Château Lafite Rothschild - Pauillac (Premier Grand Cru Classé) 2015 (750ml)

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Price: $1385.99

Producer	Château Lafite Rothschild
Country	France
Region	Bordeaux
Subregion	Pauillac
Varietal	Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot
Vintage	2015
Sku	111450
Size	750ml
ABV	12.50%

Château Lafite Rothschild Description

The first known reference to Lafite dates to 1234 with Gombaud de Lafite and Lafite’s mention as a medieval fief dates to the 14th century. Baron James de Rothschild purchased Château Lafite in 1868 and has remained under Rothschild family ownership since. Through the years, Château Lafite sustained natural disasters, wars and crises. After World War II, the Barons de Rothschild recovered possession of Château Lafite Rothschild and revitalized the estate’s business. Baron Elie led a program to restore the vineyards and buildings while fully restructuring the property’s administration.

Baron Eric de Rothschild, nephew of Baron Elie, currently manages the estate and Rothschild properties around the world. Baron Eric’s management of the estate has made forward strides through research and the gradual addition of a new technical team. The vineyards have been replanted and restored, while the use of fertilizers and herbicides have been reevaluated. In the chais, a stainless steel tank complex alongside oak tanks, and a new circular aging chai were constructed under the supervision of Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill. The new chai design style was acclaimed for its innovative character and uncompromising spirit and can hold 2,200 barrels.

The estate encompasses 440 acres, 276 acres being vineyards planted to Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (2%). The vineyard features three major areas: the hillsides around the Chateau, the adjacent Carruades plateau to the west and 11 acres in neighboring Saint Estephe. 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 (Château Lafite Rothschild) is closer to 45 years. The oldest plot, called “La Gravière , was planted in 1886.

Charles Chevallier is Technical Director of the Bourdeaux Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Duhart-Milon,Château L’Evangile and Château Rieussec. Mr. Chevallier comes from a family of wine-growers in Lunel in the Coteaux du Languedoc. He graduated from the Ecole Supérieure d’Agriculture of Purpan in Toulouse as an Agricultural Engineer and later continued studies in Research and development of phytosanitary products for winegrowing.

In 1979, Mr. Chevallier became the Technical Department Director (vine, cereals, herbal medicine) in a Cooperative at the Union Agricole des pays de la Loire in Thouarcé . In 1983, Mr. Chevallier joined the prestigious Bourdeaux wineries as Technical Deputy Director for Château Lafite Rothschild. Subsequently he became the Technical Manager for Château Rieussec, and Technical Director for Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Duhart-Milon,Château L’Evangile and Château Rieussec.

In January 2016, Charles retired from his role as Technical Director of the Bordeaux Châteaux and assumed the role of Senior Advisor.

Eric Kohler, Technical Director of the Bordeaux Châteaux, is assisted by oenologist and winemaker Christophe Congé, and vineyard manager Louis Caillard.

Very dark color, with purple glints, indicating that the wine is still very much in its youth. The nose is still quite closed, which is to be expected after only a few months in the bottle. But it already presents good depth and plenty of complexity. Notes of fresh strawberries and tobacco, in which the wood has become perfectly integrated. The attack is simultaneously supple and very powerful.

The intensity on the palate rises steadily... gently coming to rest on a plateau that is already very high. Not at all aggressive, it continues with great length, and in perfect harmony. This is a Lafite that is currently revealing very little of its potential; to experience it in its full glory will require waiting... for some years.

Blend: 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot

Critical Acclaim

WE100
Wine Enthusiast
This is a great vintage from Lafite. The profile is rich in feel, with a seriously firm tannic structure. Solid, complex and with great authority, this Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wine, is impressively dense in dark-fruit tones. It will age for many years. Drink from 2027, although that would almost be too soon.
Cellar Selection
JS99
James Suckling
Lead and graphite are complimented by notes of blueberries and blackberries. Blackcurrants, too. Full-bodied and focused with very round and polished tannins. Elegance with power. Very classic nature for Lafite. Try in 2022.
D97
Decanter
The power in this vintage of Lafite is hidden, but it is there in spades and tiptoes up along the palate. Lovely brushed tannins are extremely well placed, discreetly holding the fruit. In many ways this is a truly classic Lafite because it is understated and lyrical. It's a wine that demands you know Lafite to see just how beautifully it will develop, says winemaker Eric Kohler.
RP96
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The deep garnet-purple shaded 2015 Lafite Rothschild is blended of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot and was matured for 20 months in new oak barrels from Tonnellerie des Domaines (their own cooperage). It is still sporting a lot of cedar at this nascent stage with a vibrant core of black raspberries, red currants and crushed plums plus touches of cigar boxes, violets and underbrush with a waft of tilled loam. Medium-bodied and elegantly styled with wonderful freshness and depth, it is compellingly earthy/minerally in the mouth with a frame of seductively silky yet very firm tannins and culminating in a very long, racy and pure finish. Boasting spectacular finesse and packed with nuances, clearly, given some of the challenges here in 2015, this is a masterpiece of diligence in the vineyards, careful selection and very clever crafting—bravo!
Rating: 96+
JD96
Jeb Dunnuck
The grand vin 2015 Lafite-Rothschild checks in as 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot that was brought all in 100% new oak. Director Eric Kohler (who replaced Charles Chevallier in 2015) told me the vintage suffered a touch of dilution but wasn’t a complicated year. The 2015 is an aristocratic, classy example from this estate that offers textbook lead pencil shavings, tobacco, smoked herbs, and graphite as well as a beautiful core of currant and cassis fruit. It’s the most refined and subtle of the first growths, has medium to full-bodied richness, building tannin, and undeniable class and charm. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades.
WS95
Wine Spectator
Velvet- and silk-textured red currant, raspberry and black cherry compote notes glide through, supported by a perfectly embedded graphite spine, while enticing violet, black tea and alder accents add range through the finish. Very refined and sneakily long. Best from 2025 through 2045.