Château Lafite Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé, Pauillac
    Château Lafite Rothschild

    Château Lafite Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2005

    98/100
    Inside Bordeaux
    95/100
    The Wine Independent
    97/100
    Vinous
    Available Vintages
    portfolio

    1. Last Few

      2005

      75cl

      DP

      £613.45

    Broking

    1. 2005

      12x75cl

      DP

      £7,649.47

    2. 2005

      1x6L

      DP

      £5,427.65

    Justerini & Brooks 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!

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    Critic Reviews

    98/100
    Jane Anson,
    Inside Bordeaux
    Waves of saffron, truffle, black tea and earth set the pace for a remarkably balanced and aromatically-complex wine. This is still a baby at 17 years old, but has reached the level of Lafite character when all is elegance and finesse - the perfect example of how in Bordeaux they don't need excess to deliver something extraordinary. As things relax, you get a luscious, more concentrated core of cassis and bilberry fruit, with cedar, charcoal, violet, raspberry leaf and slate. Fine tannins hold it all in place, you could give this a long carafe to drink now, but the real magic needs another decade or so. Charles Chevallier technical director, and this was the last year with Emile Peynaud as consultant, before Jacques Boissenot took over in 2006. A pair of scales was chosen to decorate the bottle neck to reflect the balance of the vintage.
    drinking window 2022 - 2050
    date of review 09/2022
    95/100
    Lisa Perrotti-Brown,
    The Wine Independent
    The 2005 Lafite is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot. Deep garnet-brick in color, it slips sensuously from the glass with eager-to-please scents of creme de cassis, Christmas cake, and cedar chest, giving way to hints of Indian spices, sweaty leather, and pencil shavings. The mineral-laced, medium-bodied palate is elegant and shimmery, delivering firm tannins and a soft-spoken finish. Delivering a mature, wonderfully evocative experience now, it is well within its drinking window and should cellar to 2045+. At this time the estate was managed by Baron Eric de Rothschild and Charles Chevallier was technical director.
    drinking window 2022 - 2045
    date of review 07/2022
    97/100
    Antonio Galloni,
    Vinous
    The 2005 Lafite-Rothschild is a gorgeous wine, but it is also very young. Readers lucky enough to own it will find a very classic, gracious Lafite-Rothschild that still needs a few years to be at its best. Bright red-toned fruit, crushed rocks, mint and licorice open first, followed by darker aromas and flavors that develop as the wine gains volume with air. Tasted next to its peers, Lafite is so typical of itself and less marked by the year. And that is one of the signs of a truly great terroir. Lafite-Rothschild is not as showy as many other wines in this vintage, but it is so true to its own identity, and that is the highest compliment I can pay it. The 2005 is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, done in 100% new oak, which is not at all noticeable. At the time, the Cabernet percentage was quite high, but that has now become the norm. Tasted two times.
    drinking window 2025 - 2055
    date of review 04/2021

    product details

    Specifications

    Country:
    France
    Region:
    Bordeaux
    Appellation:
    Pauillac
    style:
    Red Wine
    Grape Variety:
    Cab Sauvignon Merlot
    abv:
    13%

    allergen information

    This product may contain sulphites. Full allergen information is available upon request, please call our Customer Relations Team on +44 (0)20 7484 6430.