The next time you taste a Yamazaki, remember – it's actually a peek into a 1980s French wine drama that turned out to be a smashing success story.

Château Lagrange is a prominent Troisièmes Cru (Third Growth) winery in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region. This week, their general manager and man-at-the-helm Matthieu Bordes is over in Singapore to conduct a tasting and masterclass. I signed up for it.

Walking into the Château Lagrange masterclass, I carried with me an unusual piece of trivia – the fact that this Bordeaux vineyard has long been a silent partner to Suntory's Yamazaki Distillery. The Japanese distillery matures its whisky in barrels once filled with Château Lagrange's wines: one essential component of every batch of Yamazaki Single malt as emphasised in Yamazaki’s Bordeaux Wine Cask edition. In fact, in 1983, the son of founder Shinjiro Torii, and then-President Mr Keizo Saji pulled the trigger on Suntory’s purchase of the vineyard for over 50 million francs.

The French-Japanese connection in itself was an interesting link to explore – what was the relationship between a Bordeaux wine estate and an Osaka whisky-maker on the other side of the world?

The story of Château Lagrange began much before Suntory came into the picture. While the exact date of the vineyard's establishment is unknown, the estate's history dates back to at least the Middle Ages, when it got its name from the Noble House of Lagrange Monteil.

It wasn't until the 19th century that it began gaining reputation for the quality of its wine under the ownership of Count Dûchatel, a Minister of the French royal court. He brought about significant improvements, including drainage of the land. This seemingly trivial detail today was an innovation of the time and quickly improved the quality of the vineyard.

The estate did not perform so well in the mid-20^th century when it came under the ownership of the Spanish Cendoya family. Although it had been designated a third-class grand cru, the Cendoyas allowed the vineyard to deteriorate so badly that the label was said to become an embarrassment to neighbouring Saint-Julien chateaus. By 1982, the vineyard was in shambles.

Rather than being treated with suspicion by the French, Suntory was allowed to enter the picture with a promise to the French government it would revitalise the estate. For “cultural reasons” it needed the government’s permission to purchase the vineyard - more on that later.

Suntory pumped in close to $30 million Euros – or 3 times the price it purchased the estate for to replant the prestige cabernet sauvignon variety, install modern digitalised fermentation equipment and obtain better oak aging casks.

“The Suntory takeover and subsequent renovation of Chateau Lagrange has been done with tact, taste and intelligence,” said Clive Coates, a British wine critic, who labelled Suntory as the “saviour of Lagrange.” He went on: “The resulting transformation in the wine’s quality has been swift and dramatic.”

Returning to the present, speaking at this fascinating masterclass was Matthieu Bordes, the head winemaker and General Manager of Château Lagrange. A far cry from the stuffy stereotype of a Bordeaux vintner that I had in my mind, Matthieu was a refreshing blend of funny and unassuming. His stories, bursting with friendly rivalry with his neighbouring estates and simple language to describe how he meticulously sorted of grapes at the vineyard, made the highbrow process of Bordeaux winemaking feel very personal and relatable to us in Asia.

Pre-1983 wines from Château Lagrange weren’t too good, opined Matthieu candidly. The post-Suntory transformation, Matthieu explained, wasn't just about upgrading physical infrastructure but refocusing on the quality of their wines. Even if it meant incurring short-term losses, Suntory’s President Mr Keizo Saji gave the Château the mandate to select only the best parcels for their grand vin (the Château Lagrange-labelled wine range). The result was a marked improvement in the quality of their offerings.

When I asked Matthieu about the wine barrels used for Suntory’s whiskies, Matthieu proudly replied “every year we sell 800 used wine barrels to Suntory – every Yamazaki you see – the 12 years, the 18 years, would contain some whisky aged in our wine barrels.”

“But doesn’t Suntory own Château Lagrange?” someone asked. “Ah we sell for cheap – 50 euros per barrel,” said Matthieu. There was a short pause in the crowd, as if it contemplated if retail customers too, could purchase Bordeaux wine barrels to make into chic coffee tables.

Château Lagrange has several faces. The grand vin, the one that bears the Château Lagrange name, is, of course, the star of the show – consisting of a larger proportion of the prestige Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, known for its good structure, robustness and balanced tannins. But there's more to the lineup.

Common practice in Bordeaux estates is to have a second wine, a smart way to ensure that only the highest quality grapes make their way into the grand vin. This role falls to Les Fiefs de Lagrange, generally made from the vineyard's younger vines and parcels that didn’t meet the quality standards of the grand vin (this is not to say that it is in itself a bad wine). But Château Lagrange has yet another second red wine label - Pagus de Lagrange that was introduced in more recent decades, which is made from a higher proportion of Merlot grapes.

Then, in a twist, there's Les Arums de Lagrange, a white wine. This is an unusual offering today given that the Saint-Julien appellation is predominantly known for its reds. According to the winemaker, this isn’t out of the ordinary when we look further back in time. While they are better known for their red wines, historically, a large number of Chateaux in the Médoc region also produced refreshing white wines for their own consumption or guest receptions. Château Lagrange had been part of this custom, and more recently in 1996 revived this practice of making some white wine.

So we began our exploration through the estate's varied portfolio.

Les Arums de Lagrange 2021; Pagus de Lagrange 2019 

Beginning with the Les Arums de Lagrange 2021, this was a refreshing white made with 62% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Sauvignon Gris and 27% Sémillon, and barrel-aged for 6 months.

This has a great deal of lively acidity felt on the nose, a recognisable Sauv Blanc quality. Slightly briny and mineral too. The palate has a nice oily texture and is once again full of citrus fruits, light passion fruits and perhaps some grape fruits. Slightly hammy too. Overall this has a certain richness and depth, perhaps something to do with the cask aging – no notes of vanilla here as is found in oaked Chardonnay.

Next up is the Pagus de Lagrange 2019 – made with 67% Melot and 33% Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s okay-ish, just perhaps a little light on the palate for my taste. Rich vanilla, black cherries, blackberries and blueberries on the nose. The palate has much of the same notes with a touch of savouriness and light rose notes, with a very short finish.

Les Fiefs de Lagrange 2009 (and why a second vin matters)

Next, the Les Fiefs de Lagrange 2009, the estate's established second vin, a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot.

Now, the significance of a second vin lies not in its taste, but the fact that the winery uses a stricter selection for its Grand vin. This second wine was actually introduced in 1983 after the winery was bought over by Suntory and instructed to improve the reputation of Château Lagrange.

Nosing and tasting it, it’s not bad. This is much thicker and richer than the Pagus, and same bunch of black fruits but it’s more fresh and mintier on the nose. The palate has black fruits too, carried with more density and a presence of spices.

Château Lagrange 2016, 2009, 2006, 1996 and 1986

The following five wines were all Château Lagrange vintages, each a unique snapshot of a particular year. These were the stalwarts of the tasting session, with Cabernet Sauvignon being the backbone of the wines.

First up is the C.L. 2016, a marked step-up from the Fiefs and a well-known vintage to have produced exceptional St. Julien wines due to the weather.

On the nose, rich but very fresh too – a personality previewed in the Fiefs. Classic Cab Sav profile of ripe black cherry and blackcurrant, adding complexity to this berry medley are more liquorice and slight earthiness.

The palate has smooth tannins and well-rounded flavours. Flavours mirror to the bold fruit aromas picked up on the nose, but in the finish, the tannins interweave with the vibrant fruit, giving the wine structure without any rough edges.

A clean and undistracted taste with the absence of any vegetal aromas.

Next up, the C.L. 2009, which is my favourite of the whole bunch! The nose is once again dominated by rich black fruits and liquorice, then a subtle whiff of vanilla and and cigar adding complexity and depth.

Palate really shines harmony, balance and brightness. Once again a medley of blackberry, blackcurrant, recurring note of liquorice, but this time much brighter, riper and fruitier. The long and lingering finish has undertones of truffles and a lingering note of cedar oak.

The silkiness of the tannins is on another level, a velvety texture that is noticeably softer and less mouth-puckering than previous reds.

Admittedly, according to Matthieu, the C.L. 2006 is not their best vintage, and this shows on the rougher, slightly harsher tannins especially when contrasted with the 2009. But this didn’t really bother me as a heavy cask-strength whisky and rum drinker, my palate is probably as numbed as regular eaters of Chinese Ma La hotpot. Also, a very rich structure laden with heavy notes of black fruits, more notes of mint and eucalyptus. Yes, the tannins are significantly sharper here, pricking the back of your throat in the finish.

The C.L. 1996 is incredibly different in nosing, from all the other reds. It shows with a tint of orange and a ton of tertiary notes on the nose, both of which suggest a well-aged wine. Then again, I don’t know what to think of it because it honestly smells like the smoking manure of a horse that had eaten a whole bunch of sweet cherries.

The nose is dominated by a thick oakiness, burnt cigar notes, cherries and manure. It is a rare wine but the nose is not my cup of tea to be frank.

It’s a whiplash for me because the palate is very pleasant and complex. Smooth, velvety and thick with gently unfolding notes of red fruits – cherries, currants, raspberries, held up by a just as present tartness of plums that add a fresh liveliness, before turning to a light lactic sourness of yoghurt, then depths of oak and vanilla that gradually fade in the finish.

Finally, we ended our journey with a trip back in time to the early days of Château Lagrange’s revival, savouring a C.L. 1986.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the nose for me is that it reminds me of a fine port. Rich and syrupy, it exudes an inviting warmth that's irresistibly inviting. And then it reveals a gentle waft of resin, spice, tobacco and a slight peatiness that lends an almost ashy character, unusual for a Bordeaux but undeniably intriguing.

The palate continues the narrative from the nose. Black fruits, spices and slightly more astringency than the 1996. Quite peaty and smoky - qualities often associated with a Scotch whisky, yet it works. The unusual notes harmonise beautifully with the wine's inherent character, adding a unique dimension to the tasting experience.

The finish is a satisfying epilogue, with brightness of grape juice, persisting notes of tobacco, and a finish that becomes slightly drying, offering a nice counterpoint to the earlier syrupy sweetness.

With this peatiness, this is an intriguing paradox of a wine that would undoubtedly appeal to whisky lovers.

Musings on Suntory’s French connection

Here's the thing. When you sign up for a wine masterclass, you expect to swirl a few glasses, sniff and taste stuff that prick your senses in a certain way. And maybe - just maybe - pretend to know what wine experts mean when they say this wine tastes “austere” or “has great precision”. But in this session with Matthieu Bordes? It was like tumbling down a rabbit hole straight into the heart of Bordeaux's historic wine drama.

Suntory’s purchase of Château Lagrange in 1983 is historically significant for triggering a Japanese foray into French wine in the late 1980s. This led to the purchase of five different wine chateaux in late 1980s by various Japanese food and real estate conglomerates. Terms like “enological xenophobia” popped up more than once. You could practically taste the concern over cherished winemaking traditions being tossed out with the grape skins.

But it didn’t take long for the French to realise that these Japanese people weren’t economic animals. As demonstrated by Suntory’s affair with Château Lagrange, this was a high school romance that actually worked out. They pumped in investment, jazzed up the place, and, wouldn't you know it, the quality of the wines immediately improved. Before long, even the most sceptical Bordeaux purists had to admit Suntory saved their cherished Bordeaux winemaker.

Alcohol truly transcends cultures. The next time you sample a Yamazaki Bordeaux Wine Cask Edition with its unmistakable berry sweetness and a French oak spiciness, remember – this is a cheeky peek into a French wine drama of the 1980s that turned out to be a smashing success story. 

@CharsiuCharlie