Cellar Favorite: 1949 Lagrange (Saint-Julien)

BY NEAL MARTIN | OCTOBER 27, 2025

What is the most important factor that determines the quality of a mature claret, or indeed, any bottle that has witnessed a lengthy passage of time? Producer? Vintage? Vineyard? Bottle size?

Based on empirical evidence, none of the above. The answer is provenance. Storage condition is the most important determinant underlying quality. I would rather drink an impeccably cellared Cru Bourgeois than a First Growth of doubtful provenance.

This brings me to a magnum of 1949 Château Lagrange recently served blind by winemaker Mathieu Bordes at the estate in Saint-Julien. Vintages preceding the Château’s acquisition by Suntory in 1983 are as rare as hens’ teeth. Bottles were almost entirely consumed in their youth because, unlike Lagrange’s Saint-Julien peers, the wines of this era were not esteemed like they are today. Like so many, the vineyard had withered during the economic malaise of the 1930s. Owner Manuel Cendoya was unable to manage a large estate, prone to releasing the wine under secondary marques that besmirched its reputation. Quite simply, Lagrange struggled until it fell under Japanese ownership.

Nevertheless, it is a privilege to visit this era of one of the Left Bank’s most significant Grand Cru Classés. This magnum was one of eight that had spent its entire life in the private reserve of the “Pope of French gastronomy,” the late Paul Bocuse. This provenance elevated what I suspect was a fairly mediocre wine upon release into something quite delicious. Showing modest bricking on the rim, the 1949 Lagrange is clear in colour. There are faint touches of swimming pool on the nose, a signature of the 1961 vintage, though this feels older. Vestiges of black fruit commingle with Japanese nori and black olive tapenade, exhibiting the coolness often found with 1949 and not, say, the sweeter 1947s. The palate is not terribly complex, but nevertheless it is balanced and full of freshness and charm. Light in terms of grip with moderate length, this has clearly faded over the last few years, but as I mentioned, provenance has upheld vitality and cohesion. If anything, the wine actually improves in the glass. (Bordes reported that the remaining contents were shared with the winemaking team the following day, and it had not deteriorated). Whilst not amongst the highest echelon of 1949 Bordeaux that I have encountered, this represents everything I love about mature claret, proving once again the importance of sourcing and storage. 90/Drink 2025-2035.

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