Château Lagrange 2020

Very sleek, with a racy iron edge driving through in lockstep with cassis and cherry coulis flavors. Reveals a subtle black tea accent on the finish, with the minerality eventually holding center stage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2036. 11,200 cases made, 1,100 cases imported.

Aromatically very expressive on the nose. Perfumed with ripe fruits and floral characters. Supple and juicy, with a lovely lifeforce and bounce. Tannins are plush yet plump, giving roundness to the expression, letting the bright red fruits shine and the acidity keep everything lifted. It has a joyous quality, so easy to like – refreshing and enjoyable. The texture and weight are great, with lovely medicinal edges, some salinity, cooling minty touches, and a long finish. Really well worked, not pushed, and delivered with poise. It’s lightly framed in terms of texture, more vertically layered than wide, giving an aerial freshness throughout.

Attractive nose of blackberries, blackcurrants, walnuts, ink and kaffir leaves. It’s medium- to full-bodied, firm and structured, with chewy and tight tannins. Dark and intense, with a long and persistent finish. Turns to graphite and cedar. Needs time to open and soften. Try from 2026.

Full bottle 1,360 g. Cask sample taken 2 April. 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, aged for 21 months in barrels of which 60% were new. Bright, deep crimson. Nose a little smudgy with a hint of acidity and then sweetness. Tannins notably well masked. Very dry, even austere, uncompromising finish. (JR)

The perfume kicks off with mint, cigar box, black and red currants, black cherries and tobacco leaves. And with all that, the wine is just getting started because it is even better on the palate with its multiple layers of supple, fresh, vibrant, sweet, ripe fruits, elegant silky tannins, length and purity. Starting with the 2016 vintage, Lagrange has been on a hot streak and 2020 could be their best vintage yet. If you haven't tasted what they are doing, you need to grab a bottle and pull a cork! Drink from 2027-2055.

Strong ruby garnet, purple reflections, delicate rim brightening. Ripe plums, candied orange zest, delicate chocolatey nuances. Juicy, red cherry, fresh and lively, silky tannins, mineral-salty, delicate texture, long-lasting, assured development, certain ageing potential, very drinkable style. (2025-2055).

74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 27 hl/ha, 38% Grand Vin. Deep purple with an opaque core, delicate ruby rim and purple highlights. What a delicate perfume of freshly picked blackcurrants, morello cherry juice and liquorice, with beguiling violet notes in the background, subtle graphite nuances and blueberry drops. On the multi-layered palate with a silky texture, grainy extract, uplifting acidity and a well-toned body. In the aromatic medium-length finish, a basket of dark cherries, light tobacco and a gentle astringency. Trilogy completed! Best-Buy!

Kunz barrel sample 2021: silky, dense, elegant, fresh bouquet, blueberries, cassis, cedar, nougat. Tightly knit, elegant, multifaceted palate with dense, delicate fruit, plenty of fine tannins, complex, dense aromatics, elegant structure, very long, fresh finish.

Silky, dense, elegant, fresh bouquet, blueberries, cassis, cedar, nougat. Tightly woven, elegant, multi-layered palate with dense, fine fruit, plenty of fine tannins, varied, dense aromatics, elegant structure, very long, fresh finish. 18/20 2026 - 2048

An enjoyable Lagrange, with a sense of well-measured confidence, balanced and full of dark cassis and bilberry fruits. Serious, as is often the case with these 2020 wines, clearly one that needs time, but there is abundant slate and fresh mint leaf, with grip and a confident tannic architecture. 50% less volume than usual after the dry summer. An upscore from En Primeur.

Composed of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Lagrange is deep garnet-purple in color. It gallops out with energetic notes of fresh, juicy black currants and black cherries, leading to hints of tar, garrigue, espresso, and tapenade. The medium-bodied palate is taut with muscular fruit, supported by grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and fruity.

89-90

On the nose, red fruit, vivid and straightforward. “Come in, come in! Welcome!” it seems to say. Fluid and supple on the palate, soothing, it knows where to lead you, all the way to the gourmet finish with its delectable aftertaste.

In terms of authenticity and consistency, this cru is remarkably strong. Year after year, the style of Lagrange is acclaimed. The Cabernet Sauvignon showcases its freshness, while the Merlot rounds out the edges. Lagrange is flavorful, with good breadth, and perfectly supported by creamy tannins. The acid structure provides solid backbone and highlights the aromatic expression on the finish. An expressive, persistent Lagrange with revitalizing freshness.

The nose is elegant and offers controlled concentration, depth, freshness, as well as restrained power and a stretched profile. It reveals notes of vibrant/fresh wild blackcurrant, pulpy blackberry and, more slightly, fresh/ripe raspberry, combined with touches of fresh violet, fresh gravel/racy minerality, fine hints of grey pepper and sweet spices, and a subtle hint of toast. The palate is fruity and offers freshness, minerality, lovely definition, indulgence, fine tension, freshness, energy, a touch of measured richness, and good structure. On the palate, the wine expresses notes of juicy/fresh strawberry, juicy/fresh blackcurrant and, more slightly, violet, with touches of fresh cherry, nutmeg, tonka bean/cocoa, as well as subtle hints of sweet spices, a discreet hint of cinnamon, and fresh hazelnut (in the background). Good length. The tannins are precise, well-handled and discreetly firm. A lovely fresh, mineral and taut wine.

92–94. Barrel Sample. This wine, with its red plum and spice flavors has an initial smoothness that is belied by the wine's dry, firm core. Its dark tannins are there to ensure a fine future.