Château LaGrange St Julien Bordeaux
Following the gala UGCB release tour tasting this week, I had the desire for another glass of Bordeaux for some casual sipping for the evening. I wanted to try something from a producer I had met the previous day, and one that we visited last summer during our visit to the region, so I pulled from the cellar this moderate aged 2003 vintage release from St Julien producer Château LaGrange.
We last tasted this label during a horizontal tasting of ten year old 2003 vintage release Bordeaux with our Pour Boys wine group back in 2013.
We visited the adjacent estates of Château Gruaud-Larose and Château Branaire-Ducru
last summer during our visit to the appellation and at that time drove over to see the Château La Grange estate and vineyards. The iconic Château that is recognized from decades of labels is more picturesque than expected or imaginable as it looks out on a small lake/pond as one approaches the estate.
The estate sits inland from the Gironde estuary, but behind and adjacent to or not far from neighboring St Julien producers Gruaud Larose and Branaire Ducru.
Château LaGrange vineyards span 118 hectares and rises to an elevation of 24 meters, the highest altitude in the appellation.
The property was taken over by the Japanese spirits producer Suntory in the mid 1980's. They made substantial improvements to the property and facilities through 2008 and modernized the entire winemaking facilities and cellars in 2013 which should no doubt result in increasing improvements and quality of the wines. Suntory also took over and made substantial investment in additions and improvements to nearby Château Beychevelle which we also toured while in the area.
Château LaGrange St Julien Bordeaux 2003
We still hold several vintages of this wine dating back to a birth year bottle from our daughter's vintage release in the early eighties, however the estate has turned over and undergrown substantial improvements over the years and the quality of product is vastly improved today.
When we tasted this back in 2013 I wrote, "This was bigger, more full, nicely balanced, smoother and more polished than I expected, one of the best LaGrange I have tasted. Medium to full bodied, dark inky garnet colored, aromas and flavors of black berry, black cherry, violet floral with hints of coffee bean, mocha, tobacco and earth with soft smooth lingering tannins."
This is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot.
At seventeen years, this was showing no diminution from age and should last a few more years for fine drinking.
RM 91 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=18816
https://www.ugcb.net/en/chateau-lagrange
Following the gala UGCB release tour tasting this week, I had the desire for another glass of Bordeaux for some casual sipping for the evening. I wanted to try something from a producer I had met the previous day, and one that we visited last summer during our visit to the region, so I pulled from the cellar this moderate aged 2003 vintage release from St Julien producer Château LaGrange.
We last tasted this label during a horizontal tasting of ten year old 2003 vintage release Bordeaux with our Pour Boys wine group back in 2013.
We visited the adjacent estates of Château Gruaud-Larose and Château Branaire-Ducru
last summer during our visit to the appellation and at that time drove over to see the Château La Grange estate and vineyards. The iconic Château that is recognized from decades of labels is more picturesque than expected or imaginable as it looks out on a small lake/pond as one approaches the estate.
The estate sits inland from the Gironde estuary, but behind and adjacent to or not far from neighboring St Julien producers Gruaud Larose and Branaire Ducru.
Château LaGrange vineyards span 118 hectares and rises to an elevation of 24 meters, the highest altitude in the appellation.
The property was taken over by the Japanese spirits producer Suntory in the mid 1980's. They made substantial improvements to the property and facilities through 2008 and modernized the entire winemaking facilities and cellars in 2013 which should no doubt result in increasing improvements and quality of the wines. Suntory also took over and made substantial investment in additions and improvements to nearby Château Beychevelle which we also toured while in the area.
However, the easiest
way to think of Chateau Lagrange is by knowing all their vines are
dispersed over 2, gently sloping, gravel hillsides, well placed in the
west of the Saint Julien appellation, close to Chateau Gruaud Larose and Chateau Branaire Ducru.
At the peak of their vineyards, the hillsides reach up to 24 meters,
which puts their vines at the highest elevation in the Saint Julien
appellation.
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/st-julien/lagrange/
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/st-julien/lagrange/
However, the easiest
way to think of Chateau Lagrange is by knowing all their vines are
dispersed over 2, gently sloping, gravel hillsides, well placed in the
west of the Saint Julien appellation, close to Chateau Gruaud Larose and Chateau Branaire Ducru.
At the peak of their vineyards, the hillsides reach up to 24 meters,
which puts their vines at the highest elevation in the Saint Julien
appellation.
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/st-julien/lagrange/
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/st-julien/lagrange/
Château LaGrange St Julien Bordeaux 2003
We still hold several vintages of this wine dating back to a birth year bottle from our daughter's vintage release in the early eighties, however the estate has turned over and undergrown substantial improvements over the years and the quality of product is vastly improved today.
When we tasted this back in 2013 I wrote, "This was bigger, more full, nicely balanced, smoother and more polished than I expected, one of the best LaGrange I have tasted. Medium to full bodied, dark inky garnet colored, aromas and flavors of black berry, black cherry, violet floral with hints of coffee bean, mocha, tobacco and earth with soft smooth lingering tannins."
This is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot.
At seventeen years, this was showing no diminution from age and should last a few more years for fine drinking.
RM 91 points.
This release was rated 92 points
John Gilman, James Suckling, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, and 90 points by Wine & Spirits and Robert Parker.
https://www.ugcb.net/en/chateau-lagrange
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