Bordeaux Wine: What’s so special about Chateau Lafite?
Well…a lot actually. Let’s start with some background on Chateau Lafite Rothschild. The chateau was founded in the late 18th century by the Rothschild family, a powerful banking dynasty who have become synonymous with wealth and prestige. They purchased the estate, which had been producing wine since 1680, and expanded it, eventually making it one of the most sought-after wineries in the world. The Rothschilds are still involved, owning and operating the estate today.
Lafite is one of the 5 Grand Cru Classe of Bordeaux, dating back to the famous classification done in 1855. The other four are Château Margaux, Château Latour, Château Haut-Brion, and Château Mouton Rothschild. While today you can find great left-bank Bordeaux wine outside of these five, they are also some of the most prestigious wineries in the region, with a long and impressive history of producing fine wines. With regards to its reputation, Chateau Lafite’s wines differ from Margaux, Mouton-Rothschild, Latour, and Haut-Brion in terms of their flavor profile. Chateau Lafite typically has the most intense fruity and spicy aromas and deep ruby red colors. It also has a unique blend of different grape varieties, which gives it an added complexity in flavor. Margaux typically has more fresh fruit aromas, while Mouton-Rothschild has earthy and spicy notes. Latour is the most robust and full-bodied, while Haut-Brion is known as the most elegant and complex.
Vintages are important everywhere in the wine world but perhaps few places more than Bordeaux. Some of the best vintages of Chateau Lafite include 2009, 2005, 2000, 1996, 1982, 1961, 1959, and 1945. All of these vintages have achieved high ratings from critics and are highly sought after and valued by collectors. The 2009 vintage is particularly noteworthy, as it earned a perfect 100-point rating from revered wine critic Robert Parker.
Beyond their wines, Lafite also communicates status. Its label has become iconic, featuring a chateau surrounded by a wooded landscape on a red border in the shape of a shield, which symbolizes the grandeur of the estate and honors its long and storied history in winemaking. Château Lafite is written in Didot font, originally created by French designers François and Félix Didot in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. While minor tweaks were made to the label in the late 1990s and again in 2011, the label was given a major overhaul and in 2018 now features an embossed gold-foil coat of arms on the front. This is nothing compared to Chateau Mouton Rothschild, which changes the label design every year in honor of a different artist.
So…ready to pop the cork on a bottle of Lafite? You’ll be hard-pressed to find one for less than $500, with some of the top vintages going for upwards of $4,000.
Santé!
