James Suckling (92-93)

Perfumed and nicely polished second wine of Grand-Puy-Lacoste with pretty sandalwood, blackberry and currant notes. Some fresh herbs and mocha, too. Nicely framed with fleshy tannins. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot and 8% cabernet franc.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (91-94)

Yellow-gold color. Aromas of mirabelle, creme brulee, honey and spices, along with a faint fusel nuance. Dense, unctuous, powerful and complex; superripe and concentrated but with excellent acidity contributing structure and shape. Very long and sweetly oaky on the back end. This struck me as like a more powerful, gripping version of the '98.

Wine Spectator (95-100)

Wow. Unbelievable. Loads of lush spice and honey, with syrupy aromas. Full-bodied and superthick, with masses of fruit and a long, long finish. I have to buy some of this! Score range: 95-100

James Suckling (98-99)

This is really crazy. The layers of fruit to this and the sheer intensity are really superb. Full-bodied and very sweet yet energetic and focused. Dense and tight. Tasted it and said OMG right away!

James Suckling (98-99)

This is really crazy. The layers of fruit to this and the sheer intensity are really superb. Full-bodied and very sweet yet energetic and focused. Dense and tight. Tasted it and said OMG right away!

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95)

The 2018 Lafaurie-Peyraguey is one of the classiest wines of the vintage. Effusive floral overtones give the 2018 its lifted, gracious personality. Lemon confit, yellow flowers, mint, pineapple and passionfruit are all laced together in a mid-weight, beautifully persistent Sauternes that hits all the right notes. The 2018 is just sublime. That's all there is to it.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95)

The 2018 Lafaurie-Peyraguey is one of the classiest wines of the vintage. Effusive floral overtones give the 2018 its lifted, gracious personality. Lemon confit, yellow flowers, mint, pineapple and passionfruit are all laced together in a mid-weight, beautifully persistent Sauternes that hits all the right notes. The 2018 is just sublime. That's all there is to it.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98)

Enjoyable, plenty of pep and character, with satiny, precisely spliced texture to the apricot, nectarine and pineapple fruits. As it opens in the glass, waves of white truffle and ginger, with a zing of mandarin zest, become clear. An impressive Sauternes with decades ahead of it.

James Suckling (99-100)

Incredible, young Sauternes with so much spicy, dried-mushroom, dust and powdered-earth character on the nose and palate, Full-bodied with a medium-sweet palate and a finish that is endless. Apricots, dried lemons and peaches. Caramel. Great balance. Greatest modern vintage? 6,000 bottles made.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2019 Lafitte-Carcasset is impressive, just as it was from barrel. A wine of breadth and textural intensity, the 2019 packs a ton of punch. Black fruit, spice, leather, tobacco, gravel, menthol and licorice build effortlessly in the glass. All the elements are so well balanced. The 2019 is beautifully rendered.

Wine Advocate (80)

Given the overblown praise for the 1961, 1966, and 1970 Lafites, it seems as though the 1964, a wine obviously made after the rains, is a wine that has taken more criticism than it deserves. Not that it is sublime or profound, but it has consistently shown a chunky, fruity character, and a whiff of some of Lafite's fabulous bouquet. Anticipated maturity: Now. Last tasted, 7/82.

Vintage Tastings (93)

The Lafite had a bit of volatile acidity to it, but some nice pencil, cedar and roasted fruit behind it. It was tender and slightly rich in the mouth, with a leathery finish.

Wine Advocate (72)

One of the charming 1973s, this light, somewhat watery, thin wine has Lafite's classic perfumed bouquet, short, compact, agreeable flavors, and little tannin. That was in 1980, the last time I tasted it. Anticipated maturity: Now-probably in serious decline. Last tasted, 12/80.

Wine Advocate (72)

One of the charming 1973s, this light, somewhat watery, thin wine has Lafite's classic perfumed bouquet, short, compact, agreeable flavors, and little tannin. That was in 1980, the last time I tasted it. Anticipated maturity: Now-probably in serious decline. Last tasted, 12/80.

Wine Advocate (92)

Why is it that Lafite-Rothschild is often so distressingly irregular from bottle to bottle? Much of the inconsistency during the sixties and mid-seventies can be explained by the relaxed bottling schedule, which saw the wines blended and bottled over an unusually long period (12+ months, compared to the estate's modern day bottling operation that never takes longer than 2-4 weeks). I have had some great bottles of the 1975 Lafite, most of them in the wine's first 15 years of life. Since then, I have seen wines that appeared cooked and stewed, with a Barolo tar-like aroma, as well as others with the classic Pauillac, lead-pencil, cedar, cassis, and tobacco aromatic dimension. The 1975 is a powerful Lafite, and troublesome bottles tend to reveal more tannin and funkiness than others, which have a roasted character, combined with a gravelly, mineral underpinning. As this wine has aged, it appears to be less of a sure bet. In most cases, it has been an outstanding wine, as the bottle tasted in December suggested. The aromatics indicate the wine is fully mature, but the tough tannin level clearly underscores the dark side of the 1975 vintage. This wine will undoubtedly last for another 30+ years, but I am not sure the fruit will hold. It is a perplexing wine that may still turn out to be an exceptional Lafite. In contrast, the 1976 has always been much more forward and consistent. However, I would still take the 1975 over the overrated, mediocre 1970, 1966, and 1961.