Château Lafite-Rothschild 2004

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.

There is a lovely softness to the 2004 Lafite-Rothschild – a wine that feels open and ready, primed for drinking. The nose combines spicy perfume and classic tertiary tones with juicy fruit. There’s an appealing earthy note that underpins the palate, savoury leather and dried fruit, yet there’s plenty of freshness too – with mouthwatering acidity and seamless tannins. This feels utterly classic – with an appealing restraint and drinkability – and is in a lovely spot now.

[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) The colour isn’t very deep. A hint of development at the rim. An intense, refined nose—fruity, pure and subtle. A lovely touch of cedar when the glass is swirled. Precise on the attack, complex through the mid-palate; carried by a silky, airy body, the wine stretches out into a long finish—subtle, savoury and impossible to spit. Cedar returns on the lingering finish. A delight.

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.

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)

Medium ruby-red. Scented nose offers plum, mocha, licorice, graphite, flowers and tobacco. Suave, silky and fine-grained, with lovely inner-mouth aromatic character and energy. Perfumed flavors of redcurrant, minerals and cedar. Finishes very long and firm, with terrific grip for this mostly gentle vintage.