Château Lalande-Borie: Tasting & Drinking
The vineyards of Château Lalande-Borie sit to the west of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, and although this is only a very short distance the fact this estate is not situated on the very water’s edge does have an impact on the character and quality of the wines. From that point of view it seems appropriate that Jean-Eugène Borie took the decision to manage the estate as a separate entity. Indeed, today Bruno Borie takes this one step further at Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, the second wine La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou having also evolved into a sélection parcellaire, from vines at the western end of the estate again. This leaves the very best parcels, near the water, for the Château Ducru-Beaucaillou grand vin.
The wines tend to have a plump and less well-framed character than the top wines of the appellation, although this is something we see in all these more western and more minor estates. What is key to enjoying these wines is an appreciation of the supple character and fresh fruit. In good vintages these are wines with plush perfumed fruits, all damson and mulberry, with toasty edges and a rich, ripe structure. They certainly do not have the great length we will find with many of its neighbours, not the very precise frame, but they have accessibility and charm instead.
Sadly, for the moment, as I have already described, the estate has essentially been mothballed, the final vintage 2017. From 2018 onwards the fruit from this estate has been channelled into Le Petit Ducru de Ducru-Beaucaillou, the second wine of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. (31/3/16, updated 24/10/20)
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