An older vintage Bordeaux, so ample decanting is definitely necessary. It had plenty of tannins and structure, with reasonably long finish. But it lacked the fruity nose up front.
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"Off" Vintages from Elite Producers: (Petrus, Lafite, Margaux, etc) (Charlotte, NC): Opened at 5pm and decanted for one hour. Back in the bottle until dinner at 6:30pm when cork was removed and slo-ox until serving at ~9:00pm. Complex nose that immediately spoke of Lafite – leather, barnyard, lead pencil, and red fruit. Confirmed on the palate, this wine had all the stuffing if lacking a more mature profile one might anticipate from a “lesser” vintage. Youthful and fresh while still showing a balanced secondary profile. This wine flowed easily into a long savory finish. “A suit-and-tie wine with class and restraint” noted one commenter. Even with its elevated performance, it likely would have benefitted from an earlier decant. One vote for WOTN, fourth place overall.
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Shared with Jim Cahill and our wives... Blood-red color, paling a bit at the rim. On the nose a soft appearance with some leather. On the palate a good impression with good volume.Quite smooth, well balanced and elegant but a bit monochromatic. Maybe with more air it will further develop... It did open up further later on but the wow-factor just did not come. Well polished but I just could not get very enthusiastic about it.
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Amazing Bordeaux To Mark A Special Birthday (Noizé, London): Blueberry cream and macaron nose with some subtle smokiness. Palate fine and correct. Very refined and charming. Unfairly suffers in the stellar company; on its own this would be a delightful accompaniment to a dinner.
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Nose is dominated by pepper and woody spice, with a touch of red currant and savory Asian sauce notes. On the palate, it is medium body, nicely integrated with bright acidity and a decent finish. The wine is better on the palate than the nose. It’s probably in its prime and will drink well for 5-10 years but I don’t see this getting much better.
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Kleur: Robijnrood met een oranjebruine rand. Aroma / bouquet: Tertiair. Boterzacht bouquet, vineus, geen spoor van oxidatie wel sporen van vermoeidheid (drinkbaarheidsindicatie WA 2000- 2015. Smaak / Afdronk: Ook in de mond boterzacht. En 5 jaar na het einde van de drinkbaarheidsindicatie van Parker nog extreem aangenaam. Zachte zuurgraad, mooi grijpte tannines. In de finale toont deze wijn zich helaas net te weinig om briljant te zijn. Algemeen / potentieel: Mooie, klassieke en bijna grootste icoon-wijn. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 16 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 90/100
Color: Ruby red with an orange-brown edge. Aroma / bouquet: Tertiary. Butter-soft bouquet, vinous, no trace of oxidation, but traces of fatigue (drinkability indication WA 2000-2015. Taste / Finish: Also buttery in the mouth. And 5 years after the end of the Parker drinkability indication pleasant Soft acidity, nicely grasped tannins In the final this wine unfortunately shows too little to be brilliant. General / potential: Beautiful, classic and almost biggest icon wine 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Taste / Finish: 16 + General / potential: 8 = 90/100
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Acker 200; 2/7/2020-2/8/2020 (The Pool & Cipriani): Very young tasting but isn't that always the case with Lafite? It's got tons of years left. Lots of black fruits and smoke and cigar and perhaps just a hint tight but still in a good spot.
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blind too much green Paprika, reminds to a unripe CF, missing Cassis, few tertiary Aromas. I think it won't get much better. Unripe fuits is the Problem. 92
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Exceptionally fine lafite. Much more advanced than the recently tasted 98 and much more open for business. It took some 2 hours to open up and shed the initial stiffness. But then it became Pauillac sweet and subtly multilayered, long and elegant as lafite can be at its best. A very good ambassador of the chateau, not hampered by the weak year at all. Chapeau! And plenty of years ahead.
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The wine looks violet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, red currant, prune and cedar. The body is medium/full. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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The wine looks garnet colored. It smells like blackberry, blueberry, black currant (cassis), forest floor, toast, coffee, cedar, vanilla, black pepper and cinnamon.
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Drunk at 67PM as part of an insane lineup of mostly much older wines. To be honest this got a little lost in the line up and was slightly unremarkable (am I allowed to say that about Lafite?!). Delicious wine. Great fruit. If I’d had it in it’s own with roast beef I’d maybe score this more? But delighted to have had a glass of this.
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Un Lafite élégant, alliant un poil d'austérité et de clacissisme au fruité noble du CS (pointe cassis), mais tout en nuances, sans ostentation, avec un profil plus aérien que large. C'est celui qui semblait le plus riche et le plus concentré des trois 1997 bus ce soir-là, qui se montraient indéniablement frais et étirés, sans boisé ostentatoire, avec des nuances propres a chacun, mais bien marqués par la légèreté relative du millésime; ils ont bien tenu le coup, en bon Bordeaux qu'ils sont (Mouton & Margaux).
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Exceptionally fine. Ripe fruit, rigid selection, has only recently entered its drinking window. True to Lafite, with tobacco and lead pencil, with glorious equilibrium, but surprising presence for the vintage no doubt reflecting rigorous selection. True to the Lafite tradionalist modus operandi this will provide enormous satisfaction for aficionados over the next 20 years. Probably the wine of the vintage.
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Somewhat riper and more savoury than the older Lafites, this is still a classically styled wine, and judging by last night’s showing it has only just entered its drinking window. It is more backward than I expected. It too has impeccable balance of more primary rich red fruit than the older wines. This is probably the wine of the vintage.
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Drinking really well, takes an hour or so to open up, but after that its really good...the fruit/acid/tannins are well balanced and its still a terrific rich red color. Should be good for at least another decade
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Lafite Vertical: A vintage I had not tasted previously. Nice nose, good palate, but the finish dropped off quickly, and that's where this wine lagged. I liked it.
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Chateau Lafite Rothschild - 20 year vertical blind tasting (Fribourg): Tasted blind. Medium ruby. Nose of leather, barnyard, cinnamon, red fruit, hallmark Medoc-Lafite style. The palate was very impressive aromatically, elegant with soft tannins. Slightly to bretty, and slightly too dry on the finish if I want to be picky. This had a lot of followers and everyone was surprised that the 97 showed so well. Group rank # 10/20. Readiness: Mature.
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My first Bordeaux Prm Crus. Dark, almost brown, in color. silky smooth mouth-feel very little detectable fruit. It blossoms to leathery mineral flavors that last minutes in mouth. It was the first P. Crus for 6 others at table. all liked it, but where not blown away until we compared with Meomi pinot noire 2013. The meomi went from a dependable go-to-wine to extremely harsh and unbalanced when compared right sipping side by side.
Decanted for an hour before drinking. Long finish with a mineral ending. Notes of dark fruit when first tasting and then to gives way mineral limestone. No tannins.
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surely not a powerhouse Lafite, but at its price it is a very good deal. A little short on the finish and not as concentrated as the 2 previous years. ready to drink now.
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lovely now - nose of cedar with great expression. elegant and smooth, silky, with a long follow-through. very open and ready. no decanting needed and don't think recommended.
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I drank two bottles of the 97' in the last months, one almost flawed, the other one good. Both high fills. I would call it a nice 92 points wine. If you wouldn't know it's a Lafite you would think of an average well made Pauillac wine.
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This bottle traveled with us when we moved from NJ to AZ. Was really wary of how this 16 year old wine would hold up. Had it decanted and let it stand for 30 minutes. The nose alone was worth the wait. Sipped with a tasting menu for 2 hours. As Sinatra sang "From the brim to the dregs, it poured sweet and clear; it was a very good year".
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Lovely colour, glowing, showing a bit of age at the rim. Wonderful classic nose, flavours jumping out of the glass - red fruit, cedar, spices, tobacco, mushrooms. Extremely elegant and fine. Rich and elegant palate as well, quite acidic, not as round as I had expected. Good character of fruit, round with fine but slightly drying tannins. Good length but a bit lean and maybe a touch unbalanced. Still a very nice wine.
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These 97s are actually delivering pretty decent drinking across the board for the mid-level wines of Bordeaux. This is obviously a step up but it is sitting in a nice place right now - all the classic Paulliac aromas and textures delivered without the booming extract of the younger wines. No doubt it will improve but right now I think it is providing good drinking......just dont think about the ridiculous price. Judged on its own merits a very good drink. Judged within the context of the price - stupidily bad quality for money.
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1997 first growth tasting. The least convincing of the five wines. Color polished and darker than the others, being the only wine of the 5 that differed in this respect. Initially very mute on the nose, opening more in the glass with some cedary oak and graphite notes. Palate edgy with higher acids, but also a sweet delicacy to the red fruits at its core. A less relaxed, more tense and angular wine that seemed not to have found its harmony as yet.
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Out of half a dozen times, this is the first time I really enjoyed a Lafite. The previous two 1997s were too light bodied, and bordered on being insipid. This one has gained weight and gotten much better. Its classic nose burst out of the bottle upon opening. Medium body now with enough complexity to tease the drinker, nice silky tannins, a fairly meaty and powerful wine, yet it retained its elegance. It has a good finish too. Really drinking well now. This is a 1997 jewel, and a perfect bottle to bring to Tong Le OUE.
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Decanted 30 minutes. Dark red black starting to turn at rim. Lovely elegant but powerful classic warm blackcurrant with hints of leather and undergrowth. A little less full on palate than expected from nose with cedar more prominently. Nice balance with some vegetal tones on finish. Fantastic with steak. For a ‘poor’ vintage this wine is getting better and better and now at least worth the en-primeur price 4+/5 (94-97).
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Pauillac (semi blind) (Amsterdam Wijn Antiquariaat): Exceptional elegance, surprising for a 1997 Bordeaux. Still fairly closed but complex nose with little currant and blackberries, vanilla and some pencil. Medium bodied with red fruits, well integrated tannins. Long and elegant finish.
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Decanted 30 mins. Lovely classic nose blackcurrant and cedar but with more roundness and depth than expected for the vintage, quite complex showing nice development. Lovely balance, quite powerful and with mineral finish. Fairly long. Drinking well now, not a classic but outstanding for a 1997 (not worth the current price though). 4+/5 (94-97)
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The wine looks Ruby colored. The legs are Fast. It smells like Black currant (cassis), Oak, and Red Currant. It tastes like Red Currant, Black currant (cassis), Toast, and Oak. The body is Medium. The wine is textured Smooth. The wine finishes Medium.
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Wonderfully complex with a nice blend of crushed berries, floral notes and lead pencil. Concentrated, but not over the top. While this isn't the best Lafite I have ever tasted, it is a wonderful wine to enjoy for a special occasion.
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Family celebration. Got a bottle of 1997 Lafite. High expectation for this Pauillac wine. Decant for 2 hours. Impressive ripe multilayers of berries, earth, pencil lead, vanilla, creme d la cassis, smoke box, cigar, oak...there are more. Leathery, concentrated structures, focus on the palate, layers of fruity berries, waiting for it to reveal its personality, refined tannin. Surprised it goes with most food. Long finish. Unfortunately only one bottle. Cellar potential for another 10 years. A8P8C8. 開瓶2时数。 氣味集中的成熟浆果,莓果酱,烟箱,雪茄,橡木,铅笔芯為主調题,香草,奶油的芳香。 口感圓潤温和,柔滑似皮革,集中的结构,層次豐富. 在上颚,浆果层的芳香等待著,丹宁酸成熟,酒酸精美结构. 尾韻集中和長度夠久,咖啡,可可喉後. 整體表現,但就層次和复杂度上來說,甜美而厚實,完整的好酒. 可保守较10年.
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2nd time to try this vintage, decanted for 30min, quite closed and waited another half hour, opened up a bit and showed graphite and some fruit, but not much floral. Palate was a bit tannic, especially we drank 79 Margaux first which has a wonderful palate, silky smooth. Overall, not impressed with this vintage especially for the price nowadays!
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HDH Lafite Auction (Chicago, IL): From magnum. Ruby colour, with no particular signs of bricking. If the '89 was dark and brooding, this one has toppled into the dark side. A nose that is somewhat less sweet, with more vegetal and green notes. Certainly not a ripe vintage, the nose indicates a relatively cerebral vintage of Lafite. On the palate, there's tons of acidity, but the complexity is lacking. Completely unripe. Lots of green tannins, and this wine feels somewhat raw and unrefined. Certainly powerful, but exercising its power in the wrong ways. A very acidic and green finish. Either a poor showing or a poor Lafite overall, or a poor wine in general, if you're paying Asian prices. Served with blackberries cold smoked in rosemary with coffee foam.
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I bring Gaja Sperss 1993 to compare and it seems better than Lafite 1997.
1998 Henriot Champagne 1992 Aile d'Argent ( White wine of Ch. Mouton Rothschild ) 1993 Gaja 1986 DRC Marc de Bourgogne and Remy Martin LOUIS XIII
Anyway, nice nose of cedar, quite fruity reminds me of Lafite 1989. Easy to drink but I expect more. Nice aftertaste and good finished. ( We, 3 of us, can not end up the bottle. We go for Marc and LOUIS XIII )
As a crazy price of Lafite, it doesn't make Lafite better or more delicious. Lafite is Lafite, Lafite is not Petrus...even the great vintage like 1986...I, myself, prefer Petrus 1980, 1984, 1987 or even 1981.
Drink now - 2030..............92+/100..................
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Opened and decanted in the bottle 2 hours prior to a dinner tasting. Poured half into a decanter and left half in the bottle. Fairly light color, still full of live though, floral + mineral nose, fruit not prominant, well balanced. Palate is soft and elegant, medium long finish. Towards the end, a bit tannic. Overall a bit disappointed.
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Do not open any Lafite with less than 10 years of bottle age! This one is much much much better than my last bottle opened 7 years ago...totally different! Still dark red, with the typical lafite perfume and floral nose...also leather and lead pencil. Breathed in the bottle for 2 hours and then in decanter for an hour. A bit oaky at the first attack but it softened after 10 min...great balance and soft tannins but the wine has a firm structure in place. The finish is complex though not too long. In a blind tasting, I would not have imagined that it is a 1997.
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Wine dinner at Zucca Trattoria - all wines supplied by me.
My ratings:
WHITE 2005 Henri Boillot Meursault Les Charmes -- 95 -- Delicious, drinking now, with good fruit, balanced acidity and nice minerality
REDS 1997 Louis Jadot Bonnes Mares -- 93 -- Needs time - will be sublime in another 5 years 1995 Ornellaia (from Magnum) -- 95 -- Brilliant! Drinking now. Beautifully balanced; a rich mouthful 1996 Henri Perrot-Minot Charmes-Chambertin -- 95 -- Beautifully generous, although could do with more time in the bottle 1997 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild -- 96 -- Drinking beautifully. No one guessed this might be a 1997. 1989 Chateau Haut-Brion -- 99 -- First equal for WOTN. Unbelievable. 1997 Guigal Cote-Rotie “La Mouline” -- 96 -- Mature nose, lots of smoke, bacon and black fruits. 1991 Guigal Cote-Rotie “La Landonne” -- 99 -- First equal for WOTN. Unbelievable.
DESSERT 1937 Maury Domaines et Terroirs du Sud -- 94 -- Caramel, apricots; a delicious mouthful of dessert wine!
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Pierre Morey/Lafite Lunch: In a vertical with the 70 and 72, just showed incredibly young and primary. Still a thoroughly classy wine with plenty of potential, but needs a good 5 years if not more. There is a good kernel of dark fruit, and some cedar and spice on the nose already, but it is all quite tightly wound up. With a few years, will be very good, but perhaps not ever the match of the more classic 70 for me.
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1997 Ornellaia - Beautiful, sublime, sexy wine. Drinking incredibly well. Impeccable balance. 1997 Pavie-Macquin - despite what one might think of the 1997 vintage in Bordeaux, this wine was brilliant. 1997 Beringer Private Reserve - A perennial favourite. 1997 Lafite Rothschild - A barnyardy nose, which blew off with time. Great pedigree and structure. Lay down for 5 years.
1991 Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque - my personal favourite of the tasting. A brilliant, complete wine - my favourite wine ever! 1998 Guigal Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde - a beautifully made, delicious wine 1998 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle - Probably the only really good La chapelle made since the 1990 in my view 1996 Chateau de Fonsalette Reserve Cuvee Syrah - my second favourite of the flight. Deep, dark, sweet, thick, amazing
All wines showed beautifully, and were drinking well.
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NSMFOW December '08--BYO Yankee Swap (The Grapevine, Salem, MA): Similar to my previous notes: Garnet color with some lightening at the rim. Nice nose of pencil shavings and game. Palate of cassis, blackberry, with some earthy undertones. Soft tannins. Finish was medium. Not a weighty wine but elegant and seems to be drinking well at the moment. I guessed a 1995 St. Julien.
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A well-balanced, smooth and medium-bodied wine with soft tannins; pencil shavings and cedar nose; notes of currants, cedar and tobacco; disappointing finish. A soft, elegant wine, but nothing spectacular. I wonder if this wine is being overpraised in context of the vintage, rather than judged on its own merits. My first Lafite in a very long time, so I'm probably not qualified to say. I do like the style... just wish there was more of it.
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A friend opened this bottle at his vacation home in Michigan over the weekend with dinner to celebrate their anniversary. Matched with prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes and brocoli. This was an off vintage in Bordeaux. As a result only 26% of the grapes picked at Lafite made it into this blend. Parker wrote that this wine "can be drunk young" and was " one of the most forward Lafites ever tasted". We decanted this wine 3 hours before dinner. It was only lightly sedimented. The nose was delicate with floral nuances. A very smooth wine and on the light to medium bodied side. Notes of graphite, red cassis and some mint on the finish. Only a moderate finish. This was served next to a 1997 Cos d'Estournel which showed better in my opinion. 89-90 points.
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Skinner Fine Wine Auction Reception (Boston, MA): Skinner auction reception. Garnet color with some lightening at the rim. Nice nose of pencil shavings and game. Palate of cassis, blackberry, with some earthy undertones. Soft tannins. Finish was medium. Not a weighty wine but elegant and seems to be drinking well at the moment.
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Oh what a fantastic wine this is, the best 97 Claret I've had. Just perfect to drink now, perfect combo of Cedar, black fruit and tobacco. Love it, if it wasn't for the price tag, I would buy more of this.
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Very fine wine that is resolving itself well. Notes of mint and pencil shavings, as well as good fruit. Nice finish...not overly tannic and very fresh overall.
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Dark red. Still young but open for business straight out of the bottle. Nice mineral and red berry smell some pencil shavings coming through already. After taking the first sip I had to walk back to the bottle to see whether I opend the wrong vintage by accident, but no its a 1997! Wow what a wine. No hurry to open this although a top-notch Lafite with coffee, plum and mineral notes. But then again this nose!!! Have to get more of this especially at the price it is offered at the moment.
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Wine Education Service - The Big Five: Fairly deep colour. Very attractive nose, fruity, farmyard, mature and complex. Fruity, tannin and acidity beautifully balanced, full bodied, slightly tarry and peppery, classy and very long, still maturing and will take 5 to 10 years to peak.
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This time I saw the Lafite light. Pencil lead and blackcurrant, very pure, then a gorgeous roasted, coffee quality, and a long finish - and yet at the same time it was delicate and not at all big.
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After tasting this I realized that the bottle I had last year (which was very good anyway) was probably slightly off, as this bottle sang all night long. It is a young wine with its richness, power, and opulence, but the complexity and length are simply stunning. The classic aromas of lead pencil, cedar, cassis, and tobacco leaf were intoxicating indeed. I have gravitated away from Bordeaux a great deal in the past year, but I'll drink this kind of wine any day.
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Wine Education Service - First Growths: Almost opaque, deep claret colour, very slight tawny rim. Vegetal nose (beans), slightly reserved, coffee, blackcurrants. Great balanced taste, loads of fruit, elegant, smooth, off dry finish, excellent length.
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Full and delicious. Saddle leather and spice. A little hot. Nice balance between fruit and wood tannins. Long and satisfying. This is drinking very well at such an early age. dg
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Tasted blind: Dark, dark colour. Quite astringent nose, very clean (after a while in the glass really opened up to reveal classic pencil case, cedar and tobacco notes). Really opulent taste, marzipan and almonds, and clean, dark fruits - blackcurrants and plums. Great balance and length. Tasted after 2 lesser 97s and clearly stood-out. This is not a blockbuster, but it is a great wine from a forward vintage. Tasting well now, but still evolving - will be better in 2/3 years.
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Wine Education Service - The Big 5 (Again): Very dark cherry, not much age. Coffee and ripe fruit on the nose, not instantly attractive, but patience pays off. Attractive fruit with strong tannins, complex, good length, will last well.
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Wow, what a nose - the classic Lafite bouquet of lead pencil, cedar, and tobacco-leaf, with a subtle but not dominating note of bell pepper. In the mouth, the wine was light-bodied but revealed super-sweet black currant fruit. I have not yet had one of the truly great Lafites, so the knockout nose on this one gave me a hint of the real thing - I could have smelled the glass all night long. The finish is a hair disappointing after what the nose promises, so some points were lost there. This is absolutely ready to drink now.
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Wine Education Service - The Big Five: Dark cherry with signs of age. Fruity, spicy nose. Fruity with good balancing tannins and acid, good length, a lovely wine tasting very youthful.
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Wine Education Service - First Growths: Dark colour. A smoky oaky nose with butterscotch and coffee. Fruity with strong tannins, a very interesting wine which needs time to mature.
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1/25/2024 - deadwax wrote: 90 Points
Nothing noticeably wrong, acid seemed to be about right, but the fruit was flat. More interesting than good.
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1/24/2024 - d.f.c Likes this wine: 94 Points
An older vintage Bordeaux, so ample decanting is definitely necessary. It had plenty of tannins and structure, with reasonably long finish. But it lacked the fruity nose up front.
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11/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:
"Off" Vintages from Elite Producers: (Petrus, Lafite, Margaux, etc) (Charlotte, NC): Opened at 5pm and decanted for one hour. Back in the bottle until dinner at 6:30pm when cork was removed and slo-ox until serving at ~9:00pm.
Complex nose that immediately spoke of Lafite – leather, barnyard, lead pencil, and red fruit. Confirmed on the palate, this wine had all the stuffing if lacking a more mature profile one might anticipate from a “lesser” vintage. Youthful and fresh while still showing a balanced secondary profile. This wine flowed easily into a long savory finish. “A suit-and-tie wine with class and restraint” noted one commenter. Even with its elevated performance, it likely would have benefitted from an earlier decant. One vote for WOTN, fourth place overall.
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8/10/2023 - Bandreas Likes this wine:
Shared with Jim Cahill and our wives...
Blood-red color, paling a bit at the rim. On the nose a soft appearance with some leather. On the palate a good impression with good volume.Quite smooth, well balanced and elegant but a bit monochromatic.
Maybe with more air it will further develop...
It did open up further later on but the wow-factor just did not come. Well polished but I just could not get very enthusiastic about it.
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5/17/2023 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 93 Points
Amazing Bordeaux To Mark A Special Birthday (Noizé, London): Blueberry cream and macaron nose with some subtle smokiness. Palate fine and correct. Very refined and charming. Unfairly suffers in the stellar company; on its own this would be a delightful accompaniment to a dinner.
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4/17/2022 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
Nose is dominated by pepper and woody spice, with a touch of red currant and savory Asian sauce notes.
On the palate, it is medium body, nicely integrated with bright acidity and a decent finish. The wine is better on the palate than the nose. It’s probably in its prime and will drink well for 5-10 years but I don’t see this getting much better.
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3/27/2022 - yukoner Likes this wine: 94 Points
Not much left for this particular bottle. I think it is past is optimum drinking window
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1/30/2022 - levicn wrote: 92 Points
醒酒一个半小时,闻香轻微酱味,动物皮毛,肉味,人参的香气,黑李子的果香,入口酸度中高,单宁细腻,酒液咸鲜,矿物感,石墨气息,人参,烤面包的味道,后段植物微苦,余味木质香气。一支充分陈年,处在适饮期后期的酒,植物气息和橡木桶主导,已经没有太活跃的果香,口感略有些咸苦,缺少愉悦感,但有着复杂的香气,体现的是老酒的另一种魅力。
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12/10/2021 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
Colder, beautifully resolved, very pleasurable. 93
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10/25/2021 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
A private dinner (Restaurant d'Oude Schuur, Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium): Classic Lafite nose, fragrant, mature but fresh, spices and blackcurrants, flowers and oyster shell; slender and gentle but lively palate, lovely freshness and firm tannic grip; very good resonance and length.
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7/13/2021 - Malarky997 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bit sharp at the end
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6/20/2021 - Malarky997 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful
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4/18/2020 - WildeMeeuw Likes this wine: 90 Points
Kleur: Robijnrood met een oranjebruine rand. Aroma / bouquet: Tertiair. Boterzacht bouquet, vineus, geen spoor van oxidatie wel sporen van vermoeidheid (drinkbaarheidsindicatie WA 2000- 2015. Smaak / Afdronk: Ook in de mond boterzacht. En 5 jaar na het einde van de drinkbaarheidsindicatie van Parker nog extreem aangenaam. Zachte zuurgraad, mooi grijpte tannines. In de finale toont deze wijn zich helaas net te weinig om briljant te zijn. Algemeen / potentieel: Mooie, klassieke en bijna grootste icoon-wijn. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 16 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 90/100
Color: Ruby red with an orange-brown edge. Aroma / bouquet: Tertiary. Butter-soft bouquet, vinous, no trace of oxidation, but traces of fatigue (drinkability indication WA 2000-2015. Taste / Finish: Also buttery in the mouth. And 5 years after the end of the Parker drinkability indication pleasant Soft acidity, nicely grasped tannins In the final this wine unfortunately shows too little to be brilliant. General / potential: Beautiful, classic and almost biggest icon wine 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Taste / Finish: 16 + General / potential: 8 = 90/100
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2/8/2020 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Acker 200; 2/7/2020-2/8/2020 (The Pool & Cipriani): Very young tasting but isn't that always the case with Lafite? It's got tons of years left. Lots of black fruits and smoke and cigar and perhaps just a hint tight but still in a good spot.
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8/24/2019 - aquacongas wrote: 92 Points
blind
too much green Paprika, reminds to a unripe CF, missing Cassis, few tertiary Aromas. I think it won't get much better. Unripe fuits is the Problem. 92
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5/25/2019 - steinersing wrote: 93 Points
Very fine and getting quite ready.
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5/25/2019 - fcxj wrote: 90 Points
12 coeur. Decent for the vintage.
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1/12/2019 - Willi Vinotti Likes this wine: 94 Points
Exceptionally fine lafite. Much more advanced than the recently tasted 98 and much more open for business. It took some 2 hours to open up and shed the initial stiffness. But then it became Pauillac sweet and subtly multilayered, long and elegant as lafite can be at its best. A very good ambassador of the chateau, not hampered by the weak year at all. Chapeau! And plenty of years ahead.
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12/2/2018 - Sean Tay wrote: 90 Points
The wine looks violet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, red currant, prune and cedar. The body is medium/full. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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12/1/2018 - Sean Tay wrote:
The wine looks garnet colored. It smells like blackberry, blueberry, black currant (cassis), forest floor, toast, coffee, cedar, vanilla, black pepper and cinnamon.
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10/2/2018 - salil wrote: flawed
Corked. BAH.
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9/19/2018 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice off vintage Lafite. Matt and I enjoyed this wine and the experience drinking it.
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8/31/2018 - RayOB wrote: 94 Points
Drank at 67
Young pencil sharp with a wonderful smooth mouthfeel. Nice.
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8/30/2018 - DonDon wrote: 92 Points
Drunk at 67PM as part of an insane lineup of mostly much older wines. To be honest this got a little lost in the line up and was slightly unremarkable (am I allowed to say that about Lafite?!). Delicious wine. Great fruit. If I’d had it in it’s own with roast beef I’d maybe score this more? But delighted to have had a glass of this.
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5/27/2018 - Raage Likes this wine: 92 Points
Un Lafite élégant, alliant un poil d'austérité et de clacissisme au fruité noble du CS (pointe cassis), mais tout en nuances, sans ostentation, avec un profil plus aérien que large. C'est celui qui semblait le plus riche et le plus concentré des trois 1997 bus ce soir-là, qui se montraient indéniablement frais et étirés, sans boisé ostentatoire, avec des nuances propres a chacun, mais bien marqués par la légèreté relative du millésime; ils ont bien tenu le coup, en bon Bordeaux qu'ils sont (Mouton & Margaux).
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3/16/2018 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 95 Points
Exceptionally fine. Ripe fruit, rigid selection, has only recently entered its drinking window. True to Lafite, with tobacco and lead pencil, with glorious equilibrium, but surprising presence for the vintage no doubt reflecting rigorous selection. True to the Lafite tradionalist modus operandi this will provide enormous satisfaction for aficionados over the next 20 years. Probably the wine of the vintage.
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3/1/2018 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 95 Points
Somewhat riper and more savoury than the older Lafites, this is still a classically styled wine, and judging by last night’s showing it has only just entered its drinking window. It is more backward than I expected. It too has impeccable balance of more primary rich red fruit than the older wines. This is probably the wine of the vintage.
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12/23/2017 - jswine15 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking really well, takes an hour or so to open up, but after that its really good...the fruit/acid/tannins are well balanced and its still a terrific rich red color. Should be good for at least another decade
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12/16/2017 - NJwineguy wrote: 92 Points
Nice after a while. Not the biggest and best but quite pleasant
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12/12/2016 - BradE wrote:
Lafite Vertical: A vintage I had not tasted previously. Nice nose, good palate, but the finish dropped off quickly, and that's where this wine lagged. I liked it.
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5/29/2016 - tekstrand24 wrote: flawed
Unfortunately the wine was undrinkable. Wine was corked.
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3/15/2016 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
Chateau Lafite Rothschild - 20 year vertical blind tasting (Fribourg): Tasted blind. Medium ruby. Nose of leather, barnyard, cinnamon, red fruit, hallmark Medoc-Lafite style. The palate was very impressive aromatically, elegant with soft tannins. Slightly to bretty, and slightly too dry on the finish if I want to be picky. This had a lot of followers and everyone was surprised that the 97 showed so well. Group rank # 10/20. Readiness: Mature.
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1/4/2016 - swigna Likes this wine: 95 Points
My first Bordeaux Prm Crus. Dark, almost brown, in color. silky smooth mouth-feel very little detectable fruit. It blossoms to leathery mineral flavors that last minutes in mouth. It was the first P. Crus for 6 others at table. all liked it, but where not blown away until we compared with Meomi pinot noire 2013. The meomi went from a dependable go-to-wine to extremely harsh and unbalanced when compared right sipping side by side.
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12/26/2015 - wpd Likes this wine: 91 Points
No formal notes. Decanted 2 hours. Excellent wine, classic bordeaux nose. Deep purple, delicious with our prime rib roast.
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6/27/2015 - Rbonvicini Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour before drinking. Long finish with a mineral ending. Notes of dark fruit when first tasting and then to gives way mineral limestone. No tannins.
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2/11/2015 - dustyg wrote: flawed
Spoiled.
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6/6/2014 - docdavid Likes this wine: 92 Points
surely not a powerhouse Lafite, but at its price it is a very good deal. A little short on the finish and not as concentrated as the 2 previous years. ready to drink now.
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5/16/2014 - steinersing wrote: 94 Points
lovely now - nose of cedar with great expression. elegant and smooth, silky, with a long follow-through. very open and ready. no decanting needed and don't think recommended.
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11/6/2013 - Paui wrote: 92 Points
I drank two bottles of the 97' in the last months, one almost flawed, the other one good. Both high fills. I would call it a nice 92 points wine. If you wouldn't know it's a Lafite you would think of an average well made Pauillac wine.
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6/29/2013 - la turque wrote: 95 Points
A wine with remarkable depth, sweetness and structure. Hedonistic, with a very rich mouthfeel. Drinking beautifully.
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6/20/2013 - NJWINELOVERS Likes this wine: 94 Points
This bottle traveled with us when we moved from NJ to AZ. Was really wary of how this 16 year old wine would hold up. Had it decanted and let it stand for 30 minutes. The nose alone was worth the wait. Sipped with a tasting menu for 2 hours. As Sinatra sang "From the brim to the dregs, it poured sweet and clear; it was a very good year".
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6/1/2013 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Lovely colour, glowing, showing a bit of age at the rim. Wonderful classic nose, flavours jumping out of the glass - red fruit, cedar, spices, tobacco, mushrooms. Extremely elegant and fine. Rich and elegant palate as well, quite acidic, not as round as I had expected. Good character of fruit, round with fine but slightly drying tannins. Good length but a bit lean and maybe a touch unbalanced. Still a very nice wine.
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11/20/2012 - pjaines wrote:
These 97s are actually delivering pretty decent drinking across the board for the mid-level wines of Bordeaux. This is obviously a step up but it is sitting in a nice place right now - all the classic Paulliac aromas and textures delivered without the booming extract of the younger wines. No doubt it will improve but right now I think it is providing good drinking......just dont think about the ridiculous price. Judged on its own merits a very good drink. Judged within the context of the price - stupidily bad quality for money.
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10/13/2012 - Shanta wrote:
1997 first growth tasting. The least convincing of the five wines. Color polished and darker than the others, being the only wine of the 5 that differed in this respect. Initially very mute on the nose, opening more in the glass with some cedary oak and graphite notes. Palate edgy with higher acids, but also a sweet delicacy to the red fruits at its core. A less relaxed, more tense and angular wine that seemed not to have found its harmony as yet.
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8/3/2012 - Philip Yang wrote: 96 Points
Out of half a dozen times, this is the first time I really enjoyed a Lafite. The previous two 1997s were too light bodied, and bordered on being insipid. This one has gained weight and gotten much better. Its classic nose burst out of the bottle upon opening. Medium body now with enough complexity to tease the drinker, nice silky tannins, a fairly meaty and powerful wine, yet it retained its elegance. It has a good finish too. Really drinking well now. This is a 1997 jewel, and a perfect bottle to bring to Tong Le OUE.
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3/22/2012 - nstow Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 30 minutes. Dark red black starting to turn at rim. Lovely elegant but powerful classic warm blackcurrant with hints of leather and undergrowth. A little less full on palate than expected from nose with cedar more prominently. Nice balance with some vegetal tones on finish. Fantastic with steak. For a ‘poor’ vintage this wine is getting better and better and now at least worth the en-primeur price 4+/5 (94-97).
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11/11/2011 - Ary wrote: 93 Points
Pauillac (semi blind) (Amsterdam Wijn Antiquariaat): Exceptional elegance, surprising for a 1997 Bordeaux. Still fairly closed but complex nose with little currant and blackberries, vanilla and some pencil. Medium bodied with red fruits, well integrated tannins. Long and elegant finish.
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9/11/2011 - nstow Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 30 mins. Lovely classic nose blackcurrant and cedar but with more roundness and depth than expected for the vintage, quite complex showing nice development. Lovely balance, quite powerful and with mineral finish. Fairly long. Drinking well now, not a classic but outstanding for a 1997 (not worth the current price though). 4+/5 (94-97)
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9/5/2011 - Lazy JH Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine looks Ruby colored.
The legs are Fast.
It smells like Black currant (cassis), Oak, and Red Currant.
It tastes like Red Currant, Black currant (cassis), Toast, and Oak.
The body is Medium.
The wine is textured Smooth.
The wine finishes Medium.
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7/15/2011 - ToddR911 wrote: 96 Points
Exceptional depth. Only decanted for 30 mins. Layers of fruit with blackberry and cherry. Vanilla. Smooth finish. Not much tannins, drinking well now.
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6/25/2011 - Schiffy wrote: 94 Points
Wonderfully complex with a nice blend of crushed berries, floral notes and lead pencil. Concentrated, but not over the top. While this isn't the best Lafite I have ever tasted, it is a wonderful wine to enjoy for a special occasion.
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5/23/2011 - dedrislee wrote: 96 Points
Family celebration. Got a bottle of 1997 Lafite. High expectation for this Pauillac wine. Decant for 2 hours. Impressive ripe multilayers of berries, earth, pencil lead, vanilla, creme d la cassis, smoke box, cigar, oak...there are more. Leathery, concentrated structures, focus on the palate, layers of fruity berries, waiting for it to reveal its personality, refined tannin. Surprised it goes with most food. Long finish. Unfortunately only one bottle. Cellar potential for another 10 years. A8P8C8.
開瓶2时数。 氣味集中的成熟浆果,莓果酱,烟箱,雪茄,橡木,铅笔芯為主調题,香草,奶油的芳香。 口感圓潤温和,柔滑似皮革,集中的结构,層次豐富. 在上颚,浆果层的芳香等待著,丹宁酸成熟,酒酸精美结构. 尾韻集中和長度夠久,咖啡,可可喉後. 整體表現,但就層次和复杂度上來說,甜美而厚實,完整的好酒. 可保守较10年.
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5/3/2011 - danielk168 wrote: 88 Points
2nd time to try this vintage, decanted for 30min, quite closed and waited another half hour, opened up a bit and showed graphite and some fruit, but not much floral. Palate was a bit tannic, especially we drank 79 Margaux first which has a wonderful palate, silky smooth. Overall, not impressed with this vintage especially for the price nowadays!
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3/19/2011 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
HDH Lafite Auction (Chicago, IL): From magnum. Ruby colour, with no particular signs of bricking. If the '89 was dark and brooding, this one has toppled into the dark side. A nose that is somewhat less sweet, with more vegetal and green notes. Certainly not a ripe vintage, the nose indicates a relatively cerebral vintage of Lafite. On the palate, there's tons of acidity, but the complexity is lacking. Completely unripe. Lots of green tannins, and this wine feels somewhat raw and unrefined. Certainly powerful, but exercising its power in the wrong ways. A very acidic and green finish. Either a poor showing or a poor Lafite overall, or a poor wine in general, if you're paying Asian prices. Served with blackberries cold smoked in rosemary with coffee foam.
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3/8/2011 - noppakit s. wrote: 92 Points
...Lafite is Lafite...
I bring Gaja Sperss 1993 to compare and it seems better than Lafite 1997.
1998 Henriot Champagne
1992 Aile d'Argent ( White wine of Ch. Mouton Rothschild )
1993 Gaja
1986 DRC Marc de Bourgogne
and Remy Martin LOUIS XIII
Anyway, nice nose of cedar, quite fruity reminds me of Lafite 1989. Easy to drink but I expect more. Nice aftertaste and good finished. ( We, 3 of us, can not end up the bottle. We go for Marc and LOUIS XIII )
As a crazy price of Lafite, it doesn't make Lafite better or more delicious. Lafite is Lafite, Lafite is not Petrus...even the great vintage like 1986...I, myself, prefer Petrus 1980, 1984, 1987 or even 1981.
Drink now - 2030..............92+/100..................
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2/21/2011 - danielk168 wrote: 91 Points
Opened and decanted in the bottle 2 hours prior to a dinner tasting. Poured half into a decanter and left half in the bottle.
Fairly light color, still full of live though, floral + mineral nose, fruit not prominant, well balanced. Palate is soft and elegant, medium long finish.
Towards the end, a bit tannic. Overall a bit disappointed.
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1/18/2011 - mstar wrote: 94 Points
From a magnum. Drinking very well now. Not overly powerful, but an elegant wine. Aromas of cassis and cherrys. Tanniins softened and well integrated.
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1/16/2011 - emkc wrote: 94 Points
Do not open any Lafite with less than 10 years of bottle age! This one is much much much better than my last bottle opened 7 years ago...totally different! Still dark red, with the typical lafite perfume and floral nose...also leather and lead pencil. Breathed in the bottle for 2 hours and then in decanter for an hour. A bit oaky at the first attack but it softened after 10 min...great balance and soft tannins but the wine has a firm structure in place. The finish is complex though not too long. In a blind tasting, I would not have imagined that it is a 1997.
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12/26/2010 - JJB007 wrote: 99 Points
wow
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6/15/2010 - la turque wrote: 96 Points
Wine dinner at Zucca Trattoria - all wines supplied by me.
My ratings:
WHITE
2005 Henri Boillot Meursault Les Charmes -- 95 -- Delicious, drinking now, with good fruit, balanced acidity and nice minerality
REDS
1997 Louis Jadot Bonnes Mares -- 93 -- Needs time - will be sublime in another 5 years
1995 Ornellaia (from Magnum) -- 95 -- Brilliant! Drinking now. Beautifully balanced; a rich mouthful
1996 Henri Perrot-Minot Charmes-Chambertin -- 95 -- Beautifully generous, although could do with more time in the bottle
1997 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild -- 96 -- Drinking beautifully. No one guessed this might be a 1997.
1989 Chateau Haut-Brion -- 99 -- First equal for WOTN. Unbelievable.
1997 Guigal Cote-Rotie “La Mouline” -- 96 -- Mature nose, lots of smoke, bacon and black fruits.
1991 Guigal Cote-Rotie “La Landonne” -- 99 -- First equal for WOTN. Unbelievable.
DESSERT
1937 Maury Domaines et Terroirs du Sud -- 94 -- Caramel, apricots; a delicious mouthful of dessert wine!
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12/14/2009 - abh wrote:
Pierre Morey/Lafite Lunch: In a vertical with the 70 and 72, just showed incredibly young and primary. Still a thoroughly classy wine with plenty of potential, but needs a good 5 years if not more. There is a good kernel of dark fruit, and some cedar and spice on the nose already, but it is all quite tightly wound up. With a few years, will be very good, but perhaps not ever the match of the more classic 70 for me.
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11/17/2009 - la turque wrote: 94 Points
Two flights, ranked in order of performance:
1997 Ornellaia - Beautiful, sublime, sexy wine. Drinking incredibly well. Impeccable balance.
1997 Pavie-Macquin - despite what one might think of the 1997 vintage in Bordeaux, this wine was brilliant.
1997 Beringer Private Reserve - A perennial favourite.
1997 Lafite Rothschild - A barnyardy nose, which blew off with time. Great pedigree and structure. Lay down for 5 years.
1991 Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque - my personal favourite of the tasting. A brilliant, complete wine - my favourite wine ever!
1998 Guigal Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde - a beautifully made, delicious wine
1998 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle - Probably the only really good La chapelle made since the 1990 in my view
1996 Chateau de Fonsalette Reserve Cuvee Syrah - my second favourite of the flight. Deep, dark, sweet, thick, amazing
All wines showed beautifully, and were drinking well.
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12/11/2008 - cgrimes wrote: 94 Points
NSMFOW December '08--BYO Yankee Swap (The Grapevine, Salem, MA): Similar to my previous notes: Garnet color with some lightening at the rim. Nice nose of pencil shavings and game. Palate of cassis, blackberry, with some earthy undertones. Soft tannins. Finish was medium. Not a weighty wine but elegant and seems to be drinking well at the moment. I guessed a 1995 St. Julien.
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8/16/2008 - Hecht_Pede wrote: 93 Points
this one was wery nice from the of vintage good price for the quallity and may even improve a bit in 1-2 years
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12/29/2007 - jayw wrote: 89 Points
A well-balanced, smooth and medium-bodied wine with soft tannins; pencil shavings and cedar nose; notes of currants, cedar and tobacco; disappointing finish. A soft, elegant wine, but nothing spectacular. I wonder if this wine is being overpraised in context of the vintage, rather than judged on its own merits. My first Lafite in a very long time, so I'm probably not qualified to say. I do like the style... just wish there was more of it.
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10/17/2007 - Vino Me wrote: 90 Points
A friend opened this bottle at his vacation home in Michigan over the weekend with dinner to celebrate their anniversary. Matched with prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes and brocoli. This was an off vintage in Bordeaux. As a result only 26% of the grapes picked at Lafite made it into this blend. Parker wrote that this wine "can be drunk young" and was " one of the most forward Lafites ever tasted". We decanted this wine 3 hours before dinner. It was only lightly sedimented. The nose was delicate with floral nuances. A very smooth wine and on the light to medium bodied side. Notes of graphite, red cassis and some mint on the finish. Only a moderate finish. This was served next to a 1997 Cos d'Estournel which showed better in my opinion. 89-90 points.
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9/12/2007 - cgrimes wrote: 92 Points
Skinner Fine Wine Auction Reception (Boston, MA): Skinner auction reception. Garnet color with some lightening at the rim. Nice nose of pencil shavings and game. Palate of cassis, blackberry, with some earthy undertones. Soft tannins. Finish was medium. Not a weighty wine but elegant and seems to be drinking well at the moment.
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9/10/2007 - PatrikO wrote: 95 Points
Oh what a fantastic wine this is, the best 97 Claret I've had. Just perfect to drink now, perfect combo of Cedar, black fruit and tobacco.
Love it, if it wasn't for the price tag, I would buy more of this.
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6/30/2007 - JScott wrote: 93 Points
Nose it to die for right out of the bottle. Amazing effort for the vintage, ready now.
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2/25/2007 - JScott wrote: 92 Points
A great effort in a dismal vintage. There's always an impeccable class to Lafite, and it shows even in this bottling. No reason to wait on these.
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1/28/2007 - johnphinney8 wrote: 95 Points
Very fine wine that is resolving itself well. Notes of mint and pencil shavings, as well as good fruit. Nice finish...not overly tannic and very fresh overall.
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12/7/2006 - tendring Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wine Education Service - The Big Five Plus One (South Hampstead High School): The first thing to reach the nose is age, some meaty notes, fruit (raspberries and blackcurrants), chocolate.
Very fruity, tannic but approachable, elegant and complex, good to drink now but will last many years.
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4/25/2006 - MRichman wrote:
Lafite Rothschild vertical (DB Bistro Moderne, NYC): sweet, clovey. Sweet herbs. A bit syrupy & simple. Nice full fruit.
B+/A-
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4/2/2006 - jmcmchi wrote:
Confirming my impression of the 97 Pauillacs - ticks the boxes but lacks charisma
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12/25/2005 - Linn wrote: 94 Points
Dark red. Still young but open for business straight out of the bottle. Nice mineral and red berry smell some pencil shavings coming through already. After taking the first sip I had to walk back to the bottle to see whether I opend the wrong vintage by accident, but no its a 1997! Wow what a wine. No hurry to open this although a top-notch Lafite with coffee, plum and mineral notes. But then again this nose!!! Have to get more of this especially at the price it is offered at the moment.
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12/15/2005 - tendring Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wine Education Service - The Big Five: Fairly deep colour.
Very attractive nose, fruity, farmyard, mature and complex.
Fruity, tannin and acidity beautifully balanced, full bodied, slightly tarry and peppery, classy and very long, still maturing and will take 5 to 10 years to peak.
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8/25/2005 - APH wrote: 91 Points
Dark red in color. Aromas of dark cherry, cassis and chocolate. Sweet and medium bodied with mineral undetones. A pleasant drink with food.
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7/23/2005 - Rupert wrote: 92 Points
This time I saw the Lafite light. Pencil lead and blackcurrant, very pure, then a gorgeous roasted, coffee quality, and a long finish - and yet at the same time it was delicate and not at all big.
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12/24/2004 - DChan wrote: 93 Points
After tasting this I realized that the bottle I had last year (which was very good anyway) was probably slightly off, as this bottle sang all night long. It is a young wine with its richness, power, and opulence, but the complexity and length are simply stunning. The classic aromas of lead pencil, cedar, cassis, and tobacco leaf were intoxicating indeed. I have gravitated away from Bordeaux a great deal in the past year, but I'll drink this kind of wine any day.
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12/13/2004 - tendring Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wine Education Service - First Growths: Almost opaque, deep claret colour, very slight tawny rim.
Vegetal nose (beans), slightly reserved, coffee, blackcurrants.
Great balanced taste, loads of fruit, elegant, smooth, off dry finish, excellent length.
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5/15/2004 - Jeff W wrote:
Full and delicious. Saddle leather and spice. A little hot. Nice balance between fruit and wood tannins. Long and satisfying. This is drinking very well at such an early age. dg
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4/7/2004 - IanL wrote: 92 Points
Tasted blind: Dark, dark colour. Quite astringent nose, very clean (after a while in the glass really opened up to reveal classic pencil case, cedar and tobacco notes). Really opulent taste, marzipan and almonds, and clean, dark fruits - blackcurrants and plums. Great balance and length. Tasted after 2 lesser 97s and clearly stood-out. This is not a blockbuster, but it is a great wine from a forward vintage. Tasting well now, but still evolving - will be better in 2/3 years.
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12/15/2003 - tendring wrote:
Wine Education Service - The Big 5 (Again): Very dark cherry, not much age.
Coffee and ripe fruit on the nose, not instantly attractive, but patience pays off.
Attractive fruit with strong tannins, complex, good length, will last well.
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11/22/2003 - DChan wrote: 93 Points
Wow, what a nose - the classic Lafite bouquet of lead pencil, cedar, and tobacco-leaf, with a subtle but not dominating note of bell pepper. In the mouth, the wine was light-bodied but revealed super-sweet black currant fruit. I have not yet had one of the truly great Lafites, so the knockout nose on this one gave me a hint of the real thing - I could have smelled the glass all night long. The finish is a hair disappointing after what the nose promises, so some points were lost there. This is absolutely ready to drink now.
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12/15/2002 - tendring wrote:
Wine Education Service - The Big Five: Dark cherry with signs of age.
Fruity, spicy nose.
Fruity with good balancing tannins and acid, good length, a lovely wine tasting very youthful.
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8/7/2002 - cigar52 wrote: 88 Points
very well balanced... 1-2 more years will add to this wine
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12/10/2001 - tendring wrote:
Wine Education Service - First Growths: Dark colour.
A smoky oaky nose with butterscotch and coffee.
Fruity with strong tannins, a very interesting wine which needs time to mature.
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