Château Lafite-Rothschild 2025

Vivid purple colour in the glass. Cool blue fruit, graphite and wet stones on the nose. Succulent and juicy, ripe and lifted, with supple tannins barely noticeable – the focus is on the purity and refinement of the fruit with bright acidity and an undercurrent of cooling, fresh minty freshness with graphite and wet stones. You really get the spice and fruitiness. A bit more lively, energetic and upfront than Lafite can sometimes be. There’s finesse for sure but there’s also confidence here. Mouthwatering with a ton of flavour and layering but at the end such a finessed and refined finish with a wet stone grip. So balanced and harmonious. An amazing feat this year. Eric Kohler, technical director of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), calls 2025 a: ‘Vintage of happiness – a symphony of all the perfect parameters' and likened the vintage to '2020 but perhaps more delicate and less tannic. More immediate than 2020'. A yield of 27hl/ha. 16% press wine.

Cuban cigars, cedar, crème de cassis, blackberries, flowers, espresso, and forest leaves set the wine's perfume. Refined, elegant, precise, and pure, the fruit tastes as if it were just pulled from the vines. Expressive, vibrant, long, and packed with blackberries, currants, Indian spices, tobacco, and marine influences, the seamless, graceful finish does not want to quit, passing the 60-second mark with ease. One of the most important parts of the growing season took place starting in June and running through July 10. Climatically, it was hot and dry. The midsummer rains following that dry period provided much-needed nourishment, aiding ripeness and contributing to the style and success of the vintage. The wine is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. 12.5% ABV. Picking took place September 2 - September 20. Yields were low at 27 hectoliters per hectare. 48% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2032 - 2075. 98-100 Pts

Deep plum in colour, not as inky as you might find in a vintage like 2O22. Gorgeous, sculpted, jumps out of the glass, showcasing the ability to remain Lafite through so many differing vintage conditions. A ton of depth and character, slate and rosebud, a sappy and highly drinkable Lafite. The last vintage in the old winery, next year will be in the new one (so more vats to do microvinification, and they expect to use Cabernet Franc again. 16% of press wine. Harvest started September 11, until September 20, even earlier than 2022. 27hl/h yields, very small for this estate, one of the smallest on record, but no doubt helped it resist the drought of the summer because these yields were small from the beginning. Eric Kohler winemaker, Eric Boissenot consultant.

While Carruades readily showcases its many strengths with flair, Lafite chooses wisdom. It hardly needs to raise its voice to shine, nor to string together feats to stand above the crowd. It finds its place with precision and elegance, privileging finesse and the details that already sketch its greatness on the nose. As always, Lafite banks on subtlety in its tactile expression. The attack is fine and precise, directing attention to the myriad details that build its complexity. The way it deploys its power commands respect: never too much, but more than enough, and with exceptional serenity it reinforces its foundation—powerful, yet subtle and elegant. Every register is engaged; none dominates the others, and all contribute to this wine’s incredible stature. A brilliant Lafite that towers over the vintage, expressing everything it has so well absorbed, even under constraint. Only the end result matters to it, though it remains deeply attached to the roots from which it comes. A true terroir wine! It is joyful, exhilarating, and moving in its sincerity and its ability to convey, with disarming simplicity, its astonishing depth. An absolute Lafite! Or, absolutely Lafite.

Inky-black color. An intense, refined, fruit-driven nose with the lovely scent of pine needles. A hint reminiscent of the wines of Pessac. Ultra-fleshy on the attack, complex as it unfolds, rich through the mid-palate and, above all, hugely aromatic; carried by a noble progression, the wine caresses the palate with a creamy note suggestive of raspberry. It never lets up—elegant, deep and utterly irresistible. An incredible presence given the modest alcohol level of barely 12.5%. Pure seduction! Blend: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot. pH: 3.65, slightly below average. Yield: 27 hl/ha. Blend includes 16% press wine. A Lafite more Lafite than ever, which finished harvesting a week before château Margaux. And if you ask me when to drink it, I’d be tempted to say: right away! Because indulgence demands it!