Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 2018 - 1er Grand Cru Classé

It will take its place alongside the 1959 in the annals of legend, with greater intensity upon release, greater precision, more nuanced flavors, and finer integration of tannins than in any of the previous great vintages. A great wine worthy of its pedigree.

A premier cru of Pauillac, Lafite owes its unparalleled finesse to its gravel soils in the northern part of the appellation, set on a limestone base, along with extremely rigorous selections that eliminate more than half of the harvest. Strongly dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon—often accounting for more than 90% of the blend—Lafite shines with notes of cedar and graphite that take more than fifteen years to fully develop. The new team in charge of the estate (Saskia de Rothschild and Éric Kohler) is committed to adding more depth to both the first wine and the second wine.

A former seigneury, whose jurisdiction extended north of Pauillac, the estate owes its château and its winemaking tradition—established as early as the 17th century—to the Ségur family—Bordeaux parliamentarians and major vineyard owners—a tradition that earned it the status of a First Growth in 1855. But it owes its survival—having remained untouched by the divisions and sales that weakened so many prestigious estates—to the Rothschilds, who acquired it in 1868. It also owes its modernization and state-of-the-art facilities—such as its famous circular wine cellar designed by Ricardo Bofill—to the team led by Éric de Rothschild, who has been at the helm since 1974, and Charles Chevallier, its technical director until 2016. These facilities allow the estate to fully reveal the character of an exceptional terroir planted with 112 hectares of vines: a superb hilltop of fine, deep gravel over a limestone subsoil. In 2016, Éric Kohler took over as Lafite’s technical director, while Charles Chevallier remains a consultant and ambassador for the château.

With a deep black-purple color, the 2018 Lafite Rothschild needs to be swirled in the glass to reveal intoxicating notes of blackcurrant, baked plums, and black cherry compote, with hints of dark chocolate, licorice, cast-iron skillet, cedar, rich soil, and pencil lead. The delicately crafted, medium-bodied palate exudes class, with layers of black fruit accented by mineral nuances and deliciously ripe tannins. Epic length and depth. This 2018 vintage is simply stunning and exquisitely crafted. The wine bears the uniquely evocative hallmark of Lafite and will require 7 to 8 years in the bottle, after which it should continue to inspire admiration for the next 40 years.

This is one of the most spectacular Lafites ever produced. More exuberant than usual, it retains exemplary structure and unfolds on the palate with irresistible intensity of flavor. It finishes with peppery tannins of the highest caliber. The wine of the vintage.

Masterful, Lafite stands out as the most refined of the Médoc wines when, after a few years of aging, it unleashes its captivating aromas of graphite and pencil lead. Tasting it is like discovering a unique texture and vitality. A vast estate spanning 178 hectares, 105 of which are planted with vines, Lafite has been owned by the Rothschild family since 1868. The château can also boast one of the richest collections of (very) old vintages, which demonstrates just how consistently exemplary the estate has been (with the exception of a few vintages). Saskia, daughter of Éric de Rothschild, took over as head of the group’s estates in 2018, while Éric Kholer has overseen winemaking since 2016. Of note in recent vintages is the progress made by the second wine, Les Carruades.

Ranked 53rd out of 100 in the 2021 International Top Wines to Keep in Your Cellar: An immensely structured, complex, and concentrated wine—yet so restrained. The wine impresses with its balance, layers of succulent blackcurrant fruit, and effortless style. A wine for the long term; it should not be drunk before 2029.

WOW! The aromas are both so intense and so refined, with magnificent notes of blackcurrant, pencil lead, and orchid. The fruit is so pure. It’s elegant and finely polished, with delicate tannins that lend it so much grace and glamour. Yet it possesses the power and structure needed to age for decades. Again and again. Try it after 2029.

A subtle, complex bouquet. It unfolds very slowly, revealing classic fruity nuances. It is characterized by notes of red berries—first raspberries, then hints of blackberries—and, finally, notes of licorice and peonies. On the palate, the wine is refined, subtly elegant, and creamy. It possesses an exceptional tannic structure and shines with finesse while still highlighting its power! In fact, I have rarely tasted a Lafite Rothschild with such class and character. The tannins are tight and in perfect harmony with the wine’s temperament and the tension of its acidity. It’s all about precision, class, the finesse of the texture, and the tannins’ ability to reveal themselves slowly, with precision and clarity. A wine that showcases its power without being heavy-handed and, above all, with an alcohol content of just 13.3%, which is very rare for a 2018 vintage! This is a truly great Lafite. 2026–2060

The nose is beautifully elegant, full of finesse and precision (like a delicate silk thread), and offers power with finesse and control, depth (with subtlety), integrity, class, and depth. It features notes of vibrant wild blackberry, vibrant blackcurrant, and, more subtly, blueberry, combined with hints of ripe, vibrant blue plum, spices, and raspberry leaf, as well as hints of tonka bean, a subtle hint of star anise, and tea. On the palate, it is elegant, full of finesse, beautifully balanced, and offers delicacy, distinction, a fine, tangy structure, tension, finesse, delicacy, energy, as well as a certain dynamism and complexity. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy, juicy blackcurrant, boysenberry, and, more subtly, juicy purple plum, combined with hints of vibrant raspberry, as well as hints of almond, hazelnut, a subtle hint of blueberry, licorice root, gravel, a subtle hint of clove, and an imperceptible hint of caramelization and vanilla (in the background). This wine possesses great vibrancy, distinction, and finesse.