Château Lafite-Rothschild 2004

This beautiful, stunningly dense purple-colored effort (includes about 90% Cabernet Sauvignon) offers up precise notes of graphite, black cherries, cassis, scorched earth, and minerals. Medium to full-bodied with fabulous fruit, impressive richness, refreshing acidity, and sweet tannin, this beauty should be approachable in 4-5 years, and last for three decades. As Lafite Rothschilds go, this is somewhat of a sleeper vintage. Also tasted: 2004 Carruades de Lafite (88)

Intense aromas of currant, coffee, toasty oak and sweet tobacco follow through to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins, great mouthfeel and a long finish. A refined Lafite. Best after 2012. 22,080 cases made.

The 2004 Lafite is indisputably a classic claret with its blackcurrant fruit and hints of eucalyptus, cedar, leather and wood smoke. The texture is supple, elegant, and almost ethereal, and the combination impressed many of the tasters, although I marked it down a notch for an apparent lack of concentration. The group rating, however, was just behind the Haut-Brion, and it is undeniable that this will be a long-lived wine and should age gracefully for decades to come.

[CS 90.5%, M 9%, PV 0.5%. Picking here was over by 14 Oct, considerably earlier than at, say, Latour and Margaux.] Excellent depth of purplish crimson. Something quite sweetly aromatic on the nose – violets? vanilla? Rather more solid than I would have expected from Lafite in a year like this. Definitely earth-bound. Very solid, and lower in acidity than I would expect. While, unlike Mouton, it’s obviously Pauillac, it’s less obviously Lafite than in some other years. Very dry finish. Very correct but reticent. (JR)

Medium-bodied, and on the greener side of the style range, with a focus on mint, cedar, tobacco, and herbs accompanying its bright red-berry tones. A bit short and drying on the finish; fans of older, classic Bordeaux will probably like this more than I did. Drink from 2025–2040.

Extremely dark violet-garnet, black highlights. Dense, complex bouquet with plenty of noble wood notes, mahogany, teak, truffle, currants, smoke; profound like a Latour, with base aromas leaning more toward terroir, behind which the superb, typically Lafite sweetness shows, very powerful in this vintage. On the palate, magnificent, abundant tannins with refined grip, highly layered, all fruit components ranging from blue to black berries, great length. A classic Lafite with striking linearity. In style, a 1985 plus.

90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 0.5% Petit Verdot. Extremely dark violet-garnet with black highlights. Dense, complex bouquet with lots of noble wood notes, mahogany, teak, truffle, currants, smoke; it has Latour-like depth and, even in its youth, leans toward terroir-driven base aromas, with that magnificent, this time quite weighty, typical Lafite sweetness in the background. On the palate, magnificent, with abundant tannins that are full of finesse and highly layered; all the fruit components range from blue to black berries, great length. A classic Lafite with striking straightness. Style 1985-plus-plus! (19/20). 15: It took exactly 10 years until I encountered this wine again. And I was overwhelmed. A great Premier. And a great 2004! Floral start, feels young with plenty of concentrated Cabernet aromatics. Licorice and blueberries. On the palate, incisive with lots of astringency, yet the structure is delicately fleshy. It’s still far too young – but you can clearly see where it’s heading soon. (19/20). 17: Very dark, deep purple. The first nose momentarily recalls a truly great Napa wine. Eucalyptus, mint, dark chocolate and licorice. After a few minutes it pivots to great Bordeaux classicism. In overall expression, it is clearly shaped by Cabernet Sauvignon. On the palate, dense, fine, tight-knit; the tannins are almost silky and display endless finesse. A reassuring, great Lafite that will be underestimated for decades. A youthful sin, perhaps, but one that brings no guilt. In other words, a possible affair of pleasure. (19/20). (19/20). 19: During a visit at Lafite. Now entering its first maturity, wonderfully sweet and absolutely delicate. A Pauillac perfume of finesse like no other. (19/20). 22: Very dark garnet with violet highlights. Very deep, dark-fruited yet also floral, and richly spicy: clove tones, smoke, crushed Sichuan peppercorns and alpine blueberries. On the palate, super fleshy with bite and power, tannins still providing good support—pleasant for now, but they still need to mature. Sustained, almost masculine finish. A truly great, classically styled Lafite with power but already showing initial finesse. Patience will be rewarded. If not, there’s already plenty of pleasure now. Decant at least five hours. (19/20).

Fruity, powerful, fresh, velvety bouquet, cassis cream, licorice, cedar, mint. Dense, elegant, finely concentrated, fresh palate with creamy, sweet fruit, plenty of fine tannins, dense, dark aromatics, dense, creamy structure, long, fresh, full finish. 19/20 drink - 2048

Beautiful color, a highly distinctive cedar nose, a taut, subtle wine, very elegant but with rather bare flesh, making it more suited to lovers of refinement than to sensual drinkers.

Classic nose marked by notes of cedar. Plenty of fruit, graphite and freshness. On the palate, the wine is balanced, elegant, powerful and perfectly supported by its tannins and its structure, which offers fine breed while showcasing the fruit. A wine that can be enjoyed now but also has excellent potential. Fresh and saline on the finish.

Logo on the cork: JL (Lafitte Liège) Dark, intense, and beautiful color. Juicy, suave palate, developing with flavorful notes and a slightly firm touch, but deep on the finish. Good vanilla persistence. Note that this bottle is much better than the one reviewed in 2014, even though it came from the same case and had the same cork supplier. Variations.

Yes, there is power to this wine. But more than that, it exudes authority; a dense and solid wine with an impressive presence and texture. It has a velvet mouthfeel: the tannins are dusty and mineral, alongside fruit flavors of ripe black plums and dark figs, leavened with fresh acidity. The potential, of course, is there: 20 years if you can wait.