2016 Lafite-Rothschild Bordeaux Blend

Bordeaux Blend - 750ML
Reg: $1,195.00
$895.00
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ETA: Jan. 2025
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REVIEWS

DC 100 JS 100 JD 100 JL 100 WA 99 WE 99 TWI 98 WS 98 VN 97
DC 100

Decanter, October 2018

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...
JS 100

jamessuckling.com, February 2019

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...
JD 100

jebdunnuck.com, February 2019

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...
JL 100

TheWineCellarInsider.com, September 2019

Showing a serious depth of color, the wine offers a wealth of dark fruits on the nose. From there you find spice box, leafy tobacco, cigar box, cherry pipe tobacco and sweet coffee bean aromas. On the palate, which is...
WA 99

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, December 2018

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...
WE 99

Wine Enthusiast, May 2019

Almost entirely Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine beautifully sums up the density and the richness of this variety in Pauillac. It is impressive, made even more so in this vintage by the ripeness of the tannins, the...
TWI 98

The Wine Independent, December 2022

(98+ points) A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, the 2016 Lafite Rothschild is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a lot of swirling and shaking to unlock notes of redcurrant jelly, wild blueberries, and...
WS 98

Wine Spectator, March 2019

This offers the best of both sides of Pauillac, with a deep, deep well of dark currant, fig, blackberry and black cherry paste flavors forming a lush side while a series of I-beams made of graphite and iron provide the...
VN 97

Vinous, August 2020

The 2016 Lafite-Rothschild was tasted from two bottles, the first demonstrating some signs of oxidation. The second is quite rich and powerful on the nose, offering blackberry, raspberry, black olive and sous-bois scents...

WINE DETAILS

Color & Type Red
Varietal Bordeaux Blend
Country France
Region Bordeaux
Sub-region Pauillac
Vintage 2016
Size 750ML
Percent alcohol 13%
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.

Introducing the 2016 Lafite-Rothschild from Pauillac, Bordeaux. This wine is a true gem, a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, with 15% of the press wine contributing to the blend this year. With a deep purple-black color that captivates the eye, this wine slowly reveals the most gorgeous perfume. Aromas of kirsch, lilacs, black raspberries, and warm blackcurrants fill the air, accompanied by underlying nuances of cigar box, rose hip tea, cloves, licorice, and pencil lead. A waft of garrigue adds an intriguing touch.

Medium-bodied and built like a brick house, this Lafite-Rothschild has a firm yet beautifully ripe, finely pixelated tannic backbone. The seamless freshness supports the amazing intensity of black fruits and floral layers. It finishes very long and provocatively perfumed, leaving a lasting impression on the palate.

Renowned wine critic Lisa Perrotti-Brown, from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, awards this wine an impressive score of 99 points, describing it as "amazing intensity of black fruits and floral layers." James Suckling, from jamessuckling.com, goes even further, awarding it a perfect score of 100 points, calling it "one of the greatest young Bordeaux I've ever tasted."

The wine enthusiasts at Wine Enthusiast also praise this Lafite-Rothschild, awarding it 99 points and hailing its density, richness, and enormous promise. The revered publication Vinous gives it a score of 98 points, highlighting its seductive bouquet and medium-bodied palate with fine, saturated tannins.

Jeb Dunnuck, from jebdunnuck.com, concludes that this Lafite-Rothschild is "legendary stuff all the way," awarding it a perfect score of 100 points. Jeff Leve, from TheWineCellarInsider.com, praises its serious depth of color, wonderful purity in the fruit, and silky, elegant palate.

Decanter magazine also gives it a perfect score of 100 points, noting the sweetness of the fruit and its promise for aging. Lastly, Wine Spectator awards it 98 points, calling it a real stunner with a deep well of dark fruit flavors and a rigid structure.

In conclusion, the 2016 Lafite-Rothschild is a wine that demands attention. With its outstanding reviews and scores, this wine is a true masterpiece. It promises to age beautifully and is destined to be remembered as one of the great Bordeaux wines of our time.