Chateau La Lagune Haut Medoc Bordeaux, Complete Guide

Learn everything about Chateau La Lagune Haut Medoc, Third Growth with wine tasting notes, and wine with food pairing tips. Learn the best vintages, the history of the property, and information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau La Lagune History, Overview

Chateau La Lagune has a long history that dates all the way back to the 16th century, under King Henri IV. This was at the same time the Dutch engineers began the modern age for Bordeaux when they started draining the water from the marshes and swamps. The beautiful, classically styled chateau took decades to build, with construction beginning in about 1715, and finishing in 1734.

The chateau was designed by the architect, Baron Victor Louis, who earned fame for his design of the Grand Theater in Bordeaux. By 1730, Chateau La Lagune was already known for producing Bordeaux wine. The property remained under the ownership of the well-known de Seze family for several generations.

Jumping ahead a few centuries to the modern era, during the 1950s, Chateau La Lagune experienced problems caused by the end of World War 2, along with the economic crisis. Plus there was the great frost of 1956, which destroyed a large portion of the vineyards in Bordeaux.

In 1958, when George Brunet purchased Chateau La Lagune, only 5 hectares remained planted with vines! It was George Burnet that began a serious program of replanting Chateau La Lagune.

During the tenure of George Burnet, he increased the size of vineyards by purchasing the neighboring Petit La Lagune vineyard. Burnet also brought back the name of Chateau La Lagune, which in the 1950s, was sold as Grand La Lagune.

However, George Brunet also took an economic hit during that era and was forced to sell Chateau La Lagune to the Ducellier family of Champagne Ayala in 1962.

Chateau La Lagune The Modern Age

In late, 1999, both Chateau La Lagune and Champagne Ayala were sold to the Frey family. The Frey family sold Champagne Ayala and bought the legendary estate of Jaboulet in the Rhone, which of course includes the crown jewel of the region, Jaboulet La Chapelle. 2000 was the first vintage for the Frey family at La Lagune. Caroline Frey assumed control of Chateau La Lagune in 2004.

Aside from their interests in Bordeaux and in Hermitage in the Northern Rhone Valley, the Frey family is also substantial, but not a majority shareholder in the Champagne house of Billecart-Salmon. In 2014, the Frey family bought Chateau de Corton Andre and its 7 hectares of vines in the Cote de Beaune area of Burgundy.

Caroline Frey is the manager of Chateau La Lagune, as well as their estate in Hermitage, Jaboulet. In November 2013, La Lagune purchased the 8.9-hectare estate of Chateau D’Arche, from Mahler Besse. Chateau D’Arche is located in the commune of Ludon, not from La Lagune.

This purchase made more than economic sense for the property, as the vines were once part of La Lagune when the original 1855 Classification took place. Caroline Frey is interested in more than wine. The fashionable Frey is quite the accomplished horse showjumper, with many medals, trophies, and ribbons to her credit.

Chateau La Lagune Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The La Lagune vineyard is planted to 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot. The sizeable 90-hectare vineyard of Chateau La Lagune usually has 85 hectares of vines planted. 5 hectares are often fallow, waiting for replanting. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel and sand soils. The estate however is much larger, covering 150 hectares. Much of that land is devoted to verdant parkland and forests.

The best parts of the vineyard are found on the plateau of their 4, sloping gravel, hillsides. The peak elevation on the slopes reaches 15 meters. As you might expect, the concentration of the gravel is at the top of the slopes. You find more sand as travel further down the hills onto the flats.

They also maintain parcels they purchased in 1964, which are located due east, which is gravel and sand over clay soils. Compared with their neighbors, they have a slightly warmer-micro climate, allowing them to be one of the earlier estates to finish harvesting.

In 2004, the estate began experimenting with organic farming on one parcel of vines. Starting in 2008, Chateau La Lagune began a program of Massal selection allowing them to propagate their vineyards with their own material that comes from their best vines.

On average, the vines are maintained at more than 40 years of age. The oldest vines are their Petit Verdot. Some of those vines are more than 80 years old. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 6,666 vines per hectare. Although the density can vary, some plantings located in Cussac, close to St. Julien are at 10,000 vines per hectare.

To compensate for the lower levels of vine density, they use a higher level of trellising than you find in other vineyards, which helps aid in photosynthesis and helps reduce yields. The vineyard is farmed using 100% organic farming techniques.

Chateau La Lagune earned its certification for organic farming practices starting with the 2016 vintage. They are also certified Biodyvin as well.

To produce the wine of Chateau La Lagune, the wine is fermented in a total of 72 different, temperature-controlled, stainless steel vats that vary in size from 22 hectoliters to 200 hectoliters to allow for parcel-by-parcel vinification.

The vats are laid out in a functional and architecturally interesting pattern. Malolactic fermentation takes place in vat. The wine is blended before the aging process begins. This is similar to what takes place at Chateau Haut Brion. The wine is aged in between 50% and 60% new French, oak barrels for 18 months before bottling.

Chateau La Lagune has produced 2 different wines in small quantities blending Syrah from the Northern Rhone Valley with Cabernet Sauvignon from their vineyards.

In 2010, they released Evidence, a wine that is made from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Syrah coming from vines they own in Crozes-Hermitage. They also produce one barrel each year, blending Syrah from Jaboulet La Chapelle with Cabernet Sauvignon from La Lagune, calling it Duo. The wine is bottled only in large formats and is sold primarily at an auction. Both wines are labeled as Vin de France.

There is a second wine, Moulin de La Lagune, making its debut in 1998. There is also a third wine, Mademoiselle L, which comes from 30 hectares of vines planted in the Haut Medoc appellation. Denis Dubourdieu was their long-time consultant. On average, Chateau La Lagune produces between 18,000 and 20,000 cases of Bordeaux wine per vintage.

Chateau La Lagune Character and Style

Chateau La Lagune produces a refined, feminine style of wine that offers aromatic complexity and elegant textures. Even though the chateau is located in the Haut Medoc appellation, the wine could easily be confused with a Margaux wine in blind tastings.

Most vintages do not require years before the wine matures. 2005 was the first vintage since 1990 that brought attention back to the property for its beautiful style of Bordeaux wine and a contender for the top wine of the Haut Medoc appellation.

Chateau La Lagune remains popular with consumers not just for its charming style, but for its friendly, pricing policy.

The best vintages of Chateau La Lagune are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2010, 2009, 2005, 2000, 1990, 1989 and 1982. Older vintages of Chateau La Lagune should be approached with caution.

When to Drink Chateau La Lagune, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau La Lagune needs some time before it can be enjoyed. Young vintages can be decanted for about 2 hours. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Chateau La Lagune is usually better with at least 6-9 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau La Lagune offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 7-25 years of age after the vintage.

Serving and Decanting Chateau La Lagune with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

Chateau La Lagune is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. The wine of Chateau La Lagune is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes.

Chateau La Lagune is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms and pasta as well as cheese.

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