The 2018 Château Lagrange is a powerful, full-bodied wine with a deep garnet-purple color. It offers an intense bouquet of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries, baked plums, and hints of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead, and hoisin. On the palate, it is vibrant with juicy black fruits and a fine-grained texture, supported by silky tannins. The finish is long and mineral-tinged, reflecting excellent balance and freshness. This vintage is approachable now but will benefit from further aging, showcasing a blend of generosity and structure reminiscent of the 2009 and 2016 vintages.

The Wine Advocate | RP 95
Published: Mar 31, 2021
Drink: 2025-2045

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lagrange explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked red and black plums with suggestions of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic vibrancy for the ripeness, packed with juicy black fruits and compelling tension with a finely grained texture to support, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Nicely done!

Decanter | D 94
Published: Apr 3, 2019
Drink: 2027-2040

This rivals the 2016 for sure, although the sense of gravity is perhaps just a little less effortless as it was in that incredible vintage.It's closed in and tight on the nose with slightly reductive notes, but it opens up after a few minutes to reveal another good quality St-Julien. A serious wine, it has well structured walls and a moat around the cassis fruit. It's not quite at the level of 2010 but is halfway there, making you stop and think before its gentle power takes over.

Jamessuckling.com | JS 93
Published: Jan 15, 2021

Extremely perfumed and refined with black olives and cherries. Floral undertones. Full-bodied, yet reserved. Stone and dry-earth character to the dark fruit on the palate. Juicy and creamy-textured finish. Best after 2025. 

Jancisrobinson.com | JR 16.5
Published: Feb 10, 2022
Drink: 2027-2045

Tasted blind. Correct and neat. Ripe enough with quite a tannic charge. Ticks the boxes.

Chateau-lagrange.com

THE VINTAGE
In 2018 the total rainfall was above the average of the last two decades, mainly due to the heavy rainfall in the first half of the year. The average temperatures were also among the highest ever recorded by our weather station. The summer was, however, one of the driest recorded at Lagrange since 1996.

TASTING NOTES
Dark color with purple tint on the rim, black cherry, blackcurrant and fresh plum. Powerful and unctuous with a lot of freshness. This vintage seems to be very approachable and well balanced. Tannins are dense and very silky. This amazing wine looks like a blend between the 2009 and the 2016. 2018 is the ultimate generous wine.