Château Lagrange is a winemaker with a history that is traceable all the way back to the early 1500s. Founded by Jean de Vivien, the Noble House of Lagrange remained in his family for nearly two centuries. The house went through several milestones, owners, and turning points in its lineage, but perhaps three are most noteworthy: firstly, in 1787, when Thomas Jefferson (author of the American Declaration of Independence) was ambassador to France, he ranked Lagrange as a Third Classified Growth in 1787. Then, Lagrange was proclaimed as a Third Classified Growth in the official 1855 classification. Last, but definitely far from the least, in 1983, Keizo Saji, son of the founder of Suntory (yes, the Japanese alcohol mega-corporation), bought the property.
Admittedly, Château Lagrange—beautiful as it was, and is, with its classically contemporary architecture, Tuscan-style tower, and hallmarks of modern viticulture and horticulture—had declined dramatically, due to wars, fires, economic crises, and what have you. So, it was Saji and Suntory vice president Shinichiro Torii who did everything they could to resurrect the house. These included hiring Marcel Ducasse (who graduated from the Bordeaux Institute of Oenology), Kenji Suzuta, and then Keiichi Shiina, all of whom set out to renovate the estate—including the cellars and the Château—and restructure the vineyards, as well as creating sustainable development strategies.
Today, Château Lagrange possesses 118 hectares of red vines in Saint-Julien, the smallest of the four Médoc appellations, near Bordeaux. Here, the oldest vines were planted in 1952. Cabernet Sauvignon makes up the vast majority of the vines (67 per cent), with Merlot next (28 per cent), and Petit Verdot (5 per cent) comprising the rest. Meanwhile, 11 hectares are exclusively for white wines, with 80 percent for Sauvignon Blanc, 10 per cent for Sauvignon Gris, and 10 per cent for Semillon. All of this grows on 17 different soils and subsoils. Today, the house’s winemaking team is led by Matthieu Bordes, all of whom believe in the pursuit of excellence to best express the terroir, while abiding by the philosophy of the Saji family since 1899, which states: “Preserve the harmony between man and nature.”
During a recent wine masterclass with Sylvain Menard, Château Lagrange’s business development manager, at Cinq Dining, I sampled a selection of the house’s beloved bottles and best-sellers. Intriguingly, we began with the Les Arums De Lagrange (2023), which was initially created in 1996 and is one of the first white wines in the Médoc. It is a blend of 73 per cent Sauvignon Blanc, 12 per Sauvignon Gris, and 15 per cent Semillon; it is barrel aged for seven months (40 per cent of which are new). It is delicate on the palate, with a deliciously expressive mouthfeel. On the nose, aromas of tropical fruits persist throughout, while its freshness abounds with every sip and taste. It is tart, tasty, and terrific for any occasion. Menard shared that, for every four bottles of Les Arums De Lagrange released, three are sold in Japan. I’m not surprised, considering how prevalent seafood is in the Land Of The Rising Sun. Having said that, though, this is a white wine you can savour with any kind of cuisine—or if you just need a drink.
Next, the main event, and the superstars of Château Lagrange—reds. The masterclass served six releases, in order of 2012, 2005, 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2020. Menard said that the 2012 is completely sold out, and it’s not difficult to fathom why. The wine (67 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 per cent Merlot, and 3 per cent Petit Verdot) was harvested and hand-picked by hand from vines with an average age of 40 years. It matured for 21 months (60 per cent of which are new oak barrels), and has a tasting window until 2030. It is a sophisticated, expressive wine—well balanced, fresh, and unbelievably smooth. I get red and black currants and liquorice on the nose, and elegant expressions of berries on the palate. Don’t hesitate to add these to your cellar or cooler, if a bottle (or a few) ever come into play.
On to the 2005, of which Menard says only a very few quantities remain. This vintage is an exception, as it comprises 46 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 45 per cent Merlot, and 9 per cent Petit Verdot. That year was an especially dry year, but it resulted in a wine that supernaturally tastes pleasantly fresh and resplendently smooth, considering its age. Although Menard and his colleagues reckon its tasting window is all the way until 2035, if one is already enjoying it now—like me—why wait?
A quickfire summary of the last few during this Château Lagrange masterclass. All of my sips of the 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2020 produce sensations of profound joy, beginning from the nose and palate and emanating towards every fibre of my being. No, I wasn’t drunk. Each vintage has their unique characteristics, but they all prove to me that, no matter which iteration of the Château Lagrange red one tries, they will feel how well-balanced, smooth, fresh, structured, fruity, bright, and expressive the wine is. Menard agrees with me when I opine that it boasts a value that’s very difficult to achieve, especially in something as ephemeral as winemaking, and as volatile as climate change is and will be—consistency. We raise our glass to toast the house, and how the coming together of Bordeaux sensibilities and Japanese spirit result in wines that are highly sought after and greatly enjoyed all over the world.
