Lafite 2004

This beautiful, stunningly dense purple-colored effort (includes about 90% Cabernet Sauvignon) offers up precise notes of graphite, black cherries, cassis, scorched earth, and minerals. Medium to full-bodied with fabulous fruit, impressive richness, refreshing acidity, and sweet tannin, this beauty should be approachable in 4-5 years, and last for three decades. As Lafite Rothschilds go, this is somewhat of a sleeper vintage. Also tasted: 2004 Carruades de Lafite (88)

One of the better wines of the vintage, the elegantly-styled 2004 Lafite Rothschild reveals hints of lead pencil, crushed rocks, flowers, creme de cassis, and cranberries. Medium-bodied with considerable finesse, length, ripeness, and structure, this blend of 90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and a dollop of Petit Verdot requires 3-5 years of cellaring. It should be drunk over the following three decades.

Only 40% of the crop made it into the 2004 grand vin, which is the antithesis of the opulent, powerful, concentrated 2003. The linear, elegant 2004 is a classic Lafite, revealing cassis, raspberry, graphite, and new earth-like characteristics. With terrific concentration, medium body, fresh acidity, and a vibrant, stylish taste, this blend of 90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 0.5% Petit Verdot should be at its finest between 2010-2030.

Intense aromas of currant, coffee, toasty oak and sweet tobacco follow through to a full bodied palate, with velvety tannins, great mouthfeel and a long, caressing finish. A refined Lafite. Best after 2012.

Extremely pretty sweet tobacco, currant and hints of oak follow through to full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a long, long finish. Really refined and long. You have to like this Lafite

Excellent depth of purplish crimson. Something quite sweetly aromatic on the nose - violets? vanilla? Rather more solid than I would have expected from Lafite in a year like this. Definitely earth-bound. Very solid, and lower in acidity than I would expect. While, unlike Mouton, it's obviously Pauillac, it's less obviously Lafite than in some other years. Very dry finish. Very correct but reticent. Drink 2025-38.

For many years now Lafite has been at the top of its game, always making one of the best wines of the vintage without fail. With 90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot, there is a huge percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the wine this year which gives it a firm, classic, almost tight structure. Only 39% of the vineyard’s production was used for the Grand Vin. There is a gorgeous nose of Asian spices, exotic fruits, and lots of vanilla. Perhaps the most exciting bouquet of the vintage! The palate begins excitingly with great density but the strongly Cabernet fruit becomes firm on the finish as the tannins take over. Looks like being a long-distance Lafite in the classic mould.

To be considered 'great', a wine has to be beautiful when young, and this is! It has a sweet, sexy, vanilla gloss to the ripe blackcurrant fruit on the nose, and glorious, ripe, sweet blackcurrant fruit on the palate. Tannins are big but voluptuous. This is very beautiful, and very classic. It's delicious already, but has the framework of substantial muscle and backbone to keep for ages. Good length and intensity of flavour make this a power-packed style for the long haul. 2010-2030