Sweet-tobacco and berry aromas here with fresh herbs, too. Full-bodied, dense and chewy with a savory edge, bright acidity and a long, flavorful finish. Iron and graphite at the finish with Indian ink. Second wine of Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Try after 2022.

A blend of 49% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Carruades de Lafite opens with expressive baked plums, Morello cherries and blackcurrant cordial scents with touches of stewed tea, bay leaves and tilled soil plus a waft of tree bark. Medium-bodied with a great mid-palate core of red and black fruits, it has a solid, grainy frame and compelling freshness, finishing long and minerally.