Purity, juice and precision, with clear blackcurrant pastille fruit laced with liqourice, cocoa beans, smoked cedar and cigar box. This is excellent, with a sense of forward motion, carefully spliced fruit and well-handled slate-textured tannic grip. Enjoyed En Primeur and even more so now. 50% less volume than usual, 50% new oak. Eric Boissenot consultant.

Composed of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Lagrange is deep garnet-purple in color. It gallops out with energetic notes of fresh, juicy black currants and black cherries, leading to hints of tar, garrigue, espresso, and tapenade. The medium-bodied palate is taut with muscular fruit, supported by grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and fruity.

The 2020 Lagrange is the smallest production ever since each vine bestowed 4.2 bunches instead of 7 bunches per vines, plus the berries were small, ergo yield was just 26hL/ha. That's less than 2017 when they suffered frost! This year represents 38% of the crop. It has a delightful, precise bouquet, delineated with minerally black fruit, touches of sous-bois and a subtle marine/oyster shell influence. The palate is detailed and mineral-driven, very pure and harmonious, a mélange of red and black fruit, silky smooth with impressive depth. This is a quintessential Lagrange, very seductive and I bet it will be under-estimated by some people. Not me.