Parker | 94 J. Suckling | 94 Wine Spectator | 94 R. Gabriel | 18 J. Robinson | 17.5 Vinous - A. Galloni | 94 Vinous Neal Martin | 96 94/100 Parker Points Fill Level: Base of Neck Label Condition: Excellent Label with no deterioration or stains Capsule Condition: Excellent Shipping Method: Express Courier in less than 4 working days Tasting: Smell Elegant notes of cedar and waxed leather, accompanied by fruity touches still young Taste The palate is precise, supported by mature and soft tannins and a finish of beautiful persistence. This incredible Permier Cru by Pauillac offers a wine of exceptional finesse and endowed with a great aromatic complexity. Its impressive material suggests an unlimited ageing potential. SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS Quantity: 1 bottle Level: 1 Normal Alcohol content: 12.5 % Region: Bordeaux Name: Pauillac Classification: 1st Grand Cru Classé Owner: Domaines Barons de Rothschild Year: 1988 Colour: red Capacity and ideal consumption: to drink by 2035 Serving temperature: 16° Viticulture: organic Wine intensity: intense Dominant flavour: black fruits Tasting occasion: gastronomic wine Grape varieties: Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon Since 1975, the Château, admired by wine lovers around the world, has been producing magnificent wines, thanks to the always very careful management of Eric de Rothschild and since 2017 of his daughter Saskia. At the base of this great wine there are vineyards grown on clayey and gravel soils, well draining and benefitting from the climatic influence of the Gironde estuary. One of the plots is located in the municipal territory of Saint-Estèphe and is home to the oldest vineyards on the property, which produce extraordinary grapes. After manual harvesting, the grapes are vinified per single parcel in wooden, steel or concrete vats, depending on the needs. The fermentation process lasts 22 days and takes place with careful temperature control and regular reassembly. The wines are then transferred to French oak barrels produced inside the estate. During the ageing period, the wines of each barrel are tasted to create the perfect final assembly. Subsequently, the wines mature for another 15 months in wood. The great wine of the Lafite estate is never in youth the most expressive of the wines of Pauillac. But it is above all its exceptional finesse, which is expressed after 15-30 years of ageing, that makes it a special wine, worthy of the rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé. Characterised by a splendid aromatic complexity, it is distinguished in particular by a characteristic cedar aroma, which makes it very popular with enthusiasts. The great vintages of Lafite seem capable of challenging the decades without ever giving in to the passage of time. A real monument. ESTATE INFORMATION: CHÂTEAU LAFITE-ROTHSCHILD The history of Château Lafite is very old. In an estate where viticulture was already practised, Jacques de Ségur created the vineyard at the end of the seventeenth century and already at that time the reputation of his wine was of a good standard. His son Alexandre expanded the estate of Château Lafite Rothschild by marrying the heiress Latour in 1695. From this union was born Nicolas-Alexandre, who at the beginning of the eighteenth century consolidated the prestige and fame of Lafite; the wine was in fact very appreciated in Versailles and also across the English Channel. He thus became the "wine of the kings" and the "prince of the vineyards". At the death of the latter, Lafite knew a succession of owners. The estate was sold at auction after the Revolution, but the quality of the wines remained of a high level thanks to the care of Joseph Goudal's family who took care of the management of the vineyards. Château Lafite was then ranked Premier Cru in 1855. In 1868, Baron James de Rothschild bought, again at auction, the estate that has since remained the property of his family. In addition to its exceptional terroir (deep gravel soils, which rest on marls with a calcareous subsoil), the quality is mainly explained by the average age of the vineyard (more than 40 years), a low yield per hectare and a very rigourous selection. In the 60s and 70s, wines were of lower quality due to less careful management of the estate and the winemaking process. At the head of the Rothschild group since 2018, Saskia de Rothschild, representative of the sixth generation of the family, also takes care of the estate. He strives to maintain the spirit and quality of the estate and to continue the work of his predecessors. Sensitive to respect for the land and the fruits it produces, Saskia is committed to protecting the terroir and nature. In addition, he also enriched the range of Château wines by proposing a new cuvée, the Anseillan, the first since the nineteenth century. more information on Château Lafite-Rothschild, read our article on the iDealwine blog.