The 2015 la Lagune was a wine that left me perplexed out of barrel despite tasting it two or three times back in April 2016. Now in bottle, I am more optimistic, although I still have a nagging feeling that it could have been even better. It remains relatively sultry compared to its peers, with a subtle floral note accompanying the tar and cedar-infused black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied and balanced, although I maintain that it would have benefited from more substance. For sure, there is a sense of energy here, but it is a La Lagune that plays it safe; it could have striven for greater things (as it subsequently did in 2016)

| Neil Martin