Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 2025 - 1er Grand Cru Classé (Primeurs)

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

As a premier cru of Pauillac, Lafite owes its unparalleled finesse to the gravel soils in the northern part of the appellation, set on a limestone base, combined with extremely rigorous selection processes that discard more than half of the harvest. Strongly dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, which often accounts 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 (the duo of Saskia de Rothschild and Éric Kohler) is committed to giving greater depth to both the first growth and the second wine.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

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 legacy 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 cellar designed by Ricardo Bofill—to the team led by Éric de Rothschild, at the helm since 1974, and Charles Chevallier, its technical director until 2016. These facilities allow the full personality of an exceptional terroir—planted with 112 hectares of vines—to shine through: a superb hillock of fine, deep gravel over a limestone subsoil. Éric Kohler took over as Lafite’s technical director in 2016, with Charles Chevallier remaining as a consultant and ambassador for the château.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

Masterful, Lafite stands out as the most refined of the Médoc wines when, after a few years of aging, it unfolds 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.

James Suckling

About the wine:

Intense aromas of sweet tobacco, dark cedar, cigar box, mushrooms, roses, and damp earth carry through to a medium-bodied to full-bodied palate, with firm, velvety tannins and a powerful, intense finish. Very structured, with excellent backbone. It reminds me of Lafite from the 1980s. A unique wine for its vintage. 12.5% alcohol. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

While Carruades has no qualms about flaunting its many talents, Lafite opts for restraint. He hardly needs to raise his voice to shine, nor does he need to rack up achievements to rise above the crowd. He positions himself with precision and elegance, prioritizing the finesse and details that already define his greatness on the nose. As usual, Lafite relies on his subtlety on the palate. The attack is refined and precise, highlighting the many details that form its complexity. The way it wields its power commands respect; it does not overdo it, but does just enough, and with exceptional serenity consolidates its entire foundation, in terms of both power and subtlety and elegance. Every facet is engaged; none dominates the others, and all contribute to this wine’s incredible grandeur. A brilliant Lafite that soars above the vintage, expressing everything it has so skillfully assimilated, even under constraint. It is concerned only with the end result, though it holds a particular affection for the roots from which it sprang. A wine of the terroir! It is delightful, exhilarating, and touching in its sincerity and its ability to simply convey its disconcerting depth. An absolute Lafite! Or absolutely Lafite. 2032–2070

Tastingbook - Markus Del Monego

About the wine:

Deep purple color with violet highlights and a black core. A rich nose with aromas of ripe fruit, blackberries, wild blackberries, and a hint of blackcurrant. Subtle woody notes and sweet spices. On the palate, a beautiful balance between elegance and freshness, with ripe tannins and delicate acidity, ripe fruit and sweet spices, and a very compelling finish.

Falstaff