Les Fiefs de Lagrange, St. Julien (Bordeaux, France) 2008

  Les Fiefs, the second wine of Château Lagrange, is a consistently great bargain.  The 2008 is no exception.  Always fruitier and more approachable than Lagrange itself, the family resemblance is apparent with its elegance and grace.  Despite unusually high amount of Petit Verdot in the blend (14%), which lends an appealing concentration, the 2008 Les Fiefs still retains finesse of St. Julien and would not be confused with a New World fruit bomb.  Lovely now, it too, like the grand vin, will likely close down in a year or two, so drink it now or cellar it for five years or so. The 2008 is a particularly good buy.