Château Lafite Rothschild
The vintage
Plentiful rain during the winter replenished the groundwater levels and the end of the cold damp winter was marked by very early budburst. The temperatures in March and April were quite high, which was good for growth. From then until August the weather was grey and mild, without extremes. Luckily the weather in September was good and settled which allowed the grapes to ripen well in calm conditions. Complete ripening for the sugar, tannins and skins was only achieved 125 days after flowering – a vegetative cycle longer than usual in a year with 13 lunar cycles.
Harvesting took place from 24 to 28 September for the Merlot, 2 to 10 October for the Cabernet Sauvignon, on 29 September and 3 October for the Cabernet Franc and 1 and 10 October for the Petit Verdot.
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 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
In order to reveal the magic of Lafite’s terroir, every step of the wine elaboration is carried out with the greatest precision. Depending of their provenance and level of ripeness, grapes will be transferred into either wooden, stainless steel or concrete vats. Alcoholic fermentation is conducted at controlled temperature, with regular pumping over to gently release all the phenolic compounds in the grapes. Each vat is carefully monitored and tasted daily in order to determine the best racking time. The maceration period variesfor each tank but is around 22 days in total.
After malolactic fermentation wines are transferred into French oak barrels. Lafite has its own cooperage in Pauillac, la Tonnellerie des Domaines, which contributes to its unique style. The selection for the grand vin is made in March, once the wines have settled and start revealing their full potential. Every barrel is tasted individually and only the best ones are set aside for the final blend.
Grapes
Tasting
Beautiful dark red colour with almost black glints in the glass. The wine is bright and clear. Very dark. The nose is still very closed, but all the signs of tremendous aromatic potential are present: the depth, complexity and the already perfectly integrated oak from the barrel ageing. Some classic notes of violet, but all still very contained. On the palate the attack is very soft and silky. Then gradually, maintaining the same softness, the wine fills the mouth with enormous length, to the point that one wonders how long it can continue! The mid-palate is perfectly balanced. It is very dense with tight tannins that are still very delicate. The wine has remarkable persistence and fullness on the palate, it does not reveal the slightest imbalance or weakness. Everything is there to guarantee a great future.
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