critic reviews
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, 2021 Carruades de Lafite is deep garnet-purple in color. It pops from the glass with energetic notes of black raspberries, redcurrant preserves, and juicy blackberries, giving way to touches of wild sage, iron ore, and mossy tree bark. The light-bodied palate is still very tightly wound, with great tension and vivacious red and black berry flavors, finishing with an herbal lift.
This has taken on lovely depth over ageing, delivering on its promise, and these are classic slightly old school Pauillac flavours, focusing on crayon, slate, pencil lead, cassis bud, rose bud, has tension and subdued power. Highly successful. 1st year organic conversion. 40% of overall production, 34hl/h yields.
The 2021 Carruades de Lafite, which contains 10% vin de presse (a little less than usual), has a fragrant bouquet, very pure, focused and impressively delineated with blackberry, pencil shavings and light tobacco scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a lilting opening, clean, fresh black fruit, plenty of graphite notes and a dash of cracked black pepper on the finish. This is a fine Carruades that will give up to 20 years of drinking pleasure.
The 2021 Carruades de Lafite is mostly composed of the younger replacement vines dotted throughout Lafite's vineyards on the plateau, which are harvested separately. Offering up aromas of red berries, cassis, cedar box and orange rind, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and layered, with good concentration and a long, penetrating finish. It's a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, part of which was matured in wooden vats rather than barriques.