Description
While the first known reference to Lafite dates to 1234 with a certain Gombaud de Lafite, abbot of the Vertheuil Monastery north of Pauillac, Lafite’s mention as a medieval fief dates to the 14th century. The name Lafite comes from the Gascon language term for “la hite”, which means “hillock”. There were probably already vineyards on the property at the time when the Segur family organised the vineyard in the 17th century, and Lafite began to earn its reputation as a great winemaking estate. Jacques de Segur was credited with the planting of the Lafite vineyard in the 1670s and in the early 1680s. In 1695, Jacques de Segur’s heir, Alexandre married the heiress of Chateau Latour, who gave birth to Nicholas-Alexandre de Segur. The wine histories of the fiefs of Lafite and Latour were thus joined at the outset.
From the early 18th century, Lafite found its market in London. It appeared in the very official London Gazette of 1707 as being “sold at public auctions in the City of London, after being offlaoded from foreign merchan ships seized by British corsairs as as well as by the vessels of the Royal Navy” (the era was in the grip of the Spanish War for Succession). The London Gazette described the Lafite wine and its counterparts as “New French Clarets”. Between 1732-1733, Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister, purchased a barrel of Lafite every three months. It was only much later that France began to take an interest in Bordeaux’s red wines.
In 1815, Mr. Lawton published an initial classification of Medoc wines in his brokerage house log. It was apparently an accurateassessnebt, as it was very similar to the 1855 classification. Lafite was already at the top of the list: “I ranked Lafite as the most elegant and delcate, with the finest fruit of the three (leading wines).” He addes that “its wines are the most superb in all of Medoc.” The 1834 vintage was particularly successful, as was 1841, and especially 1846. The vintage rankings of the Universal Paris Exposition in 1855 officially gave Lafite the rating as “Leader among fine wines”. This ranking would be the benchmark for a new and astonishing era of success for Medoc vineyards. The period’s fnest vintages include 1847, 1848, 1864, 1869, 1870, and 1876.
The vineyard consists of three main areas: the hillsides around the Chateau, the adjacent Carruades plateau to the west, and 4.5 hectares in neighbouring Saint Estephe. The vineyard covers 112 hectares and is well-drained and well-exposed, with soil made up of fine deep gravel, mixed with aeolian sand on a subsoil of tertiary limestone. It is well-drained and well-exposed to the sun. The grape varietis are Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (25%0, and Petit Verdot (2%).
The average age of the grapevines is 39 years old. But it should be noted that vines younger than 10 years old are not used in the Grand Vin. This means that the average age of the vines used in the Grand Vin (Chateau Lafite Rothschild) is closer to 45 years. The oldest plot, called “La Graviere”, was planted in 1886.
The property has been managed since 1962 by a single team that, due to the proximity of the two properties, oversees both Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Duhart-Milon. Eric Kohler, Technical directory of Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Duhar-Milon, is assited by oenologist and winemaker Christophe Conge, and vineyard manager Louis Caillard.
Both chateaux use exactly the same tradiotional techniques, based on strict control of yields, manual harvests, and numerous tasks that are carried out by hand all through the year. Little or no chemical fertilizers are used, and careful use of organic fertilizers allow the vines to reach an advanced age, the are generally pulled out (with a heavy heart) when they reach 80 years old.
1988 provided a very hot and dry summer, followed by the same weather in September, which brought the crop to maturity. Cabernets and Merlot came out to be very colourful, and structured.
Dark ruby color, ripe black currants, violets and vanilla, spicy, oaky scents. The wine has great finesse and a particular softness imparted by the Merlot. It tends to be firm yet delicate and supple, great elegance develops with age.
Critical Acclaim
JS98
James Suckling
I pulled this lone bottle out of my cellar at the last minute to remind some Italian vintners of the great quality of the 1995 Bordeaux vintage. They seem to be finally opening up! What a red with incredible depth and finesse. Cedar, cigar box and toabaaco character with currants and fresh tobacco undertones. It’s full-bodied yet tight and dense. Precision. So refined and intense. Such freshness and beauty. Drink or hold.
WS96
Wine Spectator
Intense aromas of blackberries, black licorice and currants, with mineral undertones. Full-bodied, with a solid core of tannins and a long, silky finish. Still holding back, but is concentrated and powerful. The 1996 is always talked about, but I think this is superior and will be in the future.
RP95
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 1995 Lafite-Rothschild (only one-third of the harvest made it into the final blend) is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. The wine was showing spectacularly well when I tasted it in November, 1997. It exhibits a dark ruby purple color, and a sweet, powdered mineral, smoky, weedy cassis-scented nose. Beautiful sweetness of fruit is present in this medium-bodied, tightly-knit, but gloriously pure, well-delineated Lafite. The 1995 is not as powerful or as massive as the 1996, but it is beautifully made with outstanding credentials, in addition to remarkable promise.
This is a cellared bottle – it has been kept in the best possible condition; however, there are no guarantees to the quality, taste, condition, or any other factor of the wine or label.
Due to this, we do not offer refunds or returns on these bottles; they are sold as-is.
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