LES FIEFS DE LAGRANGE 2nd wine of Ch. Lagrange, Saint-Julien 2016 Bottle

Description

The 2016 Les Fiefs de Lagrange is a Saint-Julien red Bordeaux blend typically composed of a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon (approx. 55%), with Merlot (approx. 41%) and a smaller amount of Petit Verdot (approx. 4%). It is a generous and classically styled second wine from Château Lagrange that captures much of the estate’s Pauillac character with accessible charm and structural integrity. The colour is a deep ruby with a bright core and a narrow garnet rim that hints at early development while retaining youthful depth. The nose opens with ripe blackcurrant, bramble and plum, lifted by violet and a subtle graphite thread; with airing the bouquet broadens to reveal cedar, tobacco leaf and pencil shavings alongside savoury notes of olive tapenade and smoked meat.

On the palate the wine shows a generous yet refined mid palate, with a supple weight and finely grained tannins that provide a firm but polite backbone. Primary dark fruit of cassis and damson leads, evolving through the mid palate into savoury layers of cured meat, black olive and dried herbs. Gentle oak seasoning contributes clove, toasted spice and a touch of dark chocolate that supports the fruit without dominating. Bright acidity runs through the core, giving lift and keeping the wine focused and energetic rather than heavy. A cool saline mineral seam and a faint iron note lengthen the finish and speak to the Pauillac terroir.

The 2016 vintage in Bordeaux offered ripe, balanced fruit with good phenolic maturity and well judged tannins; at Les Fiefs de Lagrange this produced a wine that marries immediate drinkability with the structure to age. The wine benefits from careful extraction and attentive élevage, resulting in second wine quality that mirrors the grand vin’s profile at a more approachable stage.

Approachable now with a short decant, it will also reward medium-term cellaring as tertiary notes of leather, cedar and forest floor emerge and knit with the fruit. Drink 2026 to 2036, peaking 2028 to 2032. Serve slightly below room temperature with roast lamb, chargrilled ribeye, beef daube, mushroom and truffle dishes, cassoulet or mature hard cheeses to complement the wine’s savoury depth, ripe dark fruit and poised structure.

DECANTER 93 points
Tasted by: Georgie Hindle, Vincenzo Arnese, Robert Mathias MW (at Decanter tasting suite, London, 20 Apr 2025)
Drinking Window: 2025 - 2032
A crisp, vegetal uplift with integrated richness and ripe intensity. Fine, grippy tannins meet lively acidity and ripe fruit, balanced by a cooling undertone and wet stone. Powerful yet delicately presented, with vibrancy and a persistent finish.

JAMES SUCKLING 93 points
A beautiful St.-Julien that’s got everything you expect from this appellation, from the elegant, moderately dry tannins to the ripe red fruit and the lively acidity. Second wine of Château Lagrange. Drink or hold.

VINOUS 91 points
Drinking window: 2021 - 2035
The 2016 Les Fiefs de Lagrange offers blackberry, raspberry and light cedar scents on a nose that gradually unfurls in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine acidity, a velvety-smooth texture and some quality new oak evident on the finish, fortunately neatly integrated and simpatico with the fruit. Excellent. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.
Neal Martin. Tasting date: January 2020

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ABOUT CHATEAU LAGRANGE
Château Lagrange is a substantial Saint Julien estate prized for producing structured, classic left bank wines that combine Cabernet Sauvignon power with measured elegance. The property occupies deep gravel terraces that favour slow ripening and concentrated tannic structure, giving wines that show dark fruit, cedar, graphite and a saline mineral thread. Lagrange is noted for consistency across styles, from the grand vin to its second and third labels, and for wines that repay medium to long term cellaring.

The estate is owned by an international corporate group that has provided long term capital for vineyard renewal and cellar modernisation while keeping a focus on traditional Pauillac symmetry and balance. Management combines respect for the chateau history with targeted technical investment to enhance quality and parcel definition. Day to day direction is overseen by an estate director supported by an experienced technical team who coordinate vineyard planning, harvest selection and cellar operations.

Vineyards extend over extensive, well maintained plots planted mainly to Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot in supporting roles. Vine age varies across holdings and careful replanting, clonal choice and parcel mapping have been used to refine balance and to bring out site specificity. Viticultural practice prioritises canopy management, yield control and selective hand harvesting so that grapes achieve physiological ripeness while preserving natural acidity and aromatic lift. Increasing attention to soil health and sustainable measures supports long term vigour and terroir expression.

Winemaking is parcel by parcel and oriented towards preserving primary fruit while building structure. Rigorous sorting, small lot fermentations, temperature control and calibrated extraction are complemented by élevage in French oak chosen to integrate tannin and add complexity without overwhelming varietal character. Blending trials are exhaustive and aim to produce wines that marry early appeal with substantial cellaring potential.

Stylistically Lagrange offers concentrated blackcurrant and plum, tobacco leaf, cedar and mineral nuance framed by fine grain tannins and vibrant acidity. The estate remains a benchmark Saint Julien producer, valued for its balance of power and finesse and its clear capacity to age gracefully.