April 17, 2024 - Much better than the '89 for me tonight.
Mid garnet in the glass. Nose of light cherry and florals.
Palate of slightly tart red fruit but this is deeper and better than the '89 right now. Very, very good.
April 14, 2024 - I have had some reservations about the ‘95 vintage and readiness. This was a commmanderie event, but if I was choosing would have been wary of ‘95.
My concern was unfounded as this wine was drinking very nicely, at least a 95 for ‘95!
Double decanted for most likely 2 hours before serving. Beautifully classic and full of dark fruit with all the structure but a balance that made it very enjoyable. Long finish, wine of the night.
April 11, 2024 - 10th of 24, decanted 2 hours, perfect cork and level, touch down from bottle last Feb, super nuance and persistence just a tad angular and austere, a fine run thing between fruit and tannin and slight lack of grip, probable upside, 20+ years. VF (18.5).
March 8, 2024 - Pop and pour. Aromatic density off the charts. At first a bit tight with chiseled tannins, but then the wine opened up softened. Palate profile is clearly cabernet: leafy (but not in a bad way), black & red fruits, bit of blood orange. Really complex and elegant
March 3, 2024 - blind, side by side with Shafer Hillside select 1995
No chance against the Cali Cab. Elegant, reluctant and some dark cassis notes. 95
March 1, 2024 - Decanted for ~3hrs prior to serving. Scents of pencil-lead/graphite, cigar, tobacco, cedar burst forth from the glass without coaxing - what a beautiful Pauillac nose... Not much of secondary notes on the palate, this was red-to-dark fruited with nice weight/concentration, it had excellent freshness albeit a slightly dry finish. Showing nicely, but should still improve with more cellar time.
February 21, 2024 - This is textbook left bank, soaring nose of graphite. I was pleasantly surprised by how refined and supple the tannins were, this had a wonderful mouthfeel. I don't generally prefer left bank Bordeaux, and even Lafite doesn't escape from the common problem I perceive: it's not especially complex, and ultimately seems like a "one note song." If you like that one note though, this will be a hit. Certainly one of the better left bank Bordeaux I can recall in some time, and that mouthfeel was a notch above most Lafite I've had.
February 2, 2024 - Bordeaux first-growth lunch: I don't usually like the phrase 'exploded out of the glass' but I couldn't think of a better descriptor here. A rich, concentrated wine with chocolate notes while remaining decidedly old-school with some pyrazines. Incredible vibrancy to the fruit so I thought this was a '90. Superb drive and focus to the wine. Think this was the near unanimous favourite of the line-up. My first Lafite and one of the best Bordeaux that I have drunk.
November 18, 2023 - Decanted still great nose dark purple color cassis blackberry and cedar. My favorite Lafite better than 1990 1994
Has been in my cellar 28 years- bought for $125.
November 17, 2023 - This was my last bottle, 26 years in my cellar. But l don't cry. 95 in total is not my favorite year, it tasted with some hints like a 95, funny that this wine has 95 taste, nowadays the wines taste more and more unique. Drank this wine a long side with the 2003. I would prefer this one.