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Lafite-Rothschild 2016

Château Lafite-Rothschild, Bordeaux, France

Château Lafite-Rothschild
Bordeaux France
  • 100
    Points
  • The 65 best
    of 3 290 954
    wines globally
  • 27 Pros of
    27 recommend
    this wine
1057 100
  • Taste
  • Moment

  • Country ranking ?

    54

  • Producer ranking ?

    3

  • Decanting time

    4h

  • When to drink

    from 2025

  • Food Pairing

    Savory Swiss Steak

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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Even stronger and more toned than the excellent 2015, this Lafite shows incredible power yet also finesse. Full-bodied, superfine and chewy wine. Muscular yet agile. Goes on for minutes. Stunning. Perhaps the greatest Lafite since the legendary 1959?
Score: 100 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2017

 

 

The 2016 Lafite-Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sa...

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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

2016 Bordeaux in Review / “A Once in a Lifetime Vintage”

By Andrew Caillard MW

The 2016 Bordeaux vintage will be remembered as one of the great years of the 21st Century. I have not been so excited about the prospects of such young wines since the remarkable back-to-back 2009 and 2010 vintages. At that time China was at the zenith of its extraordinary fine wine ascendency where the very top estates, particularly Chateau Lafite, had becom...

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Vintage 2016

2016 Bordeaux in Review  “A Paradox”

by Andrew Caillard MW

The 2016 Bordeaux vintage will be remembered as one of the great years of the 21st Century. I have not been so excited about the prospects of such young wines since the remarkable back-to-back 2009 and 2010 vintages. At that time China was at the zenith of its extraordinary fine wine ascendency where the very top estates, particularly Chateau Lafite, had become a baksheesh curren...

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Average Bottle Price

2023 2021
745€ +9.6% 680€

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

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Written Notes

This offers the best of both sides of Pauillac, with a deep, deep well of dark currant, fig, blackberry and black cherry paste flavors forming a lush side while a series of I-beams made of graphite and iron provide the rigid structure. The two sides meld, pulling in extra sweet tobacco, smoldering cast iron, juniper and savory notes on the finish, leaving a mouthwatering feel. A real stunner. Best from 2025 through 2045.

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  • 98p

Beautiful dark red colour with almost black glints in the glass. The wine is bright and clear. Very dark. The nose is still very closed, but all the signs of tremendous aromatic potential are present: the depth, complexity and the already perfectly integrated oak from the barrel ageing.
Some classic notes of violet, but all still very contained. On the palate the attack is very soft and silky. Then gradually, maintaining the same softness, the wine fills the mouth with enormous length, to the point that one wonders how long it can continue! The mid-palate is perfectly balanced. It is very dense with tight tannins that are still very delicate.
The wine has remarkable persistence and fullness on the palate, it does not reveal the slightest imbalance or weakness. Everything is there to guarantee a great future.

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2016 Lafite Rothschild - Showing a serious depth of color, the wine offers a wealth of dark fruits on the nose. From there you find spice box, leafy tobacco, cigar box, cherry pipe tobacco and sweet coffee bean aromas. On the palate, which is where the show really takes place, the wine is silky, elegant, long, refined and concentrated. It is impossible not to notice the volume, length and especially the wonderful purity in the fruit. The wine is rich, yet incredibly light on its feet. This is destined to be an immortal vintage for Lafite Rothschild that future generations will reap the benefit from. The wine is complete from start to finish and was produced from blending 92% Cabernet Sauvignon with 8% Merlot. 100 Pts

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  • 100p

The 2016 Lafite-Rothschild underwent three days of pre-harvest selection to pick out the clusters that you could see through, where the grapes had little pulp because of retarded maturation during the growing season. This tank represented 3% of the volume that did not even make it into the Carruades because it would have detracted from the precision. It has a beautiful bouquet, one of the most seductive in recent years, offering pure blackberry and boysenberry fruit, hints of pressed violet and India ink that emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite saturated tannin that belies the backbone, and a rondeur that I was not anticipating. Referring back to my notes, it’s clear that this first growth has developed greater amplitude and perhaps sensuality in barrel. It has a sense of approachability, although it clearly has the substance to last for many years. Drink 2026-2070

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  • 98p

Château Lafite 2016 / This offers the best of both sides of Pauillac, with a deep, deep well of dark currant, fig, blackberry and black cherry paste flavors forming a lush side while a series of I-beams made of graphite and iron provide the rigid structure. The two sides meld, pulling in extra sweet tobacco, smoldering cast iron, juniper and savory notes on the finish, leaving a mouthwatering feel. A real stunner. Best from 2025 through 2045.

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  • 98p

2016 Lafite behaved like a monster moving with ballerina steps, very potent on the nose and palate with striking richness, complexity and length. The nose of Lafite, whether the wine is old or young, is always so sensual and captivating. Unlimited future awaits and this wine can live forever. Bull's eye! 100p. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon + 8% Merlot.

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  • 100p

The 2016 Lafite-Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot picked from 23 September until 12 October with the Cabernet Sauvignon (and unused Petit Verdot). It has 13.3% alcohol, a pH of 3.65 and the IPT of 74. Matured in 100% new oak, it has a fresh and vibrant bouquet whilst retaining the classicism of this First Growth. This is more subtle than Mouton-Rothschild or Latour, which is always the case at en primeur, yet there is a brooding intensity that draws you in as it unveils some gorgeous blackberry and graphite aromas. The palate is just superb. This has more density, more vigor, more depth and you could even argue more ambition than the 2015 Lafite-Rothschild showed last year. It gently grips the mouth with unerring focus and symmetry, just a touch of spiciness developing with a long, saline finish that lingers two minutes after the wine has departed. Lafite-Rothschild always develops and meliorates in barrel during its élevage and I suspect this will ultimately turn out to be a regal Lafite-Rothschild. 96-98p

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  • 97p

Deep colour. Intense cassis, espresso, chocolate with violet notes. Supple almost silky textured wine with beautiful pure cassis inky flavours, lacy yet vigorous extra fine tannins and slight bitter chinotto, blackcurrant pastille notes at the finish. Very beautiful Lafite with understated power and refinement. A peacock tail finish. Very good. Great wine. Tasted at Ch Lafite Rothschild. 99 points

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  • 99p

An almost magic wine. Dark purple red with violet hue and black core. Convincing nose, initially slightly closed, very elegant fruit, blackcurrants, blackberries and sweet elderberries. Discreet spiciness and delicate toasting aroma in99+the background. Dense structure, intense and ripe tannins, excellent and pure fruit, discreet spiciness, a wine with great precision. One of the great vintages of Lafite in perfect balance with perfect finesse. 

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  • 99p

Ruby. Scented, red berries, anise, blueberries, floral notes, violets, tight nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, detailed, elegant and nuanced, layered, refined, blueberries, cassis and a light red fruity note, firmer finish, long. 97-99

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Information

Origin

Pauillac, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Excellent

Investment potential

Good

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