Chateau La Lagune, Grand Cru Classe, Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, 2010, Red-wine from France

6,5 points

At Cave Croisette (https://avdwineandfood.net/2015/03/06/bistro-and-winebar-cave-croisette-cannes-2/) – one of the only places you can visit in Cannes – I recently have been advised to try a Chateau La Lagune. Since I haven’t been at the vinery (yet) I cannot report first hand – but drinking the wine is something special.

In addition it is always worth spending some time for researches if you enjoy some wine. 1176338_324964467638942_25234487_nLike the wind it appears that Chateau La Lagune is not only and obviously is a pretty well-known vinery of Bordeaux (Haut Médoc) but the proprietress is a lady named Caroline Frey (since 2000) who has an impressive reputation as oenologist. This said, there is a very personal tale behind as some of the largest and most famous vineries are not anymore in real private ownership but belong to funds or rich family offices. Passion is the human factor of good wine! Chateau La Lagune has its personal character, which very probably connected to the charisma of Caroline Frey.

The wine is smashing. Weightiness even in the real meaning of the word. Almost bombastic, certainly pompous. Phew! This wine is dry. Exquisit dry. And then a roller coaster for the sense of taste which isn’t too easy to summarize: sweat dark grapes, black currant, licorice, even a bit clove and something I would call sweet acerbity of quince. Peppery hot. Really an unbelievable aroma, truly heavy but very sophisticated, lot alcohol (14,5%!). 100% not a wine many men would expect from a woman, if I can say this.

If you are looking for some real opposite to a light and smart wine, take this! It has an enormous body although with a lot of ambitious but warm elegance and various facets. The finish is impressive and stays very long.

I would understand almost everybody who would say: this is too heavy or too much for me. This is for sure not a daily wine. It is something rather unique for Bordeaux which is also – very probably – reasoned by the large proportion of Merlot (30%).

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Whatever! I like it and recommend it!

Actually almost only lamb has a strong enough individual taste which will resist I can say so.

As always, even this vintage now gets into its sixth year, I would endorse it to keep the wine for some more years in the cellar. It can only get better!

There is a very – supricently – modest webpage: http://www.chateau-lalagune.com/.

In addition there is an interview with Caroline Frey which provides a lot of information about her, her family and the wine of them: http://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2013/07/q-and-caroline-frey-chateau-la-lagune-bordeaux