2018 Château Lagrange, Grand Cru Classé, Saint-Julien

A wine that straddles power and polish with effortless poise, the 2018 Château Lagrange is Saint-Julien at its most refined. The nose is a deep swirl of blackcurrant, graphite, cedar and violets, with subtle layers of mocha and spice unfolding as it opens. The palate is beautifully structured — ripe, dark fruit woven through fine-grained tannins and lifted by a pulse of freshness that keeps it elegant despite its power. Glossy, concentrated and wonderfully complete, it’s the kind of claret that doesn’t need to shout to make its presence known.

For when: dinner deserves a slow decant and a longer conversation.
Pairs with: roast beef, venison, or the perfect steak and frites.
If this wine were: a classic car, it’d be an Aston Martin DB5 — timeless, muscular, unmistakably refined.

Château Lagrange, classified as a Grand Cru Classé in 1855, sits at the heart of Saint-Julien and has long been admired for producing wines of precision and longevity. The estate’s 118 hectares are planted on deep gravel soils over clay and sand, a terroir that naturally delivers both structure and elegance. Under Japanese ownership (Suntory) since 1983 and with decades of meticulous investment in the vineyards and cellar, Lagrange has reasserted itself among the Médoc’s most consistent performers.

The blend in 2018 is typically dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, supported by Merlot and a small touch of Petit Verdot, aged in French oak (around 60% new). The warm, generous vintage brought intensity and ripeness, while Saint-Julien’s hallmark balance kept everything in check. The result: a seamless, modern classic — plush yet poised, powerful yet utterly composed — a wine with decades of graceful evolution ahead.