94pts Vinous
The 2021 Lagrange turned out beautifully. Succulent red cherry, plum, cedar, tobacco, spice and mocha infuse the 2021 with gorgeous depth. Soft, succulent and inviting, Lagrange is wonderfully appealing. It will drink well with minimal cellaring.
- Antonio Galloni, December 2023
93pts Jane Anson
Bright, vivid raspberry and cassis fruit, savoury and sculpted, clear cinnammon, fennel and clove spice. Not exuberant or overdone, working with the vintage and retains the St Julien feel of balance and finesse. This is the 2nd note I am publishing for this wine, as I tasted it at the château during a vertical a month ago, and this is one point higher, boding well for increased weight over ageing. Harvest September 27 through to October 12, with no Cabernet picked until October. The weight of the berries reduced by 30% in the last week before picking because the weather got so much better. 35hl/h yield, 50% new oak. Eric Boissenot consultant.
93pts Wine Advocate
The 2021 Lagrange is a strong effort, offering up notes of dark berries, pencil shavings, licorice and loamy soil, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively and nicely concentrated palate with lively acids and youthfully structuring tannins that assert themselves on the finish, reflecting the record-high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. This is one 2021 that will reward a bit of patience.
93pts Jeb Dunnuck
Showing better from bottle than barrels, the 2021 Château Lagrange has a healthy ruby/purple hue to go with a gorgeous nose of blackcurrants, violets, chalky minerality, and graphite. It's rich, medium-bodied, has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. It's a seriously impressive, layered, concentrated 2021 with tons to love. The blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, aged 21 months in 50% new barrels. Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 15+.
93pts Decanter
Menthol, dark chocolate and bramble fruit on the nose. Some cola touches and cool blue fruits too. Supple and agile, nice movement and energy here, I like the weight and the depth, it has good concentration with an enjoyable touch of sweetness to the mid palate but cool blue fruit too, with kick and underlying power but nothing overdone here. Great length and juicy, fruity with lots of savoury markers of the vintage. Liquorice, dark chocolate, dried herbs and the Cabernet character of blackcurrant leaf. Very consistent good work from Lagrange.
92-93pts James Suckling
A firm and silky red with medium body, fresh acidity and an orange-peel and berry aftertaste. Refined and bright.
92pts The Wine Independent
The 2021 Lagrange has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It needs a lot of swirling and shaking to wake up notes of fragrant soil, Sichuan pepper, and lavender, giving way to a core of blackcurrant pastilles, kirsch, and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is finely crafted with approachable, grainy tannins and just enough freshness to support the elegant black and red berry flavors, finishing with a quiet intensity.
91pts Vinous
Winemaker Matthieu Bordes was the only one to mention that he had to conduct some reverse osmosis (mainly on the Merlot) for the 2021 Lagrange. The wine was bottled last July. It has a classically styled nose, certainly not as complex as in more benevolent seasons, lighter and slightly leafier in style. The palate is medium-bodied and well-balanced, with fine tannins and a little chalkiness toward the finish. I would drink this over the next 10 to 15 years.
-Neal Martin, November 2023
