kong, or is it just my wrong perception?
Yes, I am writing to defend them. I like this wine for its purity, richness, and grip. I venture this explanation. It is not the round-fruity type, even though the complexities exist. It stated attenuated because of the apparent lack of bright fruit, but it always has length. It is not the fruit profile that Hong Kong drinkers are mad about.: always smoky, vanillin, weedy tobacco. Of course, it is too structured for some and closed for their neighbours.
Accorded 93GG, 2007 seems more closed and thinner than its neighbours in this phase, suffering from the lived acidity commonly found in the 2007s. However fine-grained they are, the tannins are lots. And it still needs some time. Despite the excellent brilliance, the colour also looks 'dangerous' for the garnet-red colour. I don't have a problem with all these: the clean, fruity nose where morello cherry and black fruit intermix- the tannins are ample and soft with forward fruit. Almost ready to drink. Interesting and seductive, wild berries and chocolate, but shows great class and density. It would be great with steak dishes, not with Cantonese food. After all, wine is my food.
Awarded 95VT, this 2010 shared the character of 2007. Despite its ripe vintage, fruit is still 'elegant'-notes of flowers, red fruits, forest leaf, spice, and tobacco in the perfume. It is Soft, fresh, elegant, and refined, with various red and black fruits on the palate and vibrant, long, sweet, and refined. Just smaller than one would expect from 2010. But what could offer this sort of silliness, a small richness with that level of intensity? It reveals notes of quite a ripe blackberry, crushed strawberry and small notes of crushed cassis associated with small touches of crushed redcurrant, lily, and camphor, as well as discreet hints of chocolate/cocoa, a subtle hint of tobacco, almond and an imperceptible hint of truffle. Just gourmandize, albeit not for Eastern food, with a good definition, suavity, a certain purity, fine straightness, and suavity.
Awarded 94Falstraff, 2014 is boring to some: spicy Petit Verdot tones, ambiguous wood tones, herby, almost salty, dense on the palate, homogeneous tannin pressure, slightly alcohol-borne in the transition to the finish, juicy dissolution with a mineral base and a fine trace of acid, too delicate. The palate is still intense fruity(as 2014 should be), gourmand, racy, well structured, and offers expressed blackberry, cassis and raspberry associated with a touch of redcurrant. Who are with me? Sadly, not even from my drinking friends! Let buyers beware!
Updated: Jul 7, 2023
Deep ruby with a medium garnet rim, the first nose gives Sweet Prune and cocoa fruit with various secondary nuances- tones of Old leather, tobacco, herbs, graphite, liquorice, coffee and chocolates in balance. Then the red-fruited palate with minerality leads to a dry finish. Medium bodied. Many consider this an insider's wine from Pessac Leognan- maybe too stonier style to the general consumer and non-connaisseur.
QUite some agents in hong Kong worked hard on this wine before.
Scores are reasonably high. The highest is a WA95 by NM. In the 92-93 range, James Suckling, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Vinous. The lowest is a 90 by Lisa Perrotti-Brown, who commented that it is a bit dry on the finish.
Updated: Jul 22, 2023
Deep ruby, tight garnet rim. Dry fruited on the nose, Chateau Lagrange 2003 gives a brooding palate: the blackberry and pu erh tea aroma and flavours of the 2003 Lagrange left the Team with a significant impression. If you are looking for bright fruit, this differs from the wine for you. Deep rubied with a tight rim, 2008 has a core of ripe, generous black fruit from the riper merlot with integrated tannins; this is a well-made, impressive wine and showed Chateau Lagrange’s capabilities in an otherwise average vintage(almost like frozen and limited fruit). Deep rubied with a tight pink rim, 2012 has a fruity style, with the right balance of tension(structure) and elegance(poise, finesse). Oak treatment wears 2012 with a delicate and gentle touch- pure fruit, lightish touch. Fruity to start, very enjoyable and friendly to finish. Clean, medium finish.2017 is the latest tasting we did. Deep ruby with a tight rim. Floral. Balanced and stylish, this elegant vintage conveys the sleek side of Saint-Julien. A first nose of ripe and fresh cherries followed by a secondary tone of camphor, pepper and minerality. The wine has a fine concentrate, structure and power, bringing out tannins to balance the blackberry fruits. Some complexities In the palate, 2017 expresses its classic fresh/ripe raspberry, cherry, and cassis associated with delicate touches of blackberry as well as fine hints of nutmeg, sweet spices, coffee bean, chocolate and liquorice. Fine and ample tannins. REsaonble long length with good scores, for example, WE 94 VT94.
The Lagrange style is almost unmistakable, with, for this vintage, a sleek and saline touch that gives excellent value. Surely a wine to keep for some years. Sscores are impressive, JS96, for example. This neat and clean style, endowed by Emile Peynaud, Marcel Ducasse and Bruno Eynard, stands Lagrange out from other wines from the same St. Julien Appellation, including Talbot, Beychevelle, St Pierre, Gloria, etc.
