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Château Lafite-Rothschild

No other profile I have penned for this site has ever had me wondering so much whether I am still writing about wine. Once 'merely' a superb estate responsible for the production of a very desirable wine, one that was ranked at the very top of the 1855 classification and for many the very epitome of Pauillac and indeed of all Bordeaux, the Lafite-Rothschild of the 21st century is no longer 'just' a wine. Lafite is now many different things, to different people. The first of the firsts is now the darling of the Chinese, where demand has pushed the price of Lafite - not just in China or Hong Kong, but globally - to unprecedented levels, for vintages both old and young. Some regard it not so much as a beverage, more as a luxury product akin to any highly-priced designer brand, one where perhaps style takes precedence over substance. Others might think of it purely as an investment vehicle, there to be traded, bought and sold, hopefully turning a profit in the process. Lafite is perhaps all these things but we should also try not to forget that - above all else - Lafite-Rothschild is still a wine, made by people who love wine, and still made with the aim of providing the most exquisite epicurean experience that is feasible. It deserves an in-depth examination; this I provide here, beginning with a little history, looking first at the very origins of Lafite.

The Origins of Lafite

As with near neighbour Mouton, the estate surrounding what we know today as Château Lafite-Rothschild was in existence for many centuries before the arrival of viticulture. Lafite, (fite meaning 'hillock'), was an ancient seigneurie dating from at least the 14th century, evidence for which comes from the writings of Abbé Baurein in the late 18th century. By the mid-16th century, when Jacques de Bécoran was seigneur, there was share-cropping and obvious agricultural activity on the estate, but it was not until the end of the ensuing century that the vinous foundation stone of today's vineyards was laid. At this time the seigneur was Joseph Saubat de Pommiers, who died in 1670, the estate passing to his widow Jeanne de Gasq. The couple had no heir, and so when Jeanne remarried, this time to Jacques de Ségur, Lafite became yet another part of Ségur's impressive portfolio. It was Jacques de Ségur that drove the change to viticulture as the prime use for Lafite's lands, usurping the polyculture that preceded his arrival.

Lafite and the Ségur Family

Under the guidance of the Ségur family, it seems inevitable (we can be especially confident of this, with the advantage of hindsight!) that Lafite should go from strength to strength. The union of Jacques de Ségur and Jeanne de Gasq produced seven offspring, with the second eldest, Alexandre, being of greatest relevance to any discussion of Lafite (and numerous other estates). In 1695 he was wed to Marie-Thérèse de Clauzel, heiress to Château Latour, and by this route the Ségur family owned, by marriage, two of the greatest vineyards in Bordeaux, adding Calon-Ségur, Phélan-Ségur and, for a short period even Mouton, along the way. Their son Nicolas-Alexandre, born in 1697 and who crops up in many château profiles on this site, was widely (and it seems appropriately) known as the Prince des Vignes. Both father and son expanded the vineyards and developed the facilities at Lafite, as they realised the pecuniary benefits of viticulture and the sale of wine. The wine of Lafite had, since the early 17th century, been exported to the UK where it was popular at public auctions, much discussed in the press of the day and was a favoured beverage of Prime Minster Robert Walpole, to name just one of many notables who were familiar with the wine. Recognition in France was longer in coming, but by the mid-18th century Château Lafite was also to be found at Versailles, by order of the Royal Physician Maréchal de Richelieu.

Nicolas-Alexandre, upon whom was bestowed the title of Marquis by Louis XV, died in 1755, but not before topping the Bordeaux rich list, mainly thanks to the fabulous increase in the value of his vineyard holdings once their true potential had been realised. Lafite passed to his daughter, Marie-Thérèse, who married Alexandre de Ségur-Calon, and then to their son Count Nicolas-Marie-Alexandre de Ségur. Unfortunately this generation was not as assiduous as his ancestors and in 1784 Lafite was up for sale, following Nicolas-Marie-Alexandre's flight to Holland in order to avoid paying his mounting debts. The purchaser was a gentleman named de Monthieu, although within two years it had been sold once again, this time to a relative of the Ségur dynasty, Nicolas Pierre de Pichard. His reign, however, was ephemeral, terminated by the guillotine in 1794. Following its sale as a bien national in 1797, Château Lafite passed through the hands of a number of owners, firstly Jean de Witt, then a group of Dutch négociants, and then following a sale in 1816 the Vanlerberghe family.

The Arrival of the Rothschilds

The estate passed from Madame Barbe-Rosalie Lemaire, the estranged wife of Vanlerberghe, to her son, Aimé, the family avoiding the usual division of the estate (Aimé also had three sisters) by falsifying a sale to Sir Samuel Scott and his son, also Samuel Scott, of the Scott Bank in London. Thus for a while Lafite was secretly Dutch-owned, whilst under the management of an English banking family who were thought to be, by all but a few who were party to the truth, the owners. During this surreptitious period the estate was ranked in the 1855 classification, when Lafite topped the merchant's listing (within each rung of the classification the estates were ranked, and Lafite came out on top of the firsts). The Anglo-Dutch arrangement came to an end in 1866, when Aimé Vanlerberghe died, and the three sisters, Madame la Comtesse de Villoutreys, Madame la Comtesse de Cornudet and Madame la Comtesse Duchâtel came clean. Their punishment was a fine of no great consequence, but nevertheless they elected to put Lafite up for sale, and it was at this point that the Rothschild family entered the fray.

I have on occasion found the arrival of two branches of the Rothschild family in Bordeaux a little perplexing, and indeed it has been suggested that the motive behind the purchase of Lafite by Baron James de Rothschild was little more than rivalry with his cousins, who had purchased Brane-Mouton, later to be Mouton-Rothschild. I have come to conclude that this is unlikely; by the mid-19th century it was quite clear that a significant return could be obtained in Bordeaux. The value of land over the preceding century had rocketed, and I think it more likely that, no doubt influenced to some degree by Baron Nathanial's acquisition, Baron James made a very shrewd purchase for primarily business reasons.

That is not to deny, however, that there has been an unparalleled rivalry between the two branches over the years, with each wishing to outdo the other, particularly with regard to the perceived prestige of the two properties, as judged usually by the price of the wine on the market (in recent years, however, such rivalry seems to have faded away somewhat). Whatever the thinking, what is known is that Baron James saw little of his new property, as he was already ill at the time of the deal being struck, and within three months he was dead. When the hitherto unforeseen threats of downy mildew, phylloxera, war and economic depression hit Bordeaux, it was his sons, Alphonse, Gustave and Edmond, who took charge at Lafite. During World War II the property was occupied by German forces, but Gustave's grandson, Baron Elie de Rothschild, subsequently regained possession of what was by now Château Lafite-Rothschild in 1945. And it was Baron Elie that was instrumental in putting Lafite-Rothschild back on track at this time, with some great successes along the way. He died in 2007, but by this time he had long ceded control to the latest generation to take charge, Baron Eric de Rothschild, his nephew, who assumed this responsibility during the 1970s. Over the few decades that have passed since his investiture, Eric has displayed a more committed attitude than some of his ancestors towards Lafite, and the estate has seen extensive modernisation and renovation. Practices in the vineyard have changed with the times, there has been the necessary replanting, and new equipment has been installed in the cellar. Under the guidance of Baron Eric and latterly his managing director Charles Chevalier, who is due much of the credit for Lafite's renaissance following some difficult vintages in the 1960s and 1970s, the stage was set for a number of excellent wines through the 1990s and the opening vintages of the 21st century.

The Lafite Vineyards

The vineyard at Lafite-Rothschild comprises three main plots, the first of these being the 50 hectares of vines on the plateau around the château (shown left), followed by those on the Carruades plateau abutting the vines of Mouton-Rothschild, and then there is a tiny 4.5-hectare plot in St Estèphe named La Caillava. This latter plot, which is typically included in the Lafite blend despite originating from across the appellation boundary, should not surprise greatly when one considers Lafite's position on the Médoc; the Lafite vineyards run right up to the Jalle du Breuil, the drainage channel carved out by Dutch engineers just a few centuries ago, which drains into the Chenal du Lazaret and then the Gironde. Just on the other side are the vines of the St Estèphe appellation.

All told the Lafite estate amounts to 178 hectares, although of this only 112 hectares are planted to vines, with the varieties dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), then Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and just a little Petit Verdot (2%). Average vine age is 38 years, although young vines (here meaning less than 10 years old) are not included in the grand vin, so those that are included have an average age of about 45 years. There are a few plots of more advanced age, including La Gravière, which was planted in 1886, and a number where the vines are between 50 and 80 years old. The terroir underfoot is typically gravelly, with Aeolien sands on a bedrock of tertiary limestone, known locally as calcaire de St Estèphe.

Vinification and Wines

The manager at Lafite is the aforementioned Charles Chevalier, who has been in charge since 1994, and I should reiterate that it is Chevalier who should be credited with the admirable performance of Lafite in many vintages over the past decade. He also oversees operations at neighbouring estate Château Duhart Milon. After harvesting by hand working with yields in the order of 50 hl/ha, fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled wooden vats, with fruit maceration lasting between 18 and 25 days. The chai is equipped to facilitate the fermentation of separate small plots, and in 2010 was augmented with new vat rooms; the first is equipped with concrete tanks ranging from 50 to 125 hectolitres and is dedicated to the fermentation of Merlot, which is largely sourced from plots on the Carruades plateau. Once the alcoholic fermentation is finished the free-run and press wines are separated, and the former are translated into the second new room which contains stainless steel tanks ranging from 30 to 70-hectolitres in size, solely for the purpose of malolactic fermentation.

Once this is complete the wines go into barrels, made by the Château Lafite-Rothschild's own cooper, for 18-20 months. After the first racking in March the year after the harvest the wines will be tasted and then blended; not only does this determine which barrels are destined for the grand vin and which not, it also allows the presentation of the final blends at the annual primeur tastings. Thereafter the wines will be racked every three months or so. In many grand châteaux the barrels are moved into a second year cellar when preparations are underway for the ensuing vintage, and Lafite is no exception; in this case there is a dramatic circular cellar designed by Ricardo Bofill and built in 1988. Once the élevage is finished in June two years after the vintage the wines see an egg-white fining prior to bottling.

The grand vin is Château Lafite-Rothschild, which is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (which varies considerably, from 57% up to a figure close to 90%, with one or two vintages over 90%, but 81-90% covers most recent vintages), the remainder usually (but not always) comprised of the other three grapes. The total production of the estate is close to 45000 cases per annum, depending on the vintage of course, and with the strict selection of modern Bordeaux the grand vin might account for only 40% of this output. The second wine is Carruades de Lafite, which has up to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a greater proportion of Merlot, and this accounts for much of the remaining production. It does not come exclusively come from the Carruades plot much of which actually goes into the grand vin. There is also a generic Pauillac for wine which takes the fruit deemed not suitable for Carruades de Lafite.

The Lafite Phenomenon

Sadly no modern profile of Château Lafite-Rothschild would be complete without some mention of the Lafite phenomenon, by which I mean the staggering escalation in prices the wines of this estate have seen in the early years of the 21st century. Much of the driving force behind this has been Asian demand for the wine, although unusually the obsession first focused on the second wine, Carruades de Lafite, rather than the first. Within a few years what was once little more than a decent and perhaps decent-value deuxième vin became vinous hot property; increasing in value more then ten-fold. And with the Asian market seemingly hovering up every last bottle, many merchants couldn't get enough of it. Leading UK broker Farr Vintners even put out a call on their blog for anyone with bottles to sell to get in touch; one friend of mine that took the invitation was offered £200 per bottle, for wines he had acquired only a few years before at a price of less than £20 each.

Before long the effect spread, first to the grand vin Lafite-Rothschild, which soon joined the super-pricy elite of Bordeaux properties, with a case of wine changing hands for sums akin to those more commonly associated with Ausone or Le Pin, the major difference being that Lafite has more than 100 hectares of vines at its disposal and the corresponding production figures are huge compared to Ausone (which has about 7 hectares) and Le Pin (where there is little more then a hectare of vines). The pricing phenomenon continued its march across Bordeaux, next to any wine with a Lafite association, such as Duhart Milon (which is not only made by the same team but also has a very similar look to the label, which conveniently references the Lafite connection), and then any wine with a label which seemed to appeal to the Asian market, the dragon boat of Beychevelle being an obvious example. And with a building confidence in the Bordeaux region, born out of the discovery of these new markets and bolstered by a very positive reception to a run of great vintages including 2005, 2009 and 2010, these events heralded price rises across the entire region. Amongst the very upper echelons Lafite, with a handful of its peers, left the sphere occupied by wines that are purchased to be drunk, and has now established itself as a luxury brand and a vehicle for investment more than a wine. Ask your Bordeaux-drinking peers when they last opened a bottle of Lafite with their dinner; the response is most likely, with the exception of a dedicated and/or wealthy few, to be a confused frown and a good degree of head-scratching. Which is in my opinion, for Lafite-Rothschild, for Bordeaux, and for the little world of wine as a whole, a tragedy.

Lafite: Tasting & Drinking

I do wonder if that title shouldn't read Lafite: Investment and Avarice, but as this site remains one that focuses on wine I will instead limit myself to commenting on how Lafite tastes rather than the profits it offers to the investor. Sadly, it will come as no surprise, given what I have written above, that my tasting experience is rather more limited than I would really like it to be. Nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to allow a few mature vintages past my lips, and also sufficiently fortunate to visit the estate a number of times to taste from barrel, especially in more recent vintages.

Taking an overall view of the triumvirate of Pauillac first growths, they each have their own characteristics, although it has to be said I find Lafite the most difficult to pigeon-hole. Latour has a structural majesty and very masculine definition, and yet a perfume and elegance which has on occasion brought tears to my eyes. Mouton, meanwhile, has that characteristic spicy seduction which is so iconic of the estate and which comes out so clearly in great vintages such as 1996 and 2000. And what of Lafite? I once wrote that it was perhaps more feminine, not delicate, but more elegant and seductive, although these days I am not so certain of this (if indeed I ever was). Tasting the wine in its youth it has a tight and unyielding structure which would befit many a vintage of Latour, and it often seems to me to be the least perceptible of the three first growths.

Such sweeping generalisations about the style of the wine must be read with due cynicism, of course. But in recent years, with the direction of Eric de Rothschild and onsite management from Charles Chevalier, Lafite is firmly established as a worthy member of the inner sanctum of first growths, and occasionally stakes a claim for wine of the vintage. In addition, although I cannot declare a cellar stuffed with first growths (how shameful), there is some Lafite in there, purchased in a moment when my desire overcame my rational thoughts about my financial situation (and when the prices, although even then not inconsiderable, were a lot lower than they are now, it has to be said). What is more, I haven't yet succumbed to the strong, fiscally-charged temptation to sell these wines....and with prices perhaps softening in recent months; is there any truer endorsement of Lafite as a wine, rather than an investment vehicle, than that? (25/2/04, updated 24/1/07, 11/1/08, 3/11/11)

Contact details:
Address: Château Lafite-Rothschild, 33250 Pauillac
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 53 89 78 00
Fax: +33 (0) 5 53 89 78 01
Internet: www.lafite.com
GPS: 45.224839, -0.773235

Château Lafite-Rothschild - Tasting Notes

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Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 2010: This is 87.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested between October 4th and October 13th, and 12.8% Merlot, harvested September 24th to October 4th. This represents an increase of a few percent in Cabernet, with a corresponding decrease in Merlot. The alcohol is 13.5%. In the glass this is dark and glossy, showing a concentrated, purple-crimson rim. Like the Duhart-Milon tasted alongside, this is also showing a very reticent character aromatically. It has some rather dark and smoky fruits, but they are difficult to coax out of the glass. Very cool and rather tense at the start, polished with a stony substance to it. A very firm and upright stance, through the middle showing some tingling acidity and spice. Although rather firm it has a nicely reposed and elegant style in the midpalate, the fruit showing a little better here, as the wine is allowed to open up. It has a more refined cherry-skin character, very polished and unforced, but without great flesh or cushioning softness. The tannins are slow to build, being all well tucked in, showing great poise and energy as they emerge, although they only really come into play on the third or fourth taste. They remain well toned, solid, dense and muscular and yet unchallenging. And the savoury, dry fruit elements linger in the finish alongside the tannins which fade far more slowly. An impressive wine, but one that is very tensely wound up, around a very finely focused tannic structure. From my Bordeaux 2010 primeurs assessment. 18-19/20 (April 2011)

Carruades de Lafite (Pauillac) 2010: The second wine of Lafite-Rothschild. The make up of this wine is Cabernet Sauvignon 50%, Merlot 42.5%, Cabernet Franc 5.1% and Petit Verdot 2.4%. Harvest dates for the first two varieties as for Lafite, the Cabernet Franc picked on October 8th and 9th, the Petit Verdot on October 13th. This has a rather subtle fruit expression but it can be found, with scents of dusty damson fruit. Dark and concentrated but not as expressive as some other wines. A lovely texture on the palate, broad and with good flesh, but with well defined edges and showing a very nice character for that. Exotic dark fruits like that found on the nose, with pretty good vigour coming from those tannins which are ripe and reminiscent of a deep-pile velvet carpet, surely a Merlot influence, and also the acidity. Beautiful composition, and in the finish a real flourish of all components, the fruits, tannins and acidity bursting into life. Really dense tannin at this wine's core, but it remains balanced and composed. Some will of course disparage Carruades as a response to its current role as a commodity for no-knowledge speculators, but I shall not fall into that trap; looking at the wine and not its performance on the markets, this is a very admirable effort, albeit one which is rather darkly tannic. From my Bordeaux 2010 primeurs assessment. 17-18/20 (April 2011)

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 2009: Cabernet Sauvignon 82.5%, Merlot 17%, Petit Verdot 0.5%. 43% of the harvest. Very dark, a touch glossy. On the nose an elegant layer of creamed fruit here, reserved rather than exuberant. Slightly smoky, but very well defined and composed. The palate has a fine layer of creamed fruit which slowly unfolds on the palate, and it covers the alcohol very well, as well as the building tannin. Beautifully sweet, rich, expansive but also well contained within the frame of acidity. This is an exciting and very vibrant wine. Very stylish, composed and elegant, with a sleek and seamless composition, yet with great depth. Overall a brilliantly fashioned wine here. This will be magnificent, a Pauillac that should evolve into a wine of great elegance and beauty. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 19-19.5+/20 (March 2010)

Carruades de Lafite (Pauillac) 2009: The second wine of Lafite-Rothschild which is 50.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42.2% Merlot, 2.2% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. 55% of the harvest. A fresh hue, perhaps not so concentrated as some. Fresh and slightly crunchy fruit on the nose, somewhat reserved, with a fruit profile that straddles red and black, with nuances of raspberry alongside darker mulberry and cherry. Nice poised on entry, gently fleshy and with a polished substance. Very supple, elegant, very delicately poised, overall the palate is very appealing. Ripe tannins give a fine backbone and there is good acidity too. Not the great flesh of some wines though, it is more restrained than that. Long too. Very good effort indeed. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 17-18+/20 (March 2010)

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 2008: In this vintage the blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 13% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Harvest began on October 2nd, finishing October 16th. The wine shown is the final blend, including press wine. There is perfumed, dark, crunchy and slightly mineral fruit on the nose, with a little overlay of honeyed oak. The palate shows a lot of silky structure at the start, and there is good flesh through the middle. Nice substance, with a tangible meaty extract to it. Aromatic and stylish, with a beautiful, warm, open, roasted and accessible character, and yet a spicy density and bags of potential. A seductive wine indeed (more so than Latour), with great harmony of substance. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 18-19+/20 (April 2009)

Carruades de Lafite (Pauillac) 2008: The second wine of Lafite-Rothschild which is in this vintage 45% Merlot, 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Harvest dates as for the grand vin. A good smoky nose here, with vibrant fruit expression. Reserve but with a good weight on the palate, ripe tannins, flesh and substance. Like the first wine very approachable, but here with a core of cottony tannin. Dense fruit. An impressive second wine. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 16.5-17.5+/20 (April 2009)

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 2007: There is certainly an extra dimension here compared with the other wines of the commune, evident on the aromatics, long before the wine gets in the mouth. The nose starts off perfumed, but with a lovely definition to it, with aromas of violets and black tea coming in alongside the fruit which has a darker profile, moving away from the red fruit of the vintage and resembling blackcurrant instead. There is a gentle, understated start to it on the palate, remaining harmonious and nicely styled throughout. There is nothing out of place here, the tannins and acidity fitting in seamlessly with the rest of the wine, so that they are hardly noticeable at this point. This is hugely convincing for the vintage; it is an elegant, gently bodied wine in keeping with the 2007 style, but the purity and definition it possesses set it apart, as does that finely-tuned aromatic profile. From a 2007 Bordeaux tasting at four years of age. 17/20 (November 2011)

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 2007: In this vintage just 38% of the harvest went into the grand vin, and the blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 15% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. A dense and brooding nose, yet sweet and freshly appealing. Very balanced style, very approachable, stylish and structured. Lots of sweet and ripe fruit here, and a harmonious quality. Good grip, good acidity, but a sweetness and silkiness to the texture as well. This is surprisingly integrated and appealing. For the vintage, an impressive wine. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 17-18+/20 (April 2008)

Carruades de Lafite (Pauillac) 2007: This is 44% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. A fine, deep, fruit intensity; I find this impressive. Very finely poised on entry, balanced here, persistent and a touch creamy. A good, toffee-edged finish with a little sweetness and richness here. Supple, elegantly balanced, and with gentle acidity, grip and extract. A very good second wine, and certainly superior to Les Forts de Latour. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 15.5-16.5+/20 (April 2008)

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 2006: There is a little density to this wine's appearance although the colour is bright and with a fresh cherry red hue. A very seductive style of fruit presented on the nose, polished but with a suggestion of substance, more so than Margaux for instance. Fresh fruits, well-judged ripeness, with smoky elements and touches of cedar wood and spice. The palate starts off very fresh and balanced, with good flesh, but it is well reined in and it remains tightly composed throughout. Supple, broad, quite relaxed, the tannins and acids are here but totally hidden within the body of the wine. Rather substantially robust at the moment. Good long finish, although the definition fades a little towards the end. Very long. In terms of aromatic expression and composition there is just a hair's breadth between this and Mouton. From a 2006 Bordeaux tasting at four years of age. 18.5+/20 (November 2010)

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 2005: The nose here is restrained compared with Margaux and Haut-Brion, tasted alongside, although it shows plenty of wonderfully typical Pauillac fruit, all gritty and wood-grained. There are notes of gentle cherry and perhaps even brambly, blackcurrant fruits wrapped up in elements of cedar and pencil shavings, as well as violets, rose petals and tar. This purity comes through on the palate which is a little lighter and less prodigious than some of the other first growths, although it has no lack of elegance or potential. There is almost a crunchy lift to it, and a superbly defined, elegant style. Wonderful wine, one that focuses on definition and elegance rather than power. From a 2005 Bordeaux tasting at four years of age. 19+/20 (November 2009)

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 2004: This has some very dense, tight fruit on the nose, with an enticing and complex depth, spicy and full of exotic character, and not as overtly flashy as the Mouton. An elegant and creamy start on the palate, with beautifully polished tannins in the middle. Full, building in substance, never revealing its underlying structure, but showing fine acidity and a ripe grip. Very dense, very youthful, with lovely potential, and great length. Excellent wine. From a 2004 Bordeaux tasting at four years of age. 18.5+/20 (November 2008)

Carruades de Lafite (Pauillac) 2000: The second wine of Château Lafite-Rothschild. A wonderful youthful colour. A rich nose, full of red and black fruits and black olives, with a perfumed edge. Medium bodied and elegant on the palate. There is a touch of power though. Good sweet fruit, and a little tannin. Needs another year or two but then should be ready. From a mixed Bordeaux tasting. 17+/20 (October 2003)

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 1986: A desperately youthful appearance, dense and almost purple still, so no clues to the age of this wine there. The nose remains remarkably primary, showing just some sweet blackcurrant pastille fruit, with some very dense, cedary pencil. The palate shows a lot of structure and future potential rather than anything else; firm tannins from the midpalate through to the finish, supporting a raft of sweet fruit, but not showing great complexity at present. Elegantly textured rather than a blockbuster. This clearly needs more time in the cellar, and should be great for the future. 17.5+/20 (October 2006)

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 1983: This wine has a very dark, treacle-toffee mahogany hue. It is very backward still, but opens out to reveal some rich fruit aromas with time in the glass. It has tannins which, although softening, still dominate the palate. A little backward fruit and spice. Finishes with a show of tannins, and an amazing length that goes on and on. It has to be one of the first growths. From a Bordeaux 1983 horizontal blind tasting. 18.5/20 (November 2000)

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 1981: This wine shows it's age with more of a mahogany touch. Nevertheless, rich and smoky, slightly austere blackcurrant and mineral fruit on the nose. Like the last wine this also has some residual tannins, although it has a big structure, full of fruit, but achieving a sense of balance. The finish is packed with pepper and spice, and leads into another incredible length. Another wine with bags of potential. From a Bordeaux 1981 horizontal blind tasting. 18.5/20 (September 2001)