The Japanese are world-renowned for excelling in their craft — and wine is no exception. Deep in Bordeaux you can get a taste of Japanese craftsmanship at a French winery where east meets west.
Château Lagrange is a Grand Cru Classé estate with roots dating back to the 16th century. Nestled in the heart of the Médoc’s Saint-Julien appellation, the 118-hectare vineyard located on a single block around the château remains unchanged since the 1855 classification. It’s one of the region’s most geologically diverse vineyards with 17 distinct soil types. The flagship wine, Château Lagrange Grand Vin, is a Third Classified Growth blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.
Château Lagrange embodies mindful winemaking with sustainable certifications. Responsible practices include biodiversity regeneration, optical sorting, minimized water usage, plot-by-plot vinification, and solar panels.
Photo via Château Lagrange
But, what makes the centuries-old estate in the famed French wine region distinctive is how it blends Japanese craftsmanship with French wine customs. Since 1983 it’s been owned by the iconic Japanese Suntory Group (yes, that 100-year old Japanese whisky brand). The estate is deeply rooted in Japanese work ethic, reverence for mastery, and a mission “to make the best wine from this terroir.”
The cross-cultural influence is apparent throughout the estate. Visiting Château Lagrange offers wine lovers a unique way to experience Bordeaux’s wine heritage with a Japanese twist. While the Château is stunning, what makes it stand apart from the dozens of similar castles in the region is the surrounding bamboo forest – a nod to the Japanese heritage of the ownership.
Guest rooms at the château offer minimal Japanese chic furnishings, and the main house where private meals are served features traditional Japanese decor and art. Guests can opt to partake in hands-on Japanese-French fusion cookery lessons around a traditional teppanyaki.
Photo via Château Lagrange
Château Lagrange also offers guests a diverse array of immersive experiences including blind vertical and barrel wine tastings, vineyard tours in a vintage electric Citroën Méhari, and blending workshops. The most exciting time of the year to visit is when winemaker Matthieu Bordes invites folks to join the harvest.
The estate recently unveiled a limited-edition cuvée from its Heritage Collection. Sourced from historic parcels and bottled with the original château label, the magnum bottle of the 2023 vintage is packaged in a custom wooden case as a tribute to the winery’s legacy of centuries of elegance. As a nod to the Japanese Kigumi woodworking technique of constructing without nails, the box was created without any metal hinges or nails.
Photo via Château Lagrange
