Carruades de Lafite
The vintage
The vintage got off to a fine start with a mild and dry winter. The good weather continued through to the beginning of spring, leading to an early start to the growing cycle.
In April and May, the unusually cold and above all dry weather slowed down growth, and the head start was quickly lost. The first flowers appeared in our Pauillac vineyards on 28 May. This key stage of the cycle saw rather capricious weather, with rainy episodes in the second part of flowering leading to some poor fruit set and uneven ripening.
June saw a change of direction after a rainy and cool start, with the onset of a heatwave in early summer such as we had not seen since 2003. Fortunately, it was only short-lived and the vines quickly caught up, seeming better armed than in previous years to withstand this heat. Rain came miraculously on 26 July: 45 millimetres fell in Pauillac, perfect for triggering véraison. August temperatures then remained very moderate, without any peaks but with a few scattered showers, making us briefly fear the arrival of botrytis. But the drier weather at the end of the month, which continued until mid-September, allowed us to start the harvest under calm conditions.
Location
Pauillac is located on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, approximately 40km North of Bordeaux. With the tempering influence of the estuary and a great diversity of soils originated from both the Massif Central and the Pyrenees, Pauillac boasts exceptional climatic and geological conditions to make outstanding wines.
Terroir
Chateau Lafite Rothschild is located to the North of the Pauillac appellation, bordering Saint-Estèphe. The vineyard consists of three main areas : the hillsides around the Château, the adjacent Carruades plateau to the west, and 4.5 hectares in Saint Estèphe appellation. The vineyard covers 112 hectares with soil made up of fine deep gravel, mixed with aeolian sand on a subsoil of tertiary limestone. It is well-drained and benefits from optimal sun exposure.
Winemaking
Carruades de Lafite is made according to the traditional Bordeaux method. Alcoholic fermentation is conducted in wooden, concrete and stainless steel vats. Gentle pumping-over helps to ensure a soft extraction and is carried out according to the specific characteristics of each tank. Total maceration time lasts for about 20 days.
After malolactic fermentation, wines are transfered into French oak barrels made by the Tonnelleries des Domaines in Pauillac for a period of 16 months approximately.
Grapes
Tasting
Attractive colour, dark and deep. The nose is characteristic of this vintage, ripe and fresh at the same time, with notes of blackcurrant and black fruit. The attack is straightforward on the palate, then the wine unfolds to express all its volume. The tannins are fine and precise. The high percentage of Cabernet, both Cabernet Sauvignon (68%) and Cabernet Franc (5%), provides a lot of tension all through the finish. It is a rich Carruades with very good ageing potential, which will certainly open within 6 to 8 years.
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