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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 119 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Lipsman on 2/4/2024 & rated 95 points: The Halley's Comet bottle. A really nice Lafitte. Readily accessible aromas of cherries and red berries follow through on the palate. Luxuriously smooth, open knit, voluptuous with a base of ripe tannin spices. There’s a beautiful sweetness and a nice tart edge that lifts the wine on the beguiling finish. This reminds me of a great California Cabernet from the classic 1980s period. A sexy Lafitte. Drink now - 2030. (758 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 2/4/2024 & rated 90 points: Light, tart, short, cranberries, and cassis with loads of pyrazine notes, spice, and assorted, greenery. There is a sense of rustic class and soft tannins, which helps the score a bit, but this is not my favorite vintage of Lafite. And no, time is not going to improve this wine. It is already close to 40 years of age. Drink from 2024-2034. (1265 views) | | | Tasted by sdr on 1/27/2024 & rated 92 points: Whole Lotta Lafite; 1/26/2024-1/27/2024 (Wine Watch, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): Some of the experts heap great praise on this vintage of Lafite but I am not yet convinced. Soft, friendly and cuddly on the attack but the finish is short and rather thin. Even if you are not trying to be a blockbuster you should last throughout the tasting cycle all the way to the end. Perhaps other bottles are better. (897 views) | | | Tasted by Pepin... on 12/25/2023 & rated 95 points: After decanting for 3 hours, the aromas of cherries are less dominant than upon opening. Cedar, tobacco and green pepper become the major aromas and lend the wine warmth and elegance. The balanced acidity creates a great contrast with the "heavier" aromas so that each sip is like the first. The finish is medium-long. I understand what people find so attractive about Lafite. It is complex and subtle simultaneously. (894 views) | | | Tasted by AudunG on 11/18/2023 & rated 96 points: Aromas of cheries and blackcurrant, pencil and leather. Not as dark fruit as the Latour 85, though. Tight, firm, intense and concentrated on the palate. Impressive, and seems to have a bright future. (1278 views) | | | Tasted by devraj on 10/16/2023 & rated 94 points: Dark ruby in color with bricking throughout. Initially funky nose settles down after about 3 h in the decanter to show classic cassis, pencil lead, smoky herbs. Once again the wine showed best after 3-4 hours. A well balanced palate shows good definition to the cedar perfumed reddish black fruits, smoky herbs, decent acidity, fine tannins and a supple earthy finish. (1053 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 9/21/2023 & rated 95 points: This is a very fresh bottle and it shows superb richness of dark red fruits with a bold lead pencil note and surprisingly good intensity for a softer vintage. Best after 3+ hours open and really complex on the finish with wonderful spice and crunchy mineral notes with a touch of mint. We’ll-stored bottle of this have years of development ahead. 95+ (1326 views) | | | Tasted by steinersing on 7/5/2023 & rated 92 points: Classic and slightly herbal with the fruit more in the background. Would drink this up (1793 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 3/17/2023 & rated 95 points: A perfect bottles of this purchased at retail through Zachys direct from Chateau. Even though the word is this wine has reached full maturity, it still needed all of 3 hours in a decanter to really show it's stuff. Medium-bodied with such a fine, chiseled texture and still lovely subdued dark fruits. This is wide open but still fresh and lively with the classic lead pencil flavors emerging late. The tannins are fully resolved and there is great precision and intensity on the long, fine, complex finish. A vintage that needs contemplation but worth the effort for sure. (2215 views) | | | Tasted by DAN BAILEY on 2/21/2023: Deeper and darker fruit than the 61 served alongside. More lead pencil nd cedar. Became higher toned with air. (251 views) | | | Tasted by kingkanu on 2/21/2023: Simon Beatty Memorial Dinner, Clos St Jacques table (Noizé, London): Classic claret again here, but not as well defined as the other 2 vintages alongside, it had all the classic characteristics and showed some complexity and length, but was slightly muddled. (2136 views) | | | Tasted by SimonG on 2/21/2023 & rated 89 points: Simon Beatty’s memorial dinner, CSJ table (Noizé, London): Beautiful mid ruby. A touch of swimming pool on the nose, giving way to a vegetal, herbal cab franc character. Cab franc on the palate too. Dense, somewhat occluded, herbal. Very green. Not sure this is as it should be, even with 85 freshness considered. *** (1962 views) | | | Tasted by Ralph_ on 12/13/2022 flawed bottle: corked (2247 views) | | | Tasted by glassofhans on 10/19/2022 & rated 92 points: Great length, structure, acidity, but something is just a little missing for me. (2186 views) | | | Tasted by MC2 Wines on 10/17/2022: IWFS Lafite Big Bottles (The Modern): This was most people's WOTN. It was certainly very good. Lots of granite and pencil shavings and to me came across as a lot more secondary. Out of a 6L and of course there's always something to be said for the big bottle which was impressive in its own right. Drinks nicely. (2112 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 3/30/2022 & rated 93 points: This was a lovely wine in the Lafite vertical along the lines of the '90 if a bit thinner. Elegant and layered with classic notes of charred gravel, cedar and graphite minerals. Just a lovely wine that's ready now. (3109 views) | | | Tasted by Sean Tay on 2/18/2022 & rated 95 points: Pronounced nose with toast, cedar, earth, cooked black fruits and blackcurrant. Elegant nose. Medium acidity and tannin. At its peak, drinking beautifully. Velvety tannin. (3074 views) | | | Tasted by hprphf on 12/11/2021 & rated 93 points: Classic cedar box, light, airy, ready to drink. 93 (3182 views) | | | Tasted by Kim Gerner on 11/19/2021 & rated 92 points: 25 Old Bordeaux grand cru classe - vertical (1920->) and horizontal semi blind wine tasting dinner (Copenhagen (Private)): A semi blind tasting of 25 right and left bank Grand cru Classé wines ranging from Mouton Rothschild to Chateau Cheval Blanc. 2/3 from 1920-1990 and the rest younger.
This wine: Still green pepper. Tertiary notes (ex. tobacco). Medium tannin. No further notes taken. (320 views) | | | Tasted by englishman's claret on 6/21/2021 & rated 93 points: The 85 Lafite is an interesting wine that's more about its cedar, nutty, loam, pencil, and furniture polish notes than its mellow red fruit. Yet it advanced and retreated a number of times over the course of the evening, seeming slightly past-prime at the outset, growing younger in the glass, and then more mature again. Very pleasant tonight and a contrast to the as-yet-unready 1989, though I suspect this was more attractive in its youth. (4730 views) | | | Tasted by RockinCabs on 6/19/2021 & rated 94 points: Nose: Opened slightly autumnal with cassis, red berries, pencil and wet fall leafy notes. As it opened it was like time reversed and the blackberry, spice and graphite grew more focused and the red fruit elements were fresher. Palate: Silky elegant entry with nice blackberry, dark cherry, fine leather and violet notes. Layered, but not dense. A finer Lafite showing mature development. Finish: detailed, but on the lighter side with red berries, cedar and graphite.
Just lacking some oomph to get a big score, but a nice elegant lafite. And who doesn't love the Halleys Comet glass? (3744 views) | | | Tasted by hargy on 12/26/2020 & rated 95 points: this was really singing today - by no means a big wine but it has a lovely balance to it - fabulous (3719 views) | | | Tasted by Papies on 9/5/2020 & rated 97 points: 2020 Athens Wine Event (Tartare, Athens): Tasted blind. The nose putting on a instant show and producing a huge smile on our faces ( Nicol actually detected something TCA at start but that was but a faint and did not spoil the wine thankfully).
A mastercalss of classic Bordeaux and so fresh and energetic still ( We tried Mouton 85 also a superb wine , Papies 98 , back in February and that was a lot more evolved) to the point that we went with an early 90s maybe a 90-91 Dominus. A lot of healthy fruit, lots of tension here, very little in terms of secondary feel but with enough to create a super complex nice and an amazing palate. It was a great idea to serve this blind albeit for wines like this we never do as indeed it shown through and through. An amazing 96-98 and with another 20years to go (4854 views) | | | Tasted by skurtz on 7/9/2020 & rated 92 points: Decanted for an hour for Garth’s bday. This has an awesome nose, huge burst of Cuban cigars, but on the palate this is disappointing, fruit is most tart red berries, oak, and a tart finish. Maybe it needed to decant for longer but I was hoping for more. After a few hours, the expected blackberries did arrive, but the acid still prevailed. (4057 views) | | | Tasted by hargy on 5/1/2020 & rated 93 points: the 1985's are lovely and this is no exception - not a blockbuster but quite a subtle wine: mature, complex and long (3953 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (6/9/2021)
(Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac, France) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, Comparing Bordeaux First Growths 1985 vintage (2/1/2021)
(Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, Cellar Journal: Bordeaux 1920-2015 (Dec 2019) (12/1/2019)
(Lafite-rothschild Lafite-rothschild Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, Looking Back To Go Forward: Lafite-Rothschild 1868 – 2015 (Jul 2018) (7/18/2018)
(Lafite-rothschild Lafite-rothschild Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (5/24/2018)
(Ch Lafite Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, Lafite 150th birthday (5/23/2018)
(Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Sep/Oct 2014, Issue #53, 1985 Claret The Finest Bordeaux Vintage of the 1980s
(Château Lafite-Rothschild) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/26/2010)
(Ch Lafite Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, An Evening of Lafite-Rothschild (8/15/2005)
(Lafite-Rothschild) Login and sign up and see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, The European Grand Jury, Vegas Style (1/16/2005)
(Lafite) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/7/2002)
(Ch Lafite Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, July/August 2002, IWC Issue #103
(Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/28/2002)
(Ch Lafite Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (4/27/2007)
(Château Lafite Rothschild) Tobacco, graphite nose; tasty, elegant, tart red fruit, cassis, mushroom, with sweet tannins; medium-plus finish 94 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JamesSuckling.com and Decanter and Vinous and JancisRobinson.com and View From the Cellar and Vintage Tastings and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Lafite Rothschild Producer website – Read more about Chateau Lafite Rothschild
Vineyards map on weinlagen-infoRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.Pauillac Read more detailed information about Pauillac Looking full onto the river from the earliest days, with an important port activity, traces of which go back to ancient times (shipment of bronze as long ago as 2000 B.C.), Pauillac's life has always been intimately linked to the history of wine. Although port activities were at the root of its prosperity, Pauillac had to wait until the eighteenth century when Bordeaux ceased to hold its privileged position to become a wine port. The town then became the natural outlet for the wine production of neighbouring cantons before reaching its zenith in a period when the vineyards were exceptionally prosperous.
The characteristic of the Pauillac terroir is its exceptional relief: the many undulating ridges make it unique morphologically speaking. Highly favourable conditions facilitate the dissection of the layer of gravel. This thin, Garonne gravel from whose very poverty springs great richness, has an extremely effective natural drainage.
With their velvet red colour with a hint of amber, the wines from the Pauillac appellation, full-bodied and rich in tannin, are vigorous. Powerful when young, their aromas of red fruits (black-currant, raspberry) or flowers (violets, roses, irises) melt with the passing of time into a bouquet which is long in the mouth.
Rich and complex, the wines of Pauillac deserve to be laid down for a little longer.
Production conditions (Decree dated November 14, 1936)
In order to have the right to the Pauillac appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the commune of Pauillac and from precisely defined parcels in the communes of Cissac, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Sauveur, "excluding the parcels situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions : grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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