1989 Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

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1989
92
Medium-bodied, firm, and reticent, the wine was a bit simple for a Lafite with its focus on its cedar, cigar wrapper, and red currant core in the nose and on the rustic, leaning palate. At 35 years of age, this is, what it is, and doubt it will improve or change in character. Though it will be long-lived. Drink from 2024-2050.

Medium-bodied, firm, and reticent, the wine was a bit simple for a Lafite with its focus on its cedar, cigar wrapper, and red currant core in the nose and on the rustic, leaning palate. At 35 years of age, this is, what it is, and doubt it will improve or change in character. Though it will be long-lived. Drink from 2024-2050.

1,277 Views   Tasted
Still young, another decade will help the wine add to its cedar, spice box, spearmint, tobacco, cassis, earth, cigar ash and cherry nose. Medium bodied, tight and needed more air than a pop a pour, the wine is high toned and elegant in style.

Still young, another decade will help the wine add to its cedar, spice box, spearmint, tobacco, cassis, earth, cigar ash and cherry nose. Medium bodied, tight and needed more air than a pop a pour, the wine is high toned and elegant in style.

8,762 Views   Tasted
Ample cassis and cedar accented by hints of over ripe black fruit and spice are found in the perfume. This medium/full bodied wine fills your mouth with its ripe fruit profile, but remains tight and does not offer much complexity at this stage. The tannins are round, but the wine is still young and requires more time.

Ample cassis and cedar accented by hints of over ripe black fruit and spice are found in the perfume. This medium/full bodied wine fills your mouth with its ripe fruit profile, but remains tight and does not offer much complexity at this stage. The tannins are round, but the wine is still young and requires more time.

11,765 Views   Tasted
With decanting and much coaxing, cherries, lead pencil, smoke and cigar box aromas were pleasant. But from Lafite, I don’t want pleasant. I want to be blown away. Bright fruit and light black fruit along with ample on the palate and in the finish.

With decanting and much coaxing, cherries, lead pencil, smoke and cigar box aromas were pleasant. But from Lafite, I don’t want pleasant. I want to be blown away. Bright fruit and light black fruit along with ample on the palate and in the finish.

5,207 Views   Tasted

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