The Wine Advocate | RP 94
Published: Apr 7, 2022

Wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, wild berries and cassis mingled with hints of dark chocolate, pencil shavings and violets, the 2019 La Lagune is medium to full-bodied, broad and sensual, its ample core of fruit framed by polished tannins and succulent acids. In its elegant, generous style, it's reminiscent of a modern-day version of the brilliant 1990.

One of the Médoc's southernmost and most precocious sites, La Lagune occupies two domes of fine gravel, some 1.5 meters deep, that becomes sandier in the vineyard's lower-lying sectors. The trend when replanting has been for Cabernet Sauvignon to displace Merlot on the prime sectors of the vineyard, and farming is organic (certified from 2020 on), with cover crops and less frequent mechanical cultivation than in the past. Winemaking is classical, with gentle pump-overs, and the press wine is carefully selected before inclusion. In the cellar, maturation occurs with some 50% new oak. The result is a rather sensual, seamless wine, with plenty of fleshy charm and fine aging potential, and the 2019 has turned out extremely well.

 Drink Date: 2025 - 2055

Jamessuckling.com | JS 95
Published: Feb 20, 2022

Plenty of chocolate, tobacco and blackcurrant character on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins that are polished and present. Long and intense. This is rather tight and mouth-puckering. Give it time to soften. Very structured. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2025.

Chateau-lalagune.com

Appreciated and recognized since the 18th Century, enchanting by its aromatic sincerity
and the grain of its texture, La Lagune has always benefied from a « côte d’amour ».

Historically, La Lagune wines are fine and elegant, harmonious and balanced. It is this very special terroir that expresses itself in the wines of La Lagune, shaped by the climate of the vintage.

This gravelly hillside gives the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot a unique balance of power and elegance. The vitality of the fruit endows the wine with an aristocratic finesse, infusing its velvety texture and profound character, reflecting the estate’s rich ecosystem.

Lovers of La Lagune will find, with each passing vintage, the same personality that has always made the estate’s wines so famous.

WINE BLEND :
65% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot

In 1855, La Lagune joined the very strict circle of Grands Crus Classés and became the 3rd Grand Cru Classé. On the road to the Médoc, it represents the first and one of the most beautiful gravelly hilltops. The story begins in 1525, around the natural water points where the «village of La Lagune» was built, and transformed into a wine-producing estate around 1587. The Chartreuse was built in 1730 and completed by Baron Victor Louis, architect of the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux.
Since her arrival in 2000, Caroline Frey and her team have instilled an energy whose key word is excellence. The making of a great wine requires a great terroir but also the passion and skills of the men and women, in the care of every detail. Finesse, harmony, elegance and balance express themselves wonderfully through this 3rd Grand Cru Classé.

SITUATION / TERROIR
AGE OF THE VINES: from 20 to 60 years old
SOIL GEOLOGY: THE FINESSE OF THE GRAVES AND THE STRENGTH OF THE MÉDOC. The terroir of La Lagune is considered by the famous geologist René Pijassou as «the Medoc island model». The light gravel (pink, yellow and white quartz, calcite, agates) and silica diffuse the sunlight and help to give the Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot the grace, balance and finesse that characterise the wines of La Lagune.
VINEYARD MANAGEMENT: Double Guyot / Medoc pruning
VINE DENSITY: 6,666 vines/ha and 10,000 vines/ha.

WEATHER CONDITIONS AND PHENOLOGY
The winter of 2019 is characterised by temperatures within the seasonal norms with very little rainfall. The first buds opened at the end of March, and growth was slow and regular. At the end of May, we see the first flowers on the old Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon vines. The good weather sets in at the beginning of July. The véraison starts at the end of July and ends in mid-August. September arrived and ripening continued with healthy vineyards and good quality grapes.

HARVEST DATE: 18 SEPTEMBER TO 09 OCTOBER 2019
HARVEST
The grapes are picked by hand and then transported to the vat room in small crates. The date of harvest is determined for each plot after numerous tastings of the grapes and additional analytical controls.
AGEING
Château La Lagune is aged in French oak barrels, 50% of which are renewed every year. The wines are racked several times during their maturation, in order to eliminate the large lees and favour maturation on fine lees.
GENTLE WINEMAKING
After a very meticulous triple manual sorting, completed by an optical sorting, the most beautiful berries are delicately sent to the vats for the plot vinification. The extraction of tannins and anthocyanins is carefully measured to obtain the most elegant wines. The final blend is made during the ageing process with the wines from the best parcels