An impressive performance by Lagrange, the 2000 possesses a saturated ruby/purple color with obvious notes of melted licorice, creme de cassis, and toasty new oak. This ripe, dense, full-bodied St.-Julien is chewy, thick, high in tannin, large-bodied, and impressively long and dense. As always, it is less expressive than some of its peers, but it is loaded as well as reasonably priced. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030.

The 2000 Lagrange is deep in color and sports a bouquet very similar to the bottle poured at the vertical, resplendent with blackberry, pencil box and a discreet ash scent. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, and maybe less brutish than the previous bottle, displaying more cohesion and less austerity on the finish. This is delightful and the best example that I have encountered.