2003 Lafite-Rothschild Bordeaux Blend

Bordeaux Blend - 6L
Reg: $12,500.00
$10,250.00
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REVIEWS

WA 100 JL 99 JS 98 WE 97 WS 96 VN 94 W&S 93
WA 100

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, August 2014

The 2003 Lafite Rothschild comes as close to perfection as any of the great Lafites made over the past three decades (1982, 1986, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010). This sensational effort came in at 12.7% natural...
JL 99

TheWineCellarInsider.com, April 2022

It has been several years since I lasted this wine, and the years have been kind to the wine. Now, it is supple, ostentatious, showy and also, rich with layers of ripe, red berries, cedar, herbs, tobacco leaf, and spice...
JS 98

jamessuckling.com, March 2011

Spicy and rich, with a tobacco and berry character on the nose and palate I love the nose. Full bodied, with soft velvety tannins that give you so much. This goes on and on. Sexy and exciting right now, but leave this for...
WE 97

Wine Enthusiast, May 2006

This is a splendid wine. Yes, it is more powerful than the usual aristocratic Lafites, but it still manages to retain a special air of great elegance and presence. The fruits are black, the tannins immensely powerful, the...
WS 96

Wine Spectator, March 2006

Subtle complex aromas of berries licorice and currants. Full-bodied with well-integrated tannins and a long finish. Very well-integrated wine. Lovely stuff. Wonderful length and finesse. Best after 2012. 20000 cases made...
VN 94

Vinous, August 2023

The 2003 Lafite-Rothschild has an attractive perfumed bouquet with touches of camphor infusing the blackberry and bilberry fruit. There is a mahogany bureau hint. The palate is medium-bodied with a spicy opening. The...
W&S 93

Wine & Spirits, October 2006

New oak introduces this wine, giving a spicy, layered, modernist impression. The texture in the middle is more luscious than young Lafite usually would be, but the tannin in the end has the vineyard's aristocratic...

WINE DETAILS

Color & Type Red
Varietal Bordeaux Blend
Country France
Region Bordeaux
Sub-region Pauillac
Vintage 2003
Size 6L
Percent alcohol 12.5%
Closure Cork

Chateau Lafite, the famous Pauillac property of the Left Bank of the Medoc, began to earn its reputation as a great winemaking estate in the 17th century. Acquiring a strong following in London in the early 18th century, Lafite found its way to the Versailles court, receiving acclaim as the “The King’s Wine”. The reputation did not diminish, achieving a pinnacle when it was ranked a First Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification.

On August 8, 1868, Baron James de Rothschild purchased Chateau Lafite, although he died just three months later leaving Lafite to his three sons. The years that followed were considered a golden age for the estate, producing a rich legacy of remarkable vintages.

Fortunes turned at the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, which were turbulent years. The vines suffered both a phylloxeric crisis and mildew. Then there was organized fraud, World War I, followed by the Great Depression, and finally the occupation of France during World War II. After this difficult period, Baron Elie de Rothschild was entrusted with the recovery of the Lafite estate, leading programs to restore the vineyards and the buildings, as well as becoming an active participant in tasting events and the founding of a regional guild.

The recovery and renewal period at Chateau Lafite was continued by his nephew, Baron Eric de Rothschild, who made great strides forward in the management of the estate and in the replanting and restoration of the vineyards. He also extended the horizons of the Domaines through new acquisitions both in France and abroad.

This famous First Growth is often described as perfumed, elegant and delicate, and one of the finest wines in Bordeaux. According to Baron Eric de Rothschild, Chateau Lafite has a beautiful, generous, and kindly soul that turns bare earth into heaven. The blend for this grand vin varies from vintage to vintage, but is typically 80-95% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5-20% Merlot, with the balance from Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.