The 2014 Lagrange is gorgeous. Scents of iron, smoke, cedar and licorice open up in a wine that shows the more powerful, virile side of the year. A wine of breath and amplitude, the 2014 Lagrange is wonderfully expressive today. Red plum, cherry jam, smoke and tobacco are some of the notes that build to the voluptuous finish.

This is a classic St.-Julien with red fruit and delicate herbs on the nose. The oak is quite discreet both there and on the mid-weight body. Then the serious but rather elegant dry tannins come through on the long finish. Drink in 2022.

The 2014 Lagrange has indeed pulled its socks up, as I opined when I tasted the wine from barrel. Now in bottle, it has a conservative, tertiary nose with introverted black fruit mixed with cedar and sandalwood aromas. It feels tight at the moment but there is satisfying focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin on the entry, though the Merlot component becomes more prominent towards the finish and offers a lovely fleshy, poised finish with a dab of black pepper on the aftertaste. Modest but stylish Lagrange, which is exactly what you expect.