2014 Lalande Borie
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Tasting notes
The 2014 Lalande-Borie is one of those wines you want to give a gentle kick up the backside. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with this Saint Julien, but it seems to be coasting, not putting in the effort to please you or I. It offers light leafy, brambly red berry fruit on the nose, nicely defined but missing a little intensity. Likewise the palate is balanced and quite elegant, yet I was seeking more body and greater sense of energy on the finish. As such, I would be drinking this over the next seven or eight years, no longer.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2014 Lalande-Borie is an attractive, midweight Saint-Julien from Bruno Borie. Dark blue/purplish fruit, spice, lavender and licorice are all laced into the soft, refreshing finish. This is in a decidedly understated style, relative both to the vintage and to Borie's other 2014s. Tasted two times.
The 2014 Lalande-Borie is a good choice for drinking young, as it is already quite open, with lovely plumpness and juiciness throughout. New leather, spice, red plum and lavender overtones are woven into the super-expressive, inviting finish. This is a great introduction to proprietor Bruno Borie's 2014s. The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc.
About the producer
Second Growth estate Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou in Saint-Julien is one of the Super Seconds, an elite group of properties producing wines that regularly compete with the finest in the Médoc.