95 Par Robert Parker
Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London and then blind at Farr Vintners tasting. The 2006 Château Lafite-Rothschild offers impressive fruit intensity on the nose, although it does not have the precision of the 2006 Mouton-Rothschild. Red berry fruits intermingle with rose petals and sous-bois scents - very typical Lafite bouquet where less can be more. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and a keen line of acidity. It is certainly very well balanced with graphite-tinged black fruit, but whereas Mouton-Rothschild possesses that peacock's tail, Lafite remains linear. Nevertheless, the sophistication really comes through here. It is a Lafite-Rothschild that may spring a few surprises down the line, one of those wines that keeps drawing you back. Understated class. Tasted April 2016.
95 Par Wine Spectator
Plum, sweet tobacco and blackberry aromas follow through to a full body, offering a tight, chewy palate, yet with polished, refined tannins. Very long and caressing. This turns to a muscular and toned young wine. Gets better and better with age. Best after 2014. 23,330 cases made. JS
95 Par James Suckling
The aromas of blue fruit, iodine, sweet tobacco and lavender follow through nicely to the palate that’s medium-bodied with fine, firm tannins and a long, cool finish. Still a little tight, but show great finesse and pedigree. Just starting to open now.
95 Par Vinous
Good full ruby-red. Very ripe aromas of cassis, graphite and cedar chips, lifted by peppery and floral high notes. Densely packed and superconcentrated but light on its feet, with compelling flavors of spicy berries and minerals. The very long, slow-building finish stains the palate with flavor. Very backward but not austere; and unlike some recent vintages of Lafite, which could appear deceptively light in the early going, this showcases its density and ripeness from the outset. I have the impression that most of the less-ripe fruit was declassified into the far lighter Carruades de Lafite (87), which shows a distinctly cool style for the year.
18 Par Rene Gabriel
82 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 16 % Merlot, 2 % Cabernet Franc. 46 hl/ha. Tiefes, fast schwarzes Granat-Violett. Komplexes, schwarzbeeriges Bouquet, dezente, parfümierte Würze darin, ein Hauch Kandis, Cakesfrüchte, Minzespuren, Black Currant, Rauch, Leder, Trüffel, irgendwie erinnert er von der Nase her an einen Harlan-Estate, was ihm eine Affinität zu einem ganz grossen Napa-Cabernet verleiht. Grosser Gaumenauftritt, die Cabernetspuren sind ausschliesslich mit schwarzbeeriger Frucht bestückt, wieder eine dramatische Tiefe zeigend, vielschichtige, grossartige Adstringenz, schwarze Kakaobohnen, Korinthen, viel Lakritze, die Gerbstoffe sind (noch) etwas trocken und vielleicht gar auch etwas hart anmutend, bescheren aber diesem beruhigenden Wein ein gigantisches Alterungspotential. Kein besonders feiner, eher sehr reservierter Pauillac. Noch selten war ein Lafite einem Latour vom Geschmack her so nahe!
Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London and then blind at Farr Vintners tasting. The 2006 Château Lafite-Rothschild offers impressive fruit intensity on the nose, although it does not have the precision of the 2006 Mouton-Rothschild. Red berry fruits intermingle with rose petals and sous-bois scents - very typical Lafite bouquet where less can be more. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and a keen line of acidity. It is certainly very well balanced with graphite-tinged black fruit, but whereas Mouton-Rothschild possesses that peacock's tail, Lafite remains linear. Nevertheless, the sophistication really comes through here. It is a Lafite-Rothschild that may spring a few surprises down the line, one of those wines that keeps drawing you back. Understated class. Tasted April 2016.
