2003 Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note
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2003
Château Lafite Rothschild (Pauillac)
It has been several years since I lasted this wine, and the years have been kind to the wine. Now, it is supple, ostentatious, showy and also, rich with layers of ripe, red berries, cedar, herbs, tobacco leaf, and spice. The wine is full, deep and concentrated with an opulent finish that is drinking just great today. 3,731 Views Tasted Apr 5, 2022This is one of those honey, it's not you, it's me wines. Meaning, I do not always find the greatness in the bottles I've had. Almost for sure, the intense ripeness of the vintage causes bottle variation. At least that's my theory and I'm sticking to it. I've had that same sensation with other 2003 Bordeaux wines as well. On to this bottle, it had it all. It was rich, silky, polished, complex, aromatic, long and deep. OK, it was advanced for its age in color and maturity, but it was truly a stunner! 6,452 Views Tasted Feb 27, 2015With the color of a wine that is at least 15-20 years older than its true chronological age, the fully mature wine offers truffle, cigar box, cedar wood, tobacco, earth and dark, roasted berries. The wine is open, silky and sensuous, with an exotic texure on the palate that is sublime. There is no sensation of jammy flavors. But there is not a lot of stuffing here. This is not a wine to age for decades. 8,479 Views Tasted Dec 18, 2013Off the charts aromatics with its pungent lead pencil, truffle, toffee, earth, cassis, spice and floral aromatics, which explode in your face. This is insanely concentrated with perfectly, pure, ripe juice. Intense, pure and harmonious. The silky, mouth coating finish offers everything you could ask for in a wine. This is seamless! This was probably the hte best wine I tasted on this trip. Anyone who took Parker’s advice early and bought this wine on futures made some serious coin at today's prices. 20,290 Views Tasted Jun 30, 2009 |
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.