Chateau Lafite-Rothschild

2015
Producer
Grand Cru Classe Bordeaux
Country
France
Region
Bordeaux
Appellation
Pauillac
UPC
3296331015104
Red Wine
Verified Stock
1647-15
Product Ratings
James Suckling 99pt

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.

by James Suckling, 2018
Wine Advocate 96+pt

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!

by Wine Advocate, 2018
Wine Spectator 95pt

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.

by Wine Spectator, 2018

Vintage

A recurring phenomenon in recent years, the beginning of the winter was mild and dry, and it was only at the end of January that beneficial colder temperatures arrived, accompanied by rain. Bud break began in early April as usual, and the vines then grew quickly, as they had ample reserves of water and the weather was mild. In June, flowering was early and uniform, which is always a promising sign. The influence of the Atlantic ocean and the Gironde estuary helped to reduce the effect of a somewhat hot summer with high temperatures. Water stress was high, but rain in August brought the freshness required for the grapes to change colour and then to ripen perfectly. Conditions were ideal during the harvests, enabling us to obtain optimal ripeness for each plot.

Tasting notes

Very dark colour, 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.