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  • Country ranking ?

    63
  • Producer ranking ?

    5
  • Decanting time

    45 min
  • When to drink

    Now-2025
  • Food Pairing

    Honey Soy Venison

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The Story

The Château Lafite estate run by the Rothschilds is, with its 100 hectares of cultivated land, the largest of the main Pauillac vineyards.

It is located in the highest part of the area and the view from its château, with its conical towers that appear on the label, takes in the banks of the River Gironde, which flows nearby. The wines are a blend of four different varieties of grape – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Verdot and Cabernet F...

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Wine Information

1953 Château Lafite-Rothschild

Since Lafite is more “sophisticated” and less massive than other premier cru-wines, it is also most open to variations in quality, especially in weak years. Particularly in the 1960´s up to 1975 its quality was often not equal to other premier cru-wines. But from the year 1975 on its wines have lived up to their reputation. “The Perfection of Elegance” is a definition many critics connect with Lafite, and this...

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Vintage 1953

The 1953 become the first top vintage of the 1950s. The year ended up to be an excellent one, even though the heavy rains of September threatened to destroy a good year. The hot, dry summer was crowned by a perfect August. The mercury rose above 30°C on more than half of the days in August. Fortunately, the rains that came in mid-September made way for ideal harvest conditions at the beginning of October. The finest wines of this vintage are u...

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Average Bottle Price

2023 2021 2019 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2005 2000 1995
1 850€ +19.7% 1 545€ -6.4% 1 650€ -5.4% 1 744€ +1.9% 1 712€ -4.9% 1 801€ -35.2% 2 780€ +29.1% 2 154€ +23.1% 1 750€ -12.4% 1 997€ -48.7% 3 890€ +527.4% 620€ +21.1% 512€ +48.4% 345€

This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.

Tasting note

color

Full, Brick red and Clear

ending

Long, Lingering and Round

flavors

Blackberry, Blackcurrant, Blueberry, Vanilla, Leather and Tobacco

nose

Intense, Refined, Fresh and Ripe

recommend

Yes

taste

High in Acidity, Low tannin, Complex, Perfectly balanced, Balanced, Full-bodied, Elegant, Round, Harmonious, Dry and Silky tannins

Verdict

Sophisticated and Masterpiece

Written Notes

Right on cue came the 1953 Lafite Rothschild.  This was another spectacular bottle, perfect in every way, another ‘holy shit’ wine I eloquently wrote.  There was more caramel in the ’53, and while softer like the vintage, it still had great concentration and unbelievable sweetness.  The two best Lafites showed the best they could be on this magical night (99)

  • 99p

Opened 10 minutes before . Mid to light ruby with a hint of brown. Light but certainly refined on the nose with strong lead pencils. Even rather Cabernet Franc-like in its aromatic nature. Sweet start then rather firm and even slightly metallic on the palate. Great energy there. Flattering and ethereal. I could imagine some people finding it too light. Super refreshing. Difficult to imagine this sort of wine being made today. More transparent. Then it opens out in the glass and seems to gain depth. Only very, very slightly dry finish. But it blossoms beautifully in the glass. Putty, fragrance, sweet juiciness. So fluid. Freshness. Ethereal and the nose grew and grew - such fabulous lift... The most elegant wine by far here. Tasted: 17-Sep-2009

  • 100p
Château Lafite-Rothschild 1953 was equally good, but of course different. Maybe a bit finer, more precise, less sensual. More floral aromas, perhaps even more length. Unimaginable purity of flavors, all balanced and generous.
  • 100p
This is the most elegant and classic examples of what I understand as “claret” of all wines, assuming you get a good bottle. This was very good. 97 pts.
  • 97p
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Information

Origin

Pauillac, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Excellent

Value For Money

Very good

Investment potential

Excellent

Fake factory

Serious

Glass time

2h

Inside Information

Bordeaux Book, 3rd Edition 
Jan 1998
Robert M. Parker, Jr. 100 Drink: N/A $2977-$4052
On two occasions I rated the 1953 100 and on another occasion, nearly perfect. According to some old-timers, the wine has been fully mature for almost 30 years. It possesses that extraordinary Lafite fragrance of minerals, lead pencil, cedar, and spice. It is velvety-textured, wonderfully round, and sweet, but so well-delineated and balanced. It is best purchased today in magnum and larger formats unless you can be assured the wine came from a cold cellar and has not been traded frequently. Last tasted 10/94.
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