René Gabriel
For the first time in fifteen years, 7% Cabernet Franc was used in the Grand Vin. Merlot also made a comeback since last year with a share of 23%, the rest being Cabernet Sauvignon. 96: Barrel sample (18/20): subtle, finely structured bouquet, noble woods, lots of Merlot and Cabernet perfume. On the palate, a true delicacy, too feminine for a Pauillac, too powerful for a Libournais, well balanced; the wood seems vanilla-dominant and is currently stamping the wine with a postal mark. Yet again, the question arises: can slender finesse offset Pauillac power? One could almost say “yes” – but not quite. Tasted again in September 1996: it was very full, with a concentrated, almost complex sweetness, plum notes, sandalwood, and a hint of Amarena cherry. Although the barriques are only lightly toasted, there was a strong impression of freshly roasted coffee and many nuances of noble woods. The palate showed outer charm, but in the extract it had quite an intense, tannin-rich character that currently lends it a certain rough structure. Nevertheless, it will increasingly tend toward finesse and become both very powerful and elegant, with an upward points trend. 97: Discreet, slightly mineral bouquet, ripe fruit, almost perfumed, very delicate. On the palate, juicy, silky texture, almost Margaux-like, lots of souplesse. A very delicate Lafite with a long, sweet, almost sandalwood-like aftertaste. 00: Delicate, fine bouquet, red cherries and mulberries, perfumed and almost a touch peppery. Stays on red-berry notes on the palate as well, with a sweet-sour Morello cherry note in the extract, gently floral nuances; still a bit aggressive, as a sturdy, slightly tooth-coating note shows through the intense astringency; raspberry seeds, lots of breed, completely inaccessible and, with its compressed tannin-acid structure, almost a bit arrogant; still needs a lot of patience. 02: Between brilliant and questionable: one bottle was heavily corked, one dull, and another completely crazy and so good that you almost felt very close (not only if you reverse the last two digits) to the legendary ’59: dense garnet-purple. Concentrated, seductively sweet bouquet, lemon thyme like a Rayas Rhône wine, very delicate, almost perfumed, already intoxicating. Plush, enormously concentrated palate, bright noble wood notes, vanilla, cedar, incense, Heitz- and eucalyptus contours, fine-sandy tannins; only when slurping do you notice the genius of this great wine, which today convinces me for the first time at the 19/20 level. 03: A dramatic wine that is now showing more and more cake, fruity notes and also musk. It can still become very, very great and is already close to the turn-of-the-century threshold. Every bottle drunk now is a small crime. 05: Deep, dark purple-garnet with violet reflections. Magnificent, expansive Bordeaux bouquet, blackberries, rosewood notes, truffle and fermented tea, steadily increasing. On the palate creamy, with an almost Pomerol-like fullness, rock sugar notes, blackcurrant; the wine already has plenty of charm and has found its harmony. A great, finesse-rich Lafite. 07: Lucien Schmidlin decanted it for 3 hours. Obviously exactly the right amount. We were blown away and didn’t have to pay too much attention when pouring for the 5 people at the table in the holiday home in Ste. Maxime. Because two bottles were slumbering in the slightly larger decanter. 08: A sweet, delicate, dancing Lafite with an intoxicating inner perfume. You just have to slurp long to find it. Just shy of the maximum score. 09: After the Palmer 1981, it seemed almost a bit discreet – but the sweetness on the palate shows its greatness. Just slurp for a long time and then dream. 10: In the loud Brandenberg restaurant, this half-quiet Lafite was almost drowned out. Beautifully elegant with mildly sweet tannins and striking balance. This is what Pauillac dreams taste like! 11: Medium-dark garnet. Opens only cautiously, showing candied fruit notes, roasted nuts and caramelized almonds, bread crust, a bit of milky coffee, delicate and multi-layered. On the concentrated palate, very plush and thus somehow reminiscent of a great Margaux, many feminine traits, still lots of overall fruit, great herbal nuances with a Ricola touch, slightly dry, but that’s due to youth; when slurping, the full Lafite aroma comes through. Decant for two hours. (19/20). 14: Absolute perfection. Dark garnet. Compact bouquet, but not so compact that many great aromas can’t already seep through; the typical Lafite sweetness mixes with very profound Pauillac aromas. The highly fine, brilliant tannins are in the absolute top class. This was the first truly concentrated Lafite of the newer era, after this Premier had previously shone for decades with light colors and “delicate superficiality.” A moving sip on Viktor Jans’s birthday. And then another! (20/20). 15: Medium garnet-purple, slightly brick-toned rim. Malty bouquet, fairground almonds, dark caramel, buttery notes, very expansive and surprisingly accessible. On the second take, the finest herbal tones; despite the richness, there are also very fresh components. On the palate like an elegant Rioja (not meant pejoratively!) malty, melting tannins. In contrast to Mouton and Latour, this was the ripest wine. It was also the only Premier that came in a “regular” bottle. A brilliant delicacy that recalls the earlier delicate sweetness of old, great Lafite vintages. A superb, dancing delicacy. It leaves no questions – only one answer: this is guaranteed to be a sensual wine of the century. (20/20). 17: Magnum. Quite dark garnet with ruby reflections at the rim. Perfumed, very multi-layered bouquet. Clear mineral traces; turpentine, graphite, petroleum; but in a profound, very appealing form. The nose is intoxicating, deep and shows Pauillac class. On the palate extremely plush, highly fine, delicately woven tannin laces, everything perfectly balanced, a high-level balancing act. In an initial, extremely fascinating maturity. Belongs to the giant Lafites! An insane sip. And it was a rather big sip, as we had this wine in magnum. Thanks to Lucien. (20/20). 20: Dark color, dense core, outer rim showing slight maturity. The nose shows roasted notes, minimal glutamate traces, sweet plums, hints of dried fruits, coffee, pumpernickel bread. It presents as very intense, heady and quite open. Plush, meaty, showing in the very full extract a noble bitterness (reserves). It seems to be moving toward a first peak, but also promises a few more decades of enjoyment. Was the finest wine of the Premier Pauillac blind series. Kept improving! (20/20).
