Lafite Rothschild
About Château Lafite Rothschild
Château Lafite-Rothschild is one of the most collectable wines in the world. Purchased in 1868 it has remained continuously in the Rothschild family. Less powerful than Latour and more classical than Mouton, the hallmarks of this wine of wines is a taut, lithe, willowy muscularity, enveloped by transcendent just-ripe black fruit with the perfect sweetness of blackcurrant, black cherry and plum. The scent of Lafite often beguiles its fortunate drinkers and the mythical, irresistible perfume of wonderful cedar, so fresh and elegant, must be experienced to be believed.
Part of Lafite’s centuries-long success lies in its situation on some of the most gravel-dominant terroir in the Médoc. Up to ten metres deep with the stuff in some places, there are a few pockets of aeolian black sand and bedrock of limestone to complete the soils. Naturally conducive to the production of the most unbelievable Cabernet Sauvignon, the Grand Vin of Château Lafite Rothschild is frequently composed of up to 90% of the varietal. Couple this with the outstandingly talented team, headed for 40 years by the imperious Charles Chevallier (until 2018), and we have an estate whose strength lies in its being “a spectrum of flavours rather than a strong expression of any particular one” in the words of Chevallier’s replacement, Eric Kohler.
The 1996 vintage onwards heralded some of the best wines in their history; 2003 and 2009 are notably outstanding. Elegant, fresh, with great fruit purity and remarkable ageing potential. The second wine, Carruades de Lafite, has also been intensely collected over the past decade.
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Prices:
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Bordeaux | 1 | 90 (VN (ST)) |
Inc. VAT
£3,883.27 |
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Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (90)Good bright red-ruby. Dark aromas of cassis, blueberry, licorice, violet, mint and bitter chocolate, along with a faint note of candied berries. Tightly wound and quite juicy, with a strong mineral spine giving it a rather linear, lean impression. But classy and not at all hard, with lovely underlying fruit. Finishes firmly tannic and fresh. Not fat, but subtle and stylish. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 89 (VN (ST)) |
Inc. VAT
£3,523.27 |
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Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (89)Bright medium ruby. Aromas of currant, blueberry, violet and licorice. Bright and focused, with modest flesh but lovely dark fruit flavors and grip. Lively acids extend the finish. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 87 (VN (ST)) |
Inc. VAT
£3,516.07 |
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Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (87)Dark ruby-red. Withdrawn aromas of currant and herbs. Dry and quite closed, with limited sweetness. Flavors of plum, leather and currant leaf show only modest ripeness. Firm acids give this wine a slight sour edge. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 91 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£3,625.20 |
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Wine Advocate (91)There are 20,000 cases of the gorgeous 2003 Carruades de Lafite. Despite record heat in June, July and August, this wine only hit 12.8% alcohol, which seems modest compared to the higher alcohol levels of 2009 and 2010. A final blend of 50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc has resulted in a second wine with a Lafite Rothschild-like character, plenty of creme de cassis, cedarwood and graphite notes as well as a supple, lush texture. It has reached full maturity where it should remain for another 5-10 years. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 91 (WE) |
Inc. VAT
£3,931.27 |
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Wine Enthusiast (91)Though this is the second wine for Lafite-Rothschild, it is a major wine in its own right, with its dense, powered fruit and a structure obviously built to last. There is sweet, rich fruit and lively vibrant acidity. Imported by Domaines Barons de Rothschild and multiple U.S. importers. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 92 (WE) |
Inc. VAT
£2,610.04 |
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Wine Enthusiast (92)Firm tannins and great freshness, with a touch of bitter chocolate as well as spice and tight tannins. This second wine of Lafite is attractively fruity, easily lifting the weight of tannins. |
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Bordeaux | 4 | 95 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£3,630.07 |
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James Suckling (95)Currants and blackberries on the nose. Spicy and intense undertones. Full body, with juicy fruit and a soft, very silky texture and a long, long finish. Polished and very pretty. Best Carruades ever. Try in 2018. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,879.24 |
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James Suckling (95)Currants and blackberries on the nose. Spicy and intense undertones. Full body, with juicy fruit and a soft, very silky texture and a long, long finish. Polished and very pretty. Best Carruades ever. Try in 2018. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£4,038.07 |
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James Suckling (95)This smells like a bouquet of flowers with blueberries and currants and spices. Full body, yet agile and refined. So fine and pretty. It's balanced and in harmony. Savory. A smoky, decadent and meat undertone. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,730.44 |
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James Suckling (95)This smells like a bouquet of flowers with blueberries and currants and spices. Full body, yet agile and refined. So fine and pretty. It's balanced and in harmony. Savory. A smoky, decadent and meat undertone. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 87-89 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£4,734.07 |
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Wine Advocate (87-89)The 2011 Carruades de Lafite is composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Soft berry fruit, underbrush, fresh herb and bay leaf characteristics as well as soft tannins, a velvety texture, and a medium-bodied, slightly superficial, but satisfying style suggest this 2011 should be consumed over the next 10-15 years. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 92 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£4,734.07 |
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James Suckling (92)Pretty density and flavor for Carruades in this less than perfect year. Shows tobacco, cream and chocolate aromas and flavors with black currants. Full to medium body, fresh finish. Drink now or hold. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 94 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£2,127.64 |
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James Suckling (94)Lead-pencil aromas with currants and plums, too. Full body, silky tannins and a focused and very refined finish. It's the tannins that drive things. An excellent second wine of Lafite. Needs two or three years to soften. Start drinking in 2021. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94-95 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,872.04 |
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James Suckling (94-95)The most tannic and textured Carruades ever. Full-bodied, big and powerful. Very, very long. New style? |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 92-93 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,999.24 |
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James Suckling (92-93)A bright Carruades with cedar and tobacco character. Medium to full body and medium chewy tannins. Very pretty center palate. |
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Bordeaux | 4 | 97 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,760.44 |
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James Suckling (97)Exquisitely fine tannins to the currant, lead-pencil and chocolate character. The palate is full, yet very refined and linear with a long, lingering finish. Such polish and tension. The tannins are intense, yet so fine, giving almost a powdery texture. So Lafite-like. Best Carruades ever? 56% cabernet sauvignon and 38% merlot, the rest cabernet franc. Drink after 2026. |
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Bordeaux | 3 | 96 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,645.24 |
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James Suckling (96)This is a beautiful Carraudes with currant, sweet-tobacco and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with a dense center-palate and tight, polished tannins. Fresh, with tension. Reminds me of the 1995 Lafite. This is so Lafite in character. It shows so much cabernet sauvignon character. It’s 68% cabernet sauvignon, 27% merlot and the rest cabernet franc. Try after 2026. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 96-97 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,552.24 |
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James Suckling (96-97)This is very classically structured with a palate that starts off slowly. Full-bodied and chewy with a soft, creamy texture and a long finish. Savory. A touch austere. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot and 3% cabernet franc, the rest petit verdot. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 94-95 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,420.24 |
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James Suckling (94-95)Soft and attractive character to this wine, showing a polished-tannin frame and a juicy center-palate. Medium body with medium, velvety tannins. Juicy. 55% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 96-97 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,442.09 |
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James Suckling (96-97)Extremely perfumed with sweet tobacco and blackcurrants as well as cedar and dark chocolate. Aromatic. Medium-bodied with an intense center palate of blackcurrant, orange peel and peaches. Nervy. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. |
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Carruades de Lafite
(6x75cl)
2023
|
|
Bordeaux | - | - |
Expected Price Range
£902 -
£1,071
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Bordeaux | 1 | 97 (WS) |
Inc. VAT
£11,072.47 |
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Wine Spectator (97)The great first-growth estate produced a wine with amazing length in this new vintage. Goes on and on, with mint, plum and cassis aromas and flavors and ultrafine tannins. A superb Bordeaux. Best after 1999. 25,000 cases made. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 84 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£12,144.58 |
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Wine Advocate (84)Except for the 1966 and 1870 vintages of Lafite-Rothschild, these wines were poured on virgin territory on my palate. Isn't it ironic that the most disappointing wine (forgetting the spoiled 1875 Lafite-Rothschild, which had frightful levels of volatile acidity) was the youngest wine, the 1966 Lafite. With a light to medium ruby/garnet color, this wine exhibited a classy, weedy, herbal, Cabernet-dominated nose, soft, washed-out flavors, and little body and length. It is also beginning to dry out. I suppose if one were to taste a 30-year old Cabernet from Monterey County, California, it might reveal similar characteristics. The 1966 Lafite-Rothschild has consistently been a major disappointment from what is an irregular, but very good vintage. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 92 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£7,274.47 |
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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. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£55,558.87 |
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Wine Advocate (98)The 1982 Lafite Rothschild is at the peak of its powers today, and the two bottles I drank this year were both exceptional. Wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet red berries and blackcurrants mingled with notions of cedar chest, cigar box, camphor and dried flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with an effortlessly elegant, harmonious profile and a long, fragrant finish. While this is far from being the most powerful Médoc of the vintage, it is among the most pleasurable. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£17,212.84 |
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Wine Advocate (98)The 1982 Lafite Rothschild is at the peak of its powers today, and the two bottles I drank this year were both exceptional. Wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet red berries and blackcurrants mingled with notions of cedar chest, cigar box, camphor and dried flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with an effortlessly elegant, harmonious profile and a long, fragrant finish. While this is far from being the most powerful Médoc of the vintage, it is among the most pleasurable. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£10,485.60 |
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James Suckling (96)This is Lafite. Prune and spices, with a cedar and wet tobacco character on the nose. Even tea. Full and rich with a dark China tea and cedar character. Just a hint of chocolate. Opens in the glass like a genie. Amazing. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£4,512.04 |
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James Suckling (96)This is Lafite. Prune and spices, with a cedar and wet tobacco character on the nose. Even tea. Full and rich with a dark China tea and cedar character. Just a hint of chocolate. Opens in the glass like a genie. Amazing. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 84 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£7,274.47 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (84)The personality of Lafite comes through in the 1984 vintage. An elegant bouquet of herbaceous, cedary fruit is first class. New oak dominates the palate and some hard tannins exhibit a dryness at the finish. The 1984 is a light but well-balanced wine. Anticipated maturity: Now. Last tasted, 1/88. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 100 (JA) |
Inc. VAT
£13,164.07 |
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Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)The tannins remain evident, fully in tact, and overall this 1986 is young, profound, full of spiced herbs and freshly turned-over earth. It needs time in the bottle or carafe, because although there is more evident charm in the 1985 on first opening, this is the vintage of the pair that will be around for the longest. Dense black fruits abound, along with cigar box, black tea and slate. In its youth it was described as tannic, solid, almost austere, and it is astonishing how it has kept that character over the decades. There are still nuaces here that will be revealed over the decades to come, so be sure to give it time to unwind if you are opening any time over the next decade. 45hl/h yield. The famous Ricardo Bofill circular cellar was under construction at this point. |
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 90 (VN (ST)) |
In Bond
£3,204.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (90)Good bright red-ruby. Dark aromas of cassis, blueberry, licorice, violet, mint and bitter chocolate, along with a faint note of candied berries. Tightly wound and quite juicy, with a strong mineral spine giving it a rather linear, lean impression. But classy and not at all hard, with lovely underlying fruit. Finishes firmly tannic and fresh. Not fat, but subtle and stylish. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 89 (VN (ST)) |
In Bond
£2,904.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (89)Bright medium ruby. Aromas of currant, blueberry, violet and licorice. Bright and focused, with modest flesh but lovely dark fruit flavors and grip. Lively acids extend the finish. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 87 (VN (ST)) |
In Bond
£2,898.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (87)Dark ruby-red. Withdrawn aromas of currant and herbs. Dry and quite closed, with limited sweetness. Flavors of plum, leather and currant leaf show only modest ripeness. Firm acids give this wine a slight sour edge. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 91 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£3,625.20 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (91)There are 20,000 cases of the gorgeous 2003 Carruades de Lafite. Despite record heat in June, July and August, this wine only hit 12.8% alcohol, which seems modest compared to the higher alcohol levels of 2009 and 2010. A final blend of 50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc has resulted in a second wine with a Lafite Rothschild-like character, plenty of creme de cassis, cedarwood and graphite notes as well as a supple, lush texture. It has reached full maturity where it should remain for another 5-10 years. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 91 (WE) |
In Bond
£3,244.00 |
|||||
Wine Enthusiast (91)Though this is the second wine for Lafite-Rothschild, it is a major wine in its own right, with its dense, powered fruit and a structure obviously built to last. There is sweet, rich fruit and lively vibrant acidity. Imported by Domaines Barons de Rothschild and multiple U.S. importers. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 92 (WE) |
In Bond
£2,159.00 |
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Wine Enthusiast (92)Firm tannins and great freshness, with a touch of bitter chocolate as well as spice and tight tannins. This second wine of Lafite is attractively fruity, easily lifting the weight of tannins. |
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Bordeaux | 4 | 95 (JS) |
In Bond
£2,993.00 |
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James Suckling (95)Currants and blackberries on the nose. Spicy and intense undertones. Full body, with juicy fruit and a soft, very silky texture and a long, long finish. Polished and very pretty. Best Carruades ever. Try in 2018. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,550.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (95)Currants and blackberries on the nose. Spicy and intense undertones. Full body, with juicy fruit and a soft, very silky texture and a long, long finish. Polished and very pretty. Best Carruades ever. Try in 2018. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (JS) |
In Bond
£3,333.00 |
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James Suckling (95)This smells like a bouquet of flowers with blueberries and currants and spices. Full body, yet agile and refined. So fine and pretty. It's balanced and in harmony. Savory. A smoky, decadent and meat undertone. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,426.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (95)This smells like a bouquet of flowers with blueberries and currants and spices. Full body, yet agile and refined. So fine and pretty. It's balanced and in harmony. Savory. A smoky, decadent and meat undertone. |
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|
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Bordeaux | 1 | 87-89 (WA) |
In Bond
£3,913.00 |
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Wine Advocate (87-89)The 2011 Carruades de Lafite is composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Soft berry fruit, underbrush, fresh herb and bay leaf characteristics as well as soft tannins, a velvety texture, and a medium-bodied, slightly superficial, but satisfying style suggest this 2011 should be consumed over the next 10-15 years. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 92 (JS) |
In Bond
£3,913.00 |
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James Suckling (92)Pretty density and flavor for Carruades in this less than perfect year. Shows tobacco, cream and chocolate aromas and flavors with black currants. Full to medium body, fresh finish. Drink now or hold. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 94 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,757.00 |
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James Suckling (94)Lead-pencil aromas with currants and plums, too. Full body, silky tannins and a focused and very refined finish. It's the tannins that drive things. An excellent second wine of Lafite. Needs two or three years to soften. Start drinking in 2021. |
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|
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94-95 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,544.00 |
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James Suckling (94-95)The most tannic and textured Carruades ever. Full-bodied, big and powerful. Very, very long. New style? |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 92-93 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,650.00 |
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James Suckling (92-93)A bright Carruades with cedar and tobacco character. Medium to full body and medium chewy tannins. Very pretty center palate. |
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Bordeaux | 4 | 97 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,451.00 |
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James Suckling (97)Exquisitely fine tannins to the currant, lead-pencil and chocolate character. The palate is full, yet very refined and linear with a long, lingering finish. Such polish and tension. The tannins are intense, yet so fine, giving almost a powdery texture. So Lafite-like. Best Carruades ever? 56% cabernet sauvignon and 38% merlot, the rest cabernet franc. Drink after 2026. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 3 | 96 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,355.00 |
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James Suckling (96)This is a beautiful Carraudes with currant, sweet-tobacco and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with a dense center-palate and tight, polished tannins. Fresh, with tension. Reminds me of the 1995 Lafite. This is so Lafite in character. It shows so much cabernet sauvignon character. It’s 68% cabernet sauvignon, 27% merlot and the rest cabernet franc. Try after 2026. |
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|
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Bordeaux | 1 | 96-97 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,277.50 |
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James Suckling (96-97)This is very classically structured with a palate that starts off slowly. Full-bodied and chewy with a soft, creamy texture and a long finish. Savory. A touch austere. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot and 3% cabernet franc, the rest petit verdot. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 94-95 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,167.50 |
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James Suckling (94-95)Soft and attractive character to this wine, showing a polished-tannin frame and a juicy center-palate. Medium body with medium, velvety tannins. Juicy. 55% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96-97 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,182.50 |
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James Suckling (96-97)Extremely perfumed with sweet tobacco and blackcurrants as well as cedar and dark chocolate. Aromatic. Medium-bodied with an intense center palate of blackcurrant, orange peel and peaches. Nervy. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. |
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Carruades de Lafite
(6x75cl)
2023
|
|
Bordeaux | - | - |
Expected Price Range
£902 -
£1,071
|
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 97 (WS) |
In Bond
£9,195.00 |
|||||
Wine Spectator (97)The great first-growth estate produced a wine with amazing length in this new vintage. Goes on and on, with mint, plum and cassis aromas and flavors and ultrafine tannins. A superb Bordeaux. Best after 1999. 25,000 cases made. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 84 (WA) |
In Bond
£10,082.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (84)Except for the 1966 and 1870 vintages of Lafite-Rothschild, these wines were poured on virgin territory on my palate. Isn't it ironic that the most disappointing wine (forgetting the spoiled 1875 Lafite-Rothschild, which had frightful levels of volatile acidity) was the youngest wine, the 1966 Lafite. With a light to medium ruby/garnet color, this wine exhibited a classy, weedy, herbal, Cabernet-dominated nose, soft, washed-out flavors, and little body and length. It is also beginning to dry out. I suppose if one were to taste a 30-year old Cabernet from Monterey County, California, it might reveal similar characteristics. The 1966 Lafite-Rothschild has consistently been a major disappointment from what is an irregular, but very good vintage. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 92 (WA) |
In Bond
£6,030.00 |
|||||
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. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
£46,267.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98)The 1982 Lafite Rothschild is at the peak of its powers today, and the two bottles I drank this year were both exceptional. Wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet red berries and blackcurrants mingled with notions of cedar chest, cigar box, camphor and dried flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with an effortlessly elegant, harmonious profile and a long, fragrant finish. While this is far from being the most powerful Médoc of the vintage, it is among the most pleasurable. |
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|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
£14,328.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98)The 1982 Lafite Rothschild is at the peak of its powers today, and the two bottles I drank this year were both exceptional. Wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet red berries and blackcurrants mingled with notions of cedar chest, cigar box, camphor and dried flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with an effortlessly elegant, harmonious profile and a long, fragrant finish. While this is far from being the most powerful Médoc of the vintage, it is among the most pleasurable. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£10,485.60 |
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James Suckling (96)This is Lafite. Prune and spices, with a cedar and wet tobacco character on the nose. Even tea. Full and rich with a dark China tea and cedar character. Just a hint of chocolate. Opens in the glass like a genie. Amazing. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (JS) |
In Bond
£3,744.00 |
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James Suckling (96)This is Lafite. Prune and spices, with a cedar and wet tobacco character on the nose. Even tea. Full and rich with a dark China tea and cedar character. Just a hint of chocolate. Opens in the glass like a genie. Amazing. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 84 (WA) |
In Bond
£6,030.00 |
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Wine Advocate (84)The personality of Lafite comes through in the 1984 vintage. An elegant bouquet of herbaceous, cedary fruit is first class. New oak dominates the palate and some hard tannins exhibit a dryness at the finish. The 1984 is a light but well-balanced wine. Anticipated maturity: Now. Last tasted, 1/88. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 100 (JA) |
In Bond
£10,938.00 |
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Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)The tannins remain evident, fully in tact, and overall this 1986 is young, profound, full of spiced herbs and freshly turned-over earth. It needs time in the bottle or carafe, because although there is more evident charm in the 1985 on first opening, this is the vintage of the pair that will be around for the longest. Dense black fruits abound, along with cigar box, black tea and slate. In its youth it was described as tannic, solid, almost austere, and it is astonishing how it has kept that character over the decades. There are still nuaces here that will be revealed over the decades to come, so be sure to give it time to unwind if you are opening any time over the next decade. 45hl/h yield. The famous Ricardo Bofill circular cellar was under construction at this point. |
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