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Location: Chateau Lagrange is located in the Saint Julien commune in the Bordeaux region of France. Lagrange neighbors the 2nd growth property, Chateau Gruaud-Larose.
Classification: Chateau Lagrange was classified as a 3rd growth in the 1855 Classification of the Medoc Region of France.
Size: Just over 279 acres (113 hectares) of the Chateau's property are under vines.

Vineyards: This is the largest single vineyard of a classified growth in the Medoc. This is different from some Chateaux that have larger vineyard areas but are comprised of multiple, non-contiguous pieces of property. The vineyards of Chateau Lagrange are comprised mostly of gravel deposits mixed with lesser amounts of sand and clay. The plantings are composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. The planting density exceeds 3400 vines per acre. The average age of the vines is approximately 30 years old.

History: Chateau Lagrange has had a 'roller-coaster' history. It has been known since the early 1600s and by 1824 was producing approximately 12,000 cases of wine each year. In 1842, the current owner was Count Duchatel who had been a minister in the French court. The Count increased the size of Chateau Lagrange as well as the production levels. Total production increased by 250% from the 1824 numbers. To the Count's credit, as the quantity increased, the quality improved. Chateau Lagrange was recognized at the time as one of the most progressive and technologically advanced properties in the Medoc. A significant improvement came from his decision to install drainage pipes in many areas of the Chateau's vineyards. The drainage project had a significant impact on the quality of the grapes that the property produced. Count Duchatel's efforts were rewarded when Chateau Lagrange was accorded a ranking as a 3rd Growth in the 1855 Classification of the Medoc.

Unfortunately, the next 125 years marked a period of decline in presige, quality and size for Chateau Lagrange. There were many owners in that period and none of them were able to reverse the march to mediocrity. During the time up until 1983, the loss of quality caused loss of income and required the sale of outlying vineyard plots. The balance of grape variety plantings became very bad by the end of this time. The general conditions in the vineyards, the winemaking facilities and living quarters became so poor that only a massive effort could revive this very sick Chateau.

In 1983, Chateau Lagrange was purchased by Suntory of Japan. As the largest drinks conglomerate in Japan, Suntory had the resources to bring Lagrange back to the level of quality that it was capable of producing. The revitalization of the property was put in the hands of Marcel Ducasse. During the decade following the purchase of the chateau by Suntory, Ducasse replanted most of the vineyards, replaced all the barrels, repaired or rebuilt the buildings on the property, brought the winemaking equipment and techniques up to modern standards and created a new wine 'style' for Chateau Lagrange. An entirely new winery was built and ready for the 1985 vintage. Given that so many of the vineyards were replanted, the wines of the early 21st century continue to improve and gain complexity as the vines mature.

Harvest and Vinification: All harvesting is done by hand as is required by regulation in the appellation. Selected clusters are harvested and are hand sorted before entering the winery to ensure the quality of the fruit that is finally used to produce the wine. The harvest and subsequent fermentation are separated according to grape variety, vineyard parcel and age of the vines. Fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks that were installed when the new winery was built in 1984 and 1985. Blending of the component wines into the final blend takes place after fermentation. The 'grand vin' (the primary wine of the chateau) is aged in oak barrels (55% new each year) for 18 to 20 months. When the aging is finished

Style: The rejuvinated Chateau Lagrange has a classic Medoc style that is continuing to evolve as the vines mature. The wines are full and rich with a strong tannic structure and accents of cherry, black currants and cedar. The wines are accessible in thier youth but the influence of the oak barrels may seem a bit heavy until the wines have a few years of age. Depending on the vintage, you are best advised to wait from 8 to 15 years before consuming these wines (assuming proper storage).

Second Wine: Les Fiefs de Lagrange is a second red wine from the estate that was first released with the 1985 vintage. It is made generally from younger vines. In some vintages, Les Fiefs de Lagrange has represented more than 60% of the total wine production of the Chateau.
There is also a white wine from Chateau Lagrange called Les Arums de Lagrange. The white wine represents less than 3% of the total estate's production in most vintages.