Tasting Notes:
100 points Jeb Dunnuck
On another level and one of the greatest young Bordeaux I’ve ever tasted, the 2016 Lafite-Rothschild is composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot raised in new oak. It takes the classic elegance and class of Lafite and turns the dial up to 11, offering a massive, heavenly array of blackcurrants, cedar pencil, graphite, tobacco, and incense aromas and flavors that soar from the glass. Deep, full-bodied, and flawlessly constructed, with perfectly integrated fruit, acidity, and tannins, this is legendary stuff all the way. It will be drinkable in 7-8 years and keep for 50-75 years or more. Along with Mouton, it’s the wine of the vintage from the Médoc. Hats off to director Eric Kohler. (2/2019)
100 points James Suckling
Incredible aromas of crushed berries, sweet tobacco and wet earth. So perfumed and gorgeous. Hot stones and cement, too. Full-bodied, dense and powerful with lots of intense tannins and a never ending finish. Juicy and flavorful. A muscular Lafite, not seen for a long time. Classssssss! Try after 2025. (2/2019)
100 points Decanter
What I love about the 2016 Lafite is that the sweetness of the fruit comes through even at this early stage. Sweet, ripe blackberry and cassis pulse through the palate behind the tight construction of tension and classicism given by high acidity and plenty of tannins. It has ripeness and a sense of promise but, as is often the case with a young Lafite, it’s not giving a lot away and we can expect it to age for many decades perfectly comfortably. Extremely accomplished, one to cherish. Matured in 100% new oak. (JA)
99 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2016 Lafite Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, with 15% of the press wine contributing to the blend this year. Deep purple-black in color, it slowly reveals the most gorgeous perfume of kirsch, lilacs, black raspberries and warm blackcurrants with underlying nuances of cigar box, rose hip tea, cloves, licorice and pencil lead plus a waft of garrigue. Medium-bodied and built like a brick house with a firm yet beautifully ripe, finely pixelated tannic backbone and seamless freshness supporting the amazing intensity of black fruits and floral layers, it finishes very long and provocatively perfumed. (LPB) (11/2018)
99 points Vinous
The 2016 Lafite-Rothschild is a total stunner. Seamless, racy and voluptuous in the glass, the 2016 is even better from bottle than it was from barrel. Once again, I am blown away by the inner sweetness and purity of the fruit. The 2016 is, rich, concentrated and yet also light on its feet, in the way only Lafite can be. Dramatic and ample the 2016 Lafite is a beautifully resonant, super-expressive wine endowed with regal beauty and tremendous overall balance. It will drink well for many years and decades. (AG) (1/2019)
99 points Wine Enthusiast
Almost entirely Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine beautifully sums up the density and the rich-ness of this variety in Pauillac. It is impressive, made even more so in this vintage by the ripe-ness of the tannins, the beautiful, plush fruit and enormous promise. Drink this wine from 2026. Its aging potential is enormous. *Cellar Selection* (RV) (5/2019)
Cult Wines International Notes:
The 2016 Château Lafite Rothschild represents a pinnacle of classical elegance, originating from an estate that has stood as a symbol of viticultural excellence since the 17th century. While the property’s winemaking history dates back to the Ségur family in the 1670s, its modern era of prestige was solidified in 1868 when Baron James de Rothschild acquired the estate. As one of the original four “First Growths” established by the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, Lafite has maintained a reputation for producing wines of legendary finesse and longevity. The 2016 vintage is a hallmark for the estate, as it marked the final year of the long and distinguished tenure of technical director Charles Chevallier, who handed the reins to Eric Kohler. This transition occurred during a season that many at the château consider to be one of the most remarkable and balanced of the 21st century.
The 2016 growing season in Pauillac was a year of two distinct halves, requiring extreme patience and precision from the vineyard team. The first half of the year was exceptionally wet, with nearly double the average rainfall during the spring, which replenished the water tables but posed challenges for the flowering period. However, the weather shifted dramatically in June, ushering in a long, hot, and dry summer that lasted until the harvest. Because of the heavy spring rains, the deep gravelly soils of Lafite’s “Plateau” were able to provide the vines with a steady, regulated water supply, preventing the hydric stress often seen in drought years. A providential rain shower in mid-September provided just enough refreshment to perfect the ripening process, followed by a “cool-heat” period of warm days and chilly nights. This allowed the Cabernet Sauvignon to achieve total phenolic maturity with a lower alcohol content and higher acidity than the 2015 vintage, resulting in a wine defined by its “laser-like” precision and immense aging potential.
Bottle Size:
750 mL
Storage History:
Stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar since purchase.
Condition:
Perfect condition.
