2021 Château La Lagune, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux

Pretty nose with what appears to be a good concentration of fruit. Pure and precise on the palate, the tannins smooth and rounded. Compact and harmonious with adequate mid-palate fruit and length on the finish. Bravo.

Drink 2027 - 2038

The 2021 La Lagune was picked from September 23 until October 12, from a biodynamically run vineyard due for certification in 2023, and matured in 50% new oak. It suffered a little frost damage at the beginning of the season but very little mildew. The Cabernet was deleafed and yields controlled 30hL/ha) in order to achieve ripeness. This has plenty of brambly red berry fruit on the nose, along with wild strawberry and tayberry; sous-bois and freshly rolled tobacco scents unfold with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly austere opening, modest depth, noticeable acidity and peppery red fruit toward the finish, which leaves a residual bitterness on the aftertaste. Maybe a little rustic after preceding vintages, this will just need to fill out during élevage.

Drink 2026 - 2045

A pretty middle-weight, the 2021 La Lagune offers up inviting aromas of sweet berries and plums mingled with hints of licorice, loamy soil, raw cocoa and cigar wrapper. Medium-bodied, ample and succulent, it's fleshy and seamless, with an ample core of fruit, bright acids and melting tannins. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot, it checks in at a modest 12.5% alcohol. Tasted four times, twice at the château.

Love the beautiful sappy blue fruit that runs through the glass here, and there is character and depth through the palate. Silful winemaking with a feeling of precision, and an impressive tannic frame that holds things in place even while the fresh acidities splice through the fruit and brings things to a finish a little abruptly. 30hl/h yield. Tasted twice.

Drink 2026 - 2040