Community Tasting Notes 37

• forceberry wrote: 94 points

  May 18, 2023 - A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (31%) and Petit Verdot (9%). Aged for approximately 20 months in oak barriques (approx. 50% new). 12,5% alcohol.
  
  Deep, quite dark black cherry color with a slightly evolved pomegranate hue. The brooding, slightly evolved nose feels nuanced with slightly sweet-toned aromas of pipe tobacco and wizened blackcurrants, some herbaceous leafy tones, a little bit of old leather, light ferrous nuances of blood, a hint of sous-bois and a touch of roasted bell pepper. The wine feels ripe, somewhat evolved and a bit rustic on the palate with a rather full body and complex flavors of wizened blackcurrants and fresh, slightly sour dark plums, some leathery tones, a little bit of bretty merde and stable floor, light autumnal nuances of earth, a herbaceous hint of leafy greenness and a touch of cooked bell pepper. The wine is pretty sinewy and muscular with its high acidity and still moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, complex and rather grippy with a savory aftertaste of wizened blackcurrants, some evolved notes of meaty umami, a little bit of tobacco, light leathery nuances, a rustic hint of horse stables and a touch of leafy greenness.
  
  An excellent, very harmonious and subtly rustic Saint-Julien that is slowly evolving towards its apogee. Tasting this next to the 1994 Les Fiefs de Lagrange, it became obvious what the difference was between the 1st wine and the 2nd label: while Les Fiefs was a lovely, evolved claret in its own right, it was obviously a lesser wine compared to the brooding power, more muscular structure and less evolved overall character of this Lagrange. As this Lagrange is still coming across as relatively youthful with only some tertiary qualities, I can see this easily at least keeping - if not evolving - for another decade or two. For a rather average Bordeaux vintage, this is great and pretty classically styled stuff. The wine got 5 points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on shared third place.

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• StefanAkiko wrote: 86 points

  November 24, 2022 - The color is perfectly mature Bdx in its younger window.
  The scent promises a leftbanked edge for good measure, with bdx earth, cedar, black currants, rich loam, fig leaves and a light presence of both ink and barnyard.
  
  In the mouth, however, this is pale. Unfortunately.
  Although the maturity is in place, much of the components known as gravitas, balance and depth are missing. An unripe green quality (like CF with rhubarb with bonus acidity) dominate the experience. Behaves on the whole like a pizza wine.: a splash of tannin and you can more or less easily keep it down after swallowing. Had it not also been delicious, well, then the score would probably have landed somewhere closer to 70...
  
  1994 was born after 1991, 1992 and 1993, which were all bad or worse. 1994 was therefore hailed as Gert Fylking's "Finally!" but has since mostly fallen into well-deserved oblivion. Of course there are some good wines and, yes, they are in the maturing window now... But, then came 1995 and 1996, which kind of saved the 90'ies.
  
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  Färgen är perfekt mogen Bdx i sitt yngre fönster.
  Doften lovar en vänsterstrandning av goda mått, med bdxjord, cederträ, svarta vinbär, rik mylla, fikonlöv och en lätt närvaro av både bläck och ladugård.
  I munnen är detta dock blekt. Tyvärr.
  Även om mognaden är på plats saknas mycket av vad rondör, balans och djup heter. En omoget grön kvalitet (som CF med rabarber) dominerar upplevelsen. Beter sig i det stora hela som ett pizzavin.: någon liten skvätt tannin och man slipper hurves. Hade det inte också varit gott, ja, då hade nog poängen landat någonstans närmre 70...
  
  1994 föddes ju efter 1991, 1992 och 1993 som alla var usla eller värre. 1994 haussades därför som Gert Fylkings "Äntligen!" men har sedermera mest fallit i välförtjänt glömska. Visst finns bra viner och, joo, de är i mognande fas nu... Men, sen kom 1995 och 1996 som liksom styrde upp och räddade seklet.
  
  Med ett aktuellt spotpris högre än 1985 Château Canon blir jag förvirrad... Varför köper inte alla 1985 Canon???

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• PSPatrick wrote: 89 points

  January 10, 2022 - Youthful medium ruby colour. Dark and red fruit, black currant, blackberry, dark cherry, plum, cedar, leather, tobacco, spices, light vegetal and light balsamic notes, with slightly pronounced acidity, mostly resolved tannin and very good length. Medium-bodied, barely ripe and a little green. Good complexity and balance, but only average concentration. Classic, and enjoyable, if more reminiscent of a classic, aged Cru Bourgeois than a classified growth. Drink now.

  Comment

• PSPatrick wrote: 89 points

  April 17, 2020 - This 1994 Lagrange is dark ruby in colour and has a classic St.-Julien profile: dark flowers, black currant, blackberry, dark cherry, plum, cedar, leather, tobacco, spices, earth, some coffee and some chocolate as well as vegetal and balsamic notes and a mineral component, with good acidity, mostly resolved tannin and good length. It is sweet on the entry yet a little green and slightly bitter on the finish, without being disturbing (yet) since the fruit is still intact.
  
  The wine has good complexity and balance if only average concentration. It is more loosely structured and less concentrated and has a less expansive texture than better vintages, but extraction hasn't been forced and the wine has hence become a success in the context of the difficult vintage! I recommend drinking the wine now and over the next four to five years.

  1 person found this helpful Comment

• ONEFIVE Likes this wine:

  October 27, 2019 - Slight bricking at the edge, ruby core.
  Dried red fruit, leather, and herbaceous/earthy notes on the nose. Pleasant, but not overly expressive. Clean and focused.
  Just about medium weight on the palate, with grippy tannin and moderate acidity. There is still plenty of fruit to balance the slightly abrasive combination of acid and tannin.
  This is probably in its prime with another 5+ years to go before the fruit fades too far. A great wine from a tough vintage.

  Comment

Pro Reviews 2

Wine Definition

• Vintage 1994
• Type Red
• Producer Château Lagrange (St. Julien)
• Varietal Red Bordeaux Blend
• Designation n/a
• Vineyard n/a
• Country France
• Region Bordeaux
• SubRegion Médoc
• Appellation St. Julien

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 208 (52%)
• Consumed 195 (48%)

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