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Wine Description
The Story
Château Lafite Rothschild’s second wine, Carruades de Lafite presents similar characteristics to the Grand Vin, but with its own personality linked to a higher proportion of Merlot and to specific plots that are used to produce Carruades. The name comes from the Carruades plateau, a group of plots acquired in 1845 just next to the vines on the Château hilltop.
-From 50 to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 to 50% Merlot, 0 to 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
-From 18 to 20 months, 80% in oak barrels (10% new).
-20,000 cases.
Wine Information
Vintage 2009
Cabernet Sauvignon 51 %, Merlot 42 %,
Cabernet Franc 5 %, Petit Verdot 2 %
The beginning of the growth cycle was a tricky period due to a rather warm, very wet spring. The team had to be particularly vigilant in order to protect the vines.
Fine, stable weather returned in June and continued throughout the summer. In fact conditions became drought like, interspersed in July, August and September with welcome periods of light rain. Plenty of sunshine, with temperatures that were high without becoming scorching, and fairly cool nights enabled slow ripening that pushed the start of the harvests back to the end of September.
Exceptionally favourable weather conditions, crowned by harvests in the sun, made for a vintage that is certain to be outstanding.
Tasting note (at bottling):
Superb bright flavours. The mouth gradually takes shape, full-bodied and generous at first, then presenting ripe tannins, well-developed structure and a very fruity finish.
Vintage 2009
Much like 1947, 1961 and 2005, 2009 is a year of almost overly (for Bordeaux) flamboyant and opulent wines with high maturity and low acidity. The tannins are exceptionally ripe, while the wines are quite voluptuous in style. The Left Bank recorded more hours of sunshine than legendary vintages such as 1947 and 1982, and the grapes had higher sugar concentrations than in 2003 and 2005. The key was significant diurnal temperature variations that allowed the grapes to withstand hot daytime temperatures. An exceptional vintage on all levels.
