Lagrange (St Julien) 2023

A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot, the 2023 Lagrange offers up aromas of dark berries, plums and cherries mingled with hints of pencil shavings and violets. Medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy, with good depth, supple tannins and a suave, vibrant profile, it's attractively seamless and complete.

The 2023 Lagrange contains no Petit Verdot this year. Matured in 60% new oak, the aromatics demand a bit of coaxing in the glass, eventually revealing blackberry and cedar aromas and just a touch of graphite, quite strict and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with very pliant tannins on the entry, ensuring that this will be an approachable Lagrange. Pure-fruited and gently grippy, there is admirable depth to this Saint-Julien, revealing just a hint of brine toward the saline finish. This is a "solid" wine, if perhaps without the flair of the 2022. It will require four or five years in bottle but should drink well for the next 20 years or more. Drink 2028-2048.

This is tight but has creamy, round tannins and a juicy character. Blackberries, chocolate and spices on the medium-bodied palate. Chewy and polished.

The 2023 Lagrange is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of red cherries, cassis, and blueberry jump from the glass, followed by hints of violets, graphite, and moss-covered tree bark with a touch of cloves. The medium-bodied palate is vibrant, with a lively line of acidity and ripe fine-grained tannins framing the delicate black and red fruit flavors, finishing with a savory lift. The blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot, with pH 3.47.