Tasting Note:
At almost 90%, this wine has the highest Cabernet Sauvignon content of any of the First Growths and was therefore bound to be a big wine. However, despite expectations that Lafite would favour elegance over power, we were overwhelmed by the sensational fusion of both beauty and strength. So overwhelmed, in fact, that our normal tasting vocabulary was at a loss to describe fully the impact this wine had on us and it was easier, in fact, to resort to musical simile. Like a great overture, tasting Lafite 2005 en primeur begins quietly and builds gradually and logically, hinting at all the key elements of the story that will appear in the glass when the wine is mature: its purity and silky texture; blackberry, blueberry, minerals and smoky oak aromas. An undercurrent of great, restrained passion runs through this wine, one that builds and builds to a crescendo that, although exhilarating now, is only a faint precursor of what is to come when the wine finally matures and that all these elements eventually blossom. This is a rare and remarkable creation, so be sure to book your tickets for the opening night well in advance!