| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Lafite Rothschild
A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the 2008 exhibits graphite, sandalwood, black and red currant, chocolate and damp earth characteristics in its elegant, medium to full-bodied, fresh, lively personality. It is a delicious, luscious, already evolved wine to drink over the next 15+ years.
Tasted ex-château and single blind in Southwold. The nose is more ostentatious than its peers, lifted blackberry, cassis and cedar aromas, a more hedonistic Pauillac along not dissimilar lines to Pontet Canet? The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins on the entry. Supple in the mouth, very smooth and seductive with a seamless finish. There is a touch of hickory developing on the aftertaste. Very fine and better than I expected given previous encounters. Tasted January 2012.
90 Dark currant and berries on the nose, with hints of violet. Medium- to full-bodied, with silky tannins and a medium finish. A little one-dimensional on the palate, but should develop well
Just 51% Cabernet Sauvignon with 45% Merlot.Mid crimson. Very light. Very clean nose. Lots of awkward underripe tannins and more than a hint of greenness. Rather grating texture. No special sculpting treatment for this second wine (unlike Petit Mouton!). Very dry, austere finish. Quite high volatility. Lots of (underripe?) Merlot in here. Drying finish.
The 2008 Carruades de Lafite, made from yields of 46 hectoliters per hectare, is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Revealing an inky/ruby/purple color that is slightly less dense than the grand vin's, it offers up beautiful aromas of graphite, smoke, black currants, and cedar. Very sexy in the fleshy style of the 2003, it is a succulent, hedonistic turn-on. Moreover, given the freshness and acid profile, it should drink well for 15-20 years. Interestingly, Lafite Rothschild's manager, Charles Chevalier, told me there was not much flavor in the grapes in mid-September, but a month later, after four weeks of extraordinary weather, they believed something profound may have happened given the flavor development. Again, the historically long period between flowering and harvest, and very low yields are part of the secret to the great success of wines such as this
A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, this has a deep purple colour. The nose is rather tight at first, touches of cassis and blackberry at first, a hint of freshly rolled tobacco with an almost Nebbiolo scent in the background. The palate is medium-bodied, quite tannic, a little grainier than other Pauillacs, just a hint of leafiness inflecting the black, tarry fruit. Quite a "punchy" Carruades, moderate length, though at the same time rather conservative. A little short on the sappy finish.
