1996 Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

14941 Views

1996 Château Lafite Rothschild  (Pauillac) 100 Stunning in every sense of the word, this wine has it all from start to finish. It is elegant, pure, complex, regal, energetic, and seamless, with a vibrant finish that once it gets started, keeps right on going as it builds and expands. Drink from 2024-2060. Stunning in every sense of the word, this wine has it all from start to finish. It is elegant, pure, complex, regal, energetic, and seamless, with a vibrant finish that once it gets started, keeps right on going as it builds and expands. Drink from 2024-2060. 223 Views   Tasted Apr 2, 2024  • Buy This Wine For The Lowest Price DOWNLOAD TASTING NOTE | Post to Not as expressive, or as interesting as my last bottle 6 long years ago, with 2 hours of air the wine opened to a cornucopia of notes, flowers, cassis, herbs, leaf, tobacco, cigar box, earth and spice. Refined, elegant and fresh, the fruit seemed hidden behind the tannins, asking to rest for another 5 years or so. Not as expressive, or as interesting as my last bottle 6 long years ago, with 2 hours of air the wine opened to a cornucopia of notes, flowers, cassis, herbs, leaf, tobacco, cigar box, earth and spice. Refined, elegant and fresh, the fruit seemed hidden behind the tannins, asking to rest for another 5 years or so. 4,847 Views   Tasted Aug 28, 2021 I'm hearing Etta James with "At Last." I've wanted to taste this wine for years. And finally, or should I say, at last, you're here in my glass, and I can say without reservation, where that wine went next. Right where it was supposed to be! If you're looking for the wine of the vintage, stop your search. I am thinking we have a winner, and that says a lot for 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux! The intense powerful, complex nose with its attention grabbing forest floor, earth, some, cassis, Cuban tobacco and cedar wood is off the hook. And that's just the start of the party. The wine has this beautiful purity of fruit, velvet textures and lushness to it, that makes impossible not to want to take another sip. The finish lingers, expands and gains in complexity for well over 60 seconds! Yes, this is more than expensive. But if you have the money, or very wealthy friends, this is real deal. I'm hearing Etta James with "At Last." I've wanted to taste this wine for years. And finally, or should I say, at last, you're here in my glass, and I can say without reservation, where that wine went next. Right where it was supposed to be! If you're looking for the wine of the vintage, stop your search. I am thinking we have a winner, and that says a lot for 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux! The intense powerful, complex nose with its attention grabbing forest floor, earth, some, cassis, Cuban tobacco and cedar wood is off the hook. And that's just the start of the party. The wine has this beautiful purity of fruit, velvet textures and lushness to it, that makes impossible not to want to take another sip. The finish lingers, expands and gains in complexity for well over 60 seconds! Yes, this is more than expensive. But if you have the money, or very wealthy friends, this is real deal. 9,871 Views   Tasted Feb 27, 2015

When to Drink Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Lafite Rothschild is not a wine to drink on the young side. The wine is usually far too tannic and reserved in its youth. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 3-6 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume.

Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau Lafite Rothschild is usually better with at least 15 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Lafite Rothschild offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 15 and 60 years of age after the vintage.

Serving Chateau Lafite Rothschild with Wine and Food Pairings

Chateau Lafite Rothschild is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau Lafite Rothschild is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Lafite Rothschild is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, salmon, mushrooms, and pasta.

Chateau Lafite Rothschild is the most elegantly styled of the three First Growths from Pauillac. But do not confuse the term elegant with light. Chateau Lafite is perhaps the most aromatic of the First Growths as well, with a perfume that fills the air with cedar, cassis, spice, tobacco, truffle, lead pencil, dark, red berries, and earthy notes.

In the best vintages, the wine requires decades to develop to its full potential. Trust me on this, it is worth the wait!

Lafite Rothschild is also involved in several diverse wine investments in countries outside of France. Vina Los Vascos in Chile was their first venture outside of Bordeaux, where they make several red and white wines primarily from Coloagua Chile.

In 1999, they joint ventured with the Catena family in Mendoza, Argentina to produce Bodegas Caro.

Continuing to expand, in 1999, they purchased Domaine d’Aussieres in the Languedoc-Roussillon appellation, located just below the Southern Rhone Valley. Their first move to Asia came in 2011 when they planted vines in the Penglai Peninsula in the Shandong Province in China. The vineyards were planted by Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

Since 1995, the DBR group has also produced "The Collection," which is a series of generic, low-priced wines from various Bordeaux appellations sold under the name of Legende.

www.lafite.com