Château Lafite Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2007
The Grand Vin of Lafite stands out as one of the finest wines in 2007. Inky dark in appearance with a narrow rim that shows less vibrancy of purple, hinting already at something more substantial. The nose is not overly expressive at this early stage, but shows delicate herbs and spice, and brambly, blueberry fruit. It all happens on the palate: immediately deep and complex, with broad flavours of smoke and terroir, a weighty structure and very smooth tannins. There is lots of savoury character and a fine gravely texture, the beautiful damson fruit is fully ripe and persistent, lingering; fresh and clean throughout, the acidity is balanced and the palate finishes with notes of tobacco and chocolate. This is the apogee of both terroir and winemaking skill, full of power but clothed in elegance, and will age better than any other wine in 2007. 38% of the harvest will be bottled as Grand Vin. A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot.
critic reviews
The 2007 Lafite-Rothschild is a strong performer in what was a challenging growing season. At 11 years of age the 2007 is beginning to drink well with blackberry, briary, graphite and smoke on the nose, perhaps still that old touch of antique bureau. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins and tobacco, well balanced yet typically understated on the finish. The 2007 is not the greatest Lafite-Rothschild for sure, but it should offer 15 to 20 years of drinking pleasure. Tasted blind at dinner in Bordeaux.