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  • Country ranking ?

    844
  • Producer ranking ?

    33
  • Decanting time

    6h
  • When to drink

    from 2020
  • Food Pairing

    Lamb Loin with Carrot Risotto

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The 2011 Lafite-Rothschild is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot with an alcohol level of 12.6%. It has wonderful purity on the nose with blackberry, cassis, raspberry, a touch of graphite and an attractive floral note. It is feminine and beguiling. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins on the entry, crisp acidity, very harmonious and alluring with blackberry, raspberry and ...

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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

Chateau Lafite Rothschild began to harvest Cabernet Sauvignon in their northernmost parcels, located not far from Chateau Cos d’Estournel, on September 2, 2011. This is one of the earliest harvests on record for the property. You will, without doubt, be reading quotes from many Bordeaux wine producers that Bordeaux 2011 will, for many chateaux, be their earliest harvest on record since 1893. However, growers situated in some parts of Bordeaux ...

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Vintage 2011

The 2011 vintage is not easy to handle.

Smith Haut Lafitte not only makes great white and red wine from Bordeaux in Pessac Léognan, they are also at the cutting edge of technology. They were one of the first Bordeaux wine producers to begin using optical sorting, which came in handy with the difficult 2011 Bordeaux harvest. Fabien Teitgen, long-time general manager, joined us for a long detailed conversation about what happened at Smith Hau...

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

13 tasting notes

Tasting note

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Written Notes

Deep colour. Very intense blackcurrant/ black olive/ graphite/ cedar aromas with hints of paneforte. Beautifully concentrated polished wine with pure cassis/ elderberry/ praline flavours and silky graphite tannins. Chalky crisp finish. Superb energy, substance and vinosity. 95-97 points,

  • 97p

Excellent and sophisticated nose of dark fruit, finesse and elegance, very rich and well-defined. Lighter than usual and I think it lacks some more depth. Maybe it just need time to put on weight and develop better. From barrel it was 95+p, now it's 94p?

  • 94p

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot (harvested between September 3-21), the 2011 Lafite Rothschild came in at 12.6% natural alcohol (considerably lower than in 2010 and 2009). Exhibiting a deep ruby/purple color, lots of crushed rock, red and black currant, forest floor and underbrush characteristics, moderate tannin and medium body, it is built somewhat along the lines of the 1999 and 2001. It should be a 20- to 25-year wine, but it is not at the level of the 2008, 2009 and 2010. Fresh acids give the wine a somewhat more clipped feeling than most great Lafites have exhibited. Nevertheless, there is a lot of freshness and vibrancy to this vintage.

  • 93p
Château Lafite 2011: Produced from a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. Spice, blackberry liqueur, licorice, earth, graphite and gravel scents lead to a full-bodied wine with supple tannins, freshness and good concentration. The wine ends with a bright, elegant cassis-filled finish. 95-96 Pts
  • 96p
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Information

Origin

Pauillac, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Above Average

Value For Money

Unsatisfactory

Investment potential

Below Average

Fake factory

None

Glass time

2h

Inside Information

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot (harvested between September 3-21), the 2011 Lafite Rothschild came in at 12.6% natural alcohol (considerably lower than in 2010 and 2009). Exhibiting a deep ruby/purple color, lots of crushed rock, red and black currant, forest floor and underbrush characteristics, moderate tannin and medium body, it is built somewhat along the lines of the 1999 and 2001. It should be a 20- to 25-year wine, but it is not at the level of the 2008, 2009 and 2010. Fresh acids give the wine a somewhat more clipped feeling than most great Lafites have exhibited. Nevertheless, there is a lot of freshness and vibrancy to this vintage.

Score: 90/93 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (200), April 2012

The 2011 Lafite-Rothschild is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot with an alcohol level of 12.6%. It has wonderful purity on the nose with blackberry, cassis, raspberry, a touch of graphite and an attractive floral note. It is feminine and beguiling. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins on the entry, crisp acidity, very harmonious and alluring with blackberry, raspberry and a saline touch towards the long caressing finish. It is a more sensual Lafite that I was expecting, with great persistency and poise. Tasted April 2012.

Score: 93/95 Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com, April 2012

Love the nose on this, with sweet tobacco, delicate currant, cedar and blackberry. Full body with integrated tannins and a juicy, fruity, subtle finish. The texture to this wine is beautiful. Better than I remember from barrel. Try in 2019.

Score: 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, January 2014
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