About the Wine

Carruades De Lafite is Chateau Lafite's stunning second wine.

Château Lafite Rothschild is one of the most esteemed wine properties in the Médoc, and we're sure that if you are a savvy wine drinker you are aware of the reputation of this classified First Growth Chateau. Owned by Baron Eric de Rothschild and Lafite Rothschild is also one of the largest Médoc estates.

Château Lafite has regularly been listed at the very top of the critic's list throughout history. In 1855 the Château was ranked as a Premier Grand Cru in the famous classification that was prepared for the Universal Exhibition of that year. Even through the centuries, Lafite is still one of the top wines in the world. Globally, it is considered an icon of luxury wine.

The current owners, the Rothschilds of the famous banking dynasty, bought the property in 1866, but this is a different brand of the family from that which purchased Ch. Mouton-Rothschild. For many years the Rothschilds’ control of Lafite was very much exercised at a distance, compared to the hands-on influence of Baron Philippe at Mouton, but since the Second World War, this has changed somewhat, with the current owner, Eric de Rothschild, presiding over an extensive program of investment in both vineyard and cellar. 

The name Lafite comes from the Gascon language term “la hite”, which means “hillock”. There were probably already vineyards on the property at the time when the Ségur family organized the vineyard in the 17th century, and Lafite began to earn its reputation as a great winemaking estate. The vineyard consists of three main areas: the hillsides around the Château, the adjacent Carruades plateau to the west, and 4.5 hectares in neighboring Saint Estèphe. The average age of the grapevines is 39 years old.

Chateau Lafite Rothschild’s vineyard encompasses three primary regions: the hillsides surrounding the Château, the neighboring Carruades plateau to the west, and 11 acres within the Saint Estèphe appellation. Spanning 276 acres, the vineyard features a soil composition of fine deep gravel mixed with aeolian sand, resting on a subsoil of tertiary limestone. The well-drained vineyard benefits from optimal sun exposure.

2020 is an outstanding vintage for Saint-Julien. Vinous Media blessed this year with a 97-point review and said, "An exceptional vintage for Bordeaux, certainly the best in the 2018-2020 trilogy. Quality is very, very high."

Aging: 16 months in French oak barrels

Tasting Notes: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. 
See Critical Reviews for detailed tasting notes.

Reviews

On the nose, elegant, offering power (in delicacy/fine), delicacy, subtlety as well as nice definition, freshness and fine power. Notes of bright boysenberry, bright cherry and more lightly bright cassis combined with hints of plump little red fruits combined with hints of tonka bean, sweet spice and a discreet hint of saffron, tea and toasted hazelnut. The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, freshness, good definition, gourmandize, a tangy frame, a nice airy character, aromatic purity, precision as well as finesse, nice precision, elegance and harmony. On the palate it expresses bright cherry, boysenberry and more lightly red fruit notes combined with touches of cornflower, blueberry, star anise as well as nice hints of racy minerality/fresh grapes, gunflint, saffron, chocolate/mocha, fine hints of blond tobacco, caramelization and a discreet hint of vanilla (in the background). Good length. The tannins are precise, elegant and racy. A fine chew on the finish/persistence. ~98-99 VertdeVin

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, deep core, delicate rim brightening. Somewhat restrained, delicate cassis, ripe dark wild berries, fresh plums, candied orange zest. Complex, tightly meshed, ripe cherries, fine currant, finesse-rich acidity, silky tannins, mineral-salty, very long lasting, a seductive wine of great freshness and delicacy, already very well developed, delicate sweetness on the finish, certain ageing potential for many years to come. ~98 Falstaff

Exotic and ripe nose, almost sweet fruit with prune, cassis, raspberry, chocolate, violet and a gentle toast underneath. Very dense and powerful palate without heaviness, classically built yet with another dimension of ripeness and purity, chewy and very powdery tannin paired with layers of unctuous dark fruit, a hint of some oak derived butterscotch and roasted coffee notes with a bright fresh backbone and a great persistency. ~98 Andreas Larsson

The compelling nose, with its showy notes of lead pencil, tobacco leaf, cedar, cigar box, currants, spice and wet forest leaf comes through easily. The palate is pure silk in texture. Seamlessly moving from the beginning, middle and end, the wine is fresh, bright, long and intense. The purity in the fruit, paired with its energy and lift linger for more than 50 seconds. Refined, elegant, complex and compelling, if you have the patience to wait for 15-20 years before opining a bottle, this is going to be one of the great vintages for Lafite Rothschild. The wine is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot 12.8% ABV. The harvest took place September 14 - October 4. With yields of 37 hectoliters per hectare, the Grand Vin represents 45% of the harvest. ~98 The Wine Cellar Insider

~98 The Wine Independent

~97 Tim Atkin, Master of Wine

This is very classically structured with a palate that starts off slowly. Full-bodied and chewy with a soft, creamy texture and a long finish. Savory. A touch austere. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot and 3% cabernet franc, the rest petit verdot. ~96-97 James Suckling

With its elegant tannins and velvety Merlot in the blend, the wine brings out both the richness of the year and its great fruit. Behind it all, there is this superb structure that makes this second wine of Lafite-Rothschild a great wine in its own right. ~94-96 Wine Enthusiast

A baby Lafite with its lead pencil and cassis aromatics as well as beautiful elegance, the 2020 Carruades De Lafite is medium-bodied and has a precise, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. As with all the wines from this incredible château, its balance and elegance are what set it apart, and it's one of the finest second wines out there. The blend is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, which is a classic blend for this cuvée. ~92-94 Jeb Dunnuck

Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Carruades de Lafite, like its big sibling, is a little youthfully shy to begin, soon unfurling to offer notes of Morello cherries, raspberry leaves, baked blackberries and spice box, plus suggestions of pencil lead, lavender and Provence herbs. The medium-bodied palate is chock-full of juicy black fruits, framed by velvety tannins and tons of freshness, finishing long and lifted. This 2020 is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. ~91-93 Wine Advocate 

The 2020 Carruades de Lafite is so expressive right out of the gate. Sage, mint, dried herbs, tobacco and incense grace the Carruades with gorgeous aromatic presence. A backbone of fine tannins lends energy and direction. Medium in body and impeccably refined, the 2020 Carruades is shaping up to be a gem. ~91-92 Vinous

More Merlot than in 2019, but as you find repeatedly in 2020, the Cabernet Sauvignon plays an oversized role in the flavour profile. This has a ton of impact and intensity, coffee and black chocolate with angular tannins that will benefit from softening over ageing. Plenty of Pauillac signature here, with liquorice root and tobacco leaf. A slate texture gives definition to the end of play. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. ~92 Decanter

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