Château Lagrange

Château Lagrange is a Troisième Grand Cru Classé winery, the third level of the Bordelais winery classification. Located near Saint-Julien, it has belonged to the Suntory wine group since 1983. The estate was advised by oenologist Jacques Boissenot, currently by his son Eric. 

Château Lagrange - Bordeaux at its best

Wine was grown here as early as Roman times and in the Middle Ages. There are fragmentary sources about the Templars, who owned two vineyards in the area and merged them to form the predecessor of today's Château. However, the golden age of the estate does not begin until 1790 with Jean-Valère Cabarrus, an influential merchant who invests in Lagrange while opening up a large distribution network for it.

It is he who has the iconic Tuscan-style tower added to the chateau. Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the United States, visited France in 1785 and raved about Château Lagrange. in 1855, the Bordelais Grand Cru classification was introduced, with Lagrange receiving the 3rd degree. The owner at the time, Count Duchâtel and his wife, had already ensured high quality since acquiring it in 1842, using modern vinification methods at the time and expanding the land.

The acquisition by Suntory in 1983 triggered a wave of modernization at the estate, which included the overhaul of the cellar and dien complete restoration of the chateau. The viticulture itself was made more environmentally friendly, so that today Lagrange has become a modern, competitive winery that unapologetically lives up to its classification.

Everything in one place

The vineyards extend in a block around the chateau and are thus located exclusively in the Saint-Julien appellation. The soils are clayey with high sand and iron content, on which rests a layer of gravel. Due to its location by the sea, the land is flat, with the highest elevation of the castle at 24 meters above sea level.

The total area is 182 hectares, 118 of which are planted with vines. The classic grape varieties Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot are grown, which produce the four wines of the house. These are

• Château Lagrange
• Les Fiefs de Lagrange
• La Haut-Médoc de Lagrange
• Les Arums de Lagrange

Harvesting is done exclusively by hand and many measures are taken to make the cultivation as little impact on the environment as possible.

Bordelais tradition at Lagrange

Aging at Château Lagrange takes place first in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for a period of 16-28 days, depending on the evolution of the wine. Aging then takes place in barriques of fresh French oak, 60% of which is new wood.  At 15°C, the wines now age for 20 months until they are ready for the connoisseur.

The wines of Château Lagrange regularly win prizes, they have already convinced the wine critic Robert Parker, who regularly awards points beyond the 91 mark.