Château Lalande Borie

Not far from the village of Saint Julien Beychevelle, between the chateaux Lagrange, Talbot and Gruaud Larose, is the Château Lalande Borie. As its name indicates, it is the Borie family that owns it, as well as the prestigious Château Ducru- Beaucaillou (Second Cru Classé of Saint-Julien in 1855) or its less famous little brother, Château Lagrange (Third Cru Classé of Saint Julien). Chateau Lalande Borie was independently classified Cru Bourgeois, until it was attached to Ducru-Beaucaillou in 2018.

Saint-Julien, between history and terroir

It all began in 1970 when Jean-Eugène Borie bought about twenty hectares of vines on the Lalande terroir, a name to which he added his patronymic. Since then, several generations have succeeded each other, each in their own style. Today it is the talented Bruno Borie who manages the family's estates. His talent coupled with the advice of the famous Bordeaux oenologist-consultant Eric Boissenot magnify the vintage year after year.

The poor soils of the estate are ideal for growing vines. A layer of gravel covers the clay subsoil, and thus gives the wines power, finesse and concentration of aromas. The grape variety is rather classical for the Left Bank of Bordeaux: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The 25 hectares of vineyards of Lalande-Borie are used by Bruno Borie as a place of experimentation, like an open-air laboratory. The most successful experiments are then introduced to the two Classified Growths of the family, Ducru-Beaucaillou and Lagrange.

The wines of Lalande-Borie

The wines of the estate are archetypal of the Saint-Julien appellation. The vinification takes place in stainless steel tanks to preserve a maximum of fruitiness in the wines. Then the best are selected, blended and aged in 225L Bordeaux barrels (between 20% and 30% new wood). The result: wines are concentrated and intense with aromas of red fruits, roasted notes (coffee, smoke) and spices. Complex and long in the mouth, the blend sublimely combines the suppleness of Merlot with the power of Cabernet Sauvignon.

You can indeed find on the market Lalande-Borie wines from the 1970 to 2018 vintage. If the first vintages are rare, the most recent ones present an exceptional quality-price ratio in Bordeaux, and offer to the tasting all that a Saint-Julien can promise. They will be a treat with a smoked duck breast and chestnut sauce.

From Lalande Borie to Petit Ducru

In 2019, the rows of vines, then dedicated to the production of Château Lalande Borie wines, are attached to its illustrious big brother: the Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. The first wine Chateau Lalande Borie then became the third wine: Le Petit Ducru de Ducru- Beaucaillou. The blends and winemaking techniques are almost unchanged: only the name is! For the sake of simplification and readability within the Bordeaux vineyard... This certainly rich, but, it must be admitted, sometimes complex country of the Crus.