Critic Notes
Even stronger and more toned than the excellent 2015, this Lafite shows incredible power yet also finesse. Full-bodied, superfine and chewy wine. Muscular yet agile. Goes on for minutes. Stunning. Perhaps the greatest Lafite since the legendary 1959? Mar 2017, www.jamessuckling.com
Score: 100-100/100James Suckling
Potentially an 100 point wine, this is a dense, serious and impressive selection. There is a classical structure to this wine, with dark tannins and acidity working in tandem. At the same time, the wine has immense, opulent fruits that are a characteristic of this vintage. It's a wine that will last for many generations. Apr 2017, Roger Voss, www.wineenthusiast.com
Score: 98-100/100Wine Enthusiast
No. 1 in Top 10 Left Bank Bordeaux. In this vintage, Lafite has wonderful intensity and subtle layers of flavors that linger on and on in the finish. There is density and concentration here; clearly it is a powerful wine yet the delivery is subtle, gentle with sweet ripe tannins and ripe dark berries. Seductive and fresh, the acidity lifts the wine and makes it seem even lighter than the 13.3% alcohol. A wine to savor for several decades. Apr 2017, www.jeanniecholee.com
Score: 99-/100Jeannie Cho Lee MW
An awesome Lafite, this is elegant to a fault. It has the classicism of the very best vintages, and the pulse of electricity that runs through it is clear from the first moment you taste it. You are absolutely in Pauillac here, the epitome of what the left bank can deliver in terms of elegance and density: menthol edged tobacco, charcoal and cassis with both a subtlety and an intensity at once. It totally expands through the palate and pulls itself out, stretching out in front of you. It's a serious wine, but seamless. Concentrated, pure and fresh, everything is in its place. The blend this year is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. Harvest took place between 23rd September and 12th October. Apr 2017, www.decanter.com, Drink: 2027-2050
Score: 98-100/100DecanterDrinking Window: 2027-2050
Silky, luscious, refined with profundity and sophistication, the fruit has the concentration, depth, structure and tannins to fill your mouth with flavor, coating your palate with deeply energetic fruits. Balanced between concentrated and fresh, this is regal but not stuck up. There is no attitude here, just pleasure. While intellectual, this does not loft past you. Produced from a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, the wine reached 13.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.7. The Grand Vin represents 45% of the harvest, which took place September 23 to September 28 for the Merlot and September 29 to October 12 for the Cabernet Sauvignon. Apr 2017, www.thewinecellarinsider.com
Score: 98-100/100Jeff Leve
The 2016 Lafite Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, with 15% of the press wine contributing to the blend this year. Deep purple-black in color, it slowly reveals the most gorgeous perfume of kirsch, lilacs, black raspberries and warm blackcurrants with underlying nuances of cigar box, rose hip tea, cloves, licorice and pencil lead plus a waft of garrigue. Medium-bodied and built like a brick house with a firm yet beautifully ripe, finely pixelated tannic backbone and seamless freshness supporting the amazing intensity of black fruits and floral layers, it finishes very long and provocatively perfumed. Nov 2018, www.robertparker.com
Score: 99-/100Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2016 Lafite-Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot picked from 23 September until 12 October with the Cabernet Sauvignon (and unused Petit Verdot). It has 13.3% alcohol, a pH of 3.65 and the IPT of 74. Matured in 100% new oak, it has a fresh and vibrant bouquet whilst retaining the classicism of this First Growth. This is more subtle than Mouton-Rothschild or Latour, which is always the case at en primeur, yet there is a brooding intensity that draws you in as it unveils some gorgeous blackberry and graphite aromas. The palate is just superb. This has more density, more vigor, more depth and you could even argue more ambition than the 2015 Lafite-Rothschild showed last year. It gently grips the mouth with unerring focus and symmetry, just a touch of spiciness developing with a long, saline finish that lingers two minutes after the wine has departed. Lafite-Rothschild always develops and meliorates in barrel during its élevage and I suspect this will ultimately turn out to be a regal Lafite-Rothschild. Apr 2017, www.robertparker.com, Drink: 2030-2070
Score: 96-98/100Neal MartinDrinking Window: 2030-2070
The 2016 Lafite-Rothschild is polished, silky and captivatingly beautiful. There is a level of precision to the flavors that is simply mind-blowing. Even so, the 2016 remains ethereal and light on its feet, with all the grace of a ballerina. I imagine the 2016 will develop into a stunning wine once it comes together a bit more fully. Even so, it is striking today. Apr 2017, www.vinous.com
Score: 95-98/100Antonio Galloni
92% Cabernet Sauvignon picked from 29 September to 12 October, 8% Merlot picked 23 to 28 September. High IPT of 75. Very rich, dense dark crimson. Not much nose, just a vague impression of quality lurking beneath the super-subtle aroma. Round texture, tannins are in a very low register indeed. Then I'd love to see just a little bit more energy. Round and it may all get together. A really rather delicate Lafite. Nothing in excess; it's true and very classic claret - very Lafite - but arguably just a little muted. Apr 2017, www.jancisrobinson.com, Drink: 2026-2045
Score: 18-/20Jancis RobinsonDrinking Window: 2026-2045
