1997 Carruades de Lafite, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Very nice showing for this second label of a First Growth Chateau Lafite. It has about 40% Merlot in it (according to an early Robert Parker review). The nose is earthy, with tobacco, cigar box, dust but also vibrant dark cherries and some cassis. Full bodied. Light tannins. On the palate, black cherries, earthiness and some spice. Good finish. Well stored bottles should have a few more years out of this. Nice on its own, but better with food. Roasted duck or chicken would work well.

Grade:

Score:

Vintage:

1997

Current Price:

$175.00USD

2000 Carruades de Lafite, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage:

2000

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$225.00USD

Tasted from a Magnum. Purple in color with ruby swirls, opaque and bright. The nose is earthy with cigar tobacco but plenty of fresh cassis. The wine is mostly clean with just a hint of funk. Medium bodied. On the palate, there is tart cassis and cranberry fruit with underlying earthiness. Showing some complexity. Good finish. In Magnum, this is drinking well today and probably close to peak. This certainly could go another ten years but I doubt it gets better. It will work better with food and went well with a tomato tart, but fatty meats would be a good choice.

1975 Château Lafite Rothschild, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage:

1975

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$700.00USD

What a treat to drink. This is a fascinating vintage. After some less than great years, this looked like it could possibly be exceptional and the Bordeaux hype train got into gear. Despite many fans who kept saying just be patient, it never took those last few steps. That said, it also has so much to offer. The wines can be austere, but they also are complex and fascinating. Which brings us to the Lafite. Is it a great Lafite? No. Is it a great wine, certainly close. Ruby in color with browning, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has cherries, graphite, and slight cigar box. Med

1976 Château Lafite Rothschild, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage:

1976

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$625.00USD

I was apprehensive about this. Not a great vintage and 46 years from that vintage. The wine performed way above expectations. Ruby in color, some browning at the edges, clear and still somewhat bright. The nose has some cassis, some dried fruits, a bit of burnt sugar and slight oxidation. On the palate, cranberries and cassis with some dried forest floor. Light tannins. Good acidity. Some complexity. Long finish. While not a great Lafite perhaps, a very fun experience and outstanding wine. This works better with food though, considering how rare to get to try this, perhaps just e

2012 Château Lafite Rothschild, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage:

2012

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$545.00USD

This showed surprisingly well for such a young Lafite. It was splash decanted for about 20 minutes prior to serving. Purple in color, opque and bright. The nose is big with cassis, graphite, cedar and spice. On the palate, this drinks young but like a pedigreed Bordeaux (which, of course, it is). Deep. Plenty of energy. Spry is perhaps a better word. Lots of cassis with underlying cedar and spice. Medium tannins. Good finish. This drinks great on its own right now and will work well with a roast or steak. It probably need another decade or more to get to peak but should drink we

1966 Château Lafite Rothschild, France, Bordeaux, Wine Review

Vintage:

1966

Score:

Grade:

This was a treat. Lafite was not at the top of their game back in the 60's but still a first growth is cool. I believe this came from a private collection that was sold to a wine store. No idea about storage. The cork was soaked to the rim and the very bottom disintegrated upon opening. The wine was then decanted for sediment. Purple in color which was surprising. The nose took about 30 minutes to blow off all of the bottle stink. At first it seemed corked but that blew off so clearly it was not (TCA doesn't blow off). Eventually showing some tobacco, dried fruit, some cassis, and

1997 Carruades de Lafite, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

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