Château Lafite Rothschild
33250 Pauillac
FRANCE
T. +33 (0)5 56 73 18 18

dbr@lafite.com

www.lafite.com/domaines/chateau-lafite-rothschild/

Château Lafite Rothschild, First Classified Growth of 1855, Pauillac

Learn all about the Premier Grand Cru Classé en 1855, Château Lafite Rothschild based in the Pauillac appellation.

Château Lafite Rothschild or the story of a wine so revered and sought-after the world over.

Lafite's reputation began to take off in the 17th century as a top-quality winegrowing estate much appreciated by Richelieu that brought him back to Versailles. From the first plantings of vines in 1670 and 1680, under Jacques de Ségur to Baron Eric de Rothschild in the 20th century, via James de Rothschild in the 19th century, Lafite Rothschild has seduced the world's greats, from Richelieu to the King of France to the illustrious Thomas Jefferson, future 3rd President of the United States. Unanimously, the wines of this Premier Cru Classé in 1855 arouse rare emotions, to the point of driving the Chinese mad with their devouring passion, judging by the speculative prices that long prevailed at the end of the 20th century and in the first two decades of the 21st century.

Lafite Rothschild, a wine that belongs in history, with a capital H

The history of the Médoc's most refined wine, as it is known, really began in the 17th century, when the first vines were planted in the 1670s and again in the 1680s. But the first traces of the Lafite family (from which the château takes its name) date back to the 1200s, when an abbot from the Monastère de Vertheuil (a commune further north in the appellation) bore the name Gombaud de Lafite. In the 14th century, the name Lafite (meaning "the hillock" in old Gascon) was finally attached to the medieval seigneury, where the current château stands, itself on the heights of the appellation. Its name takes the place of topography, and it proves it. The reputation of the winery as such was established in the early 17th century. The heirs, starting with the de Ségur family, took over the vineyard and gave it its full vocation as a winegrowing estate. Jacques de Ségur devoted himself fully to planting vines. A few decades later, Lafite (not yet owned by the Rothschilds) would make a name for itself in the circles of illustrious figures who appreciated the consumption of its wines. Richelieu, who had the wine referenced at the Court of Versailles (loving this wine, which he called the "fountain of youth") and the King of France, the American Thomas Jefferson (who, during a 4-day stay in Bordeaux in May 1787, said of Lafite that "the estate is the most beautiful in the universe"... and made it known as far away as America), all held this wine, already known across the Channel, in the highest esteem. Lafite was selling its wines in London in the early 1700s, precisely from 1706, as were Château Latour and Château Haut-Brion long before them (Haut-Brion was the first Bordeaux wine to be sold as a "Cru" and bottled in the UK). Lafite owes its fame among English wine merchants from the 17th century onwards, to the point of becoming the "King's wine" in France, to its owner, the Marquis Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur. The King of France called him the "Prince of the Vines". 

Thereafter, from the French Revolution (when the property was confiscated by the Republic) to the Second Empire, the chateau passed from hand to hand through the hands of several families who constantly resold the property without investing 100% in it, at least in contrast to the de Ségur family's involvement. At that time, and in particular in 1815, the château was already at the top of an unofficial classification list, but one that many people relied on for transactions. Lafite wine was more expensive than Latour or Margaux, selling for 3,000 francs a barrel in 1814. A wine merchant, Mr. Lawton, had also sketched out this classification, in a way prefiguring the future imperial classification of 1855, in which Lafite Rothschild would hold first place with Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion, Château Latour and Château d'Yquem.


But from 1868, and after Lafite Rothschild had been recognized as a Premier Cru Classé of 1855, the estate became decisively associated with the Rothschild name (the French branch). In 1868, Baron James de Rothschild bought the property. With this purchase, Lafite took on the definitive name of Château Lafite Rothschild. Regrettably, the Baron did not have time to enjoy his acquisition, as he died a few months later. His three sons ran the estate. In the first half of the 20th century, wines were difficult to sell. After the phylloxera epidemic of the 1860s (which decimated part of Europe's vineyards), the First World War and the years of economic crisis (notably the Wall Street stock market crash of 1929) weakened winegrowing estates, and wines sold less well. But after the Second World War, Lafite Rothschild, like its neighbors, found a second wind in the person of Baron Elie de Rothschild. He enlarged the estate and restructured part of the vineyard. He's a great communicator. Thanks to the organization of "Tasting" events in London, Lafite Rothschild wines are regaining their prominent position on the wine market.

In 1974, his nephew, Baron Eric de Rothschild, presided over the destiny of the famous Classified Growth, undertaking major works and sparing no effort: replanting with double amendments (to adjust soil composition so that it interacts more naturally with the vines and grape ripening). But his most emblematic project to date is the construction of a splendid ageing cellar that is above all highly functional and innovative, not to say revolutionary. And it's a first for Bordeaux. Designed in 1987 by Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill, this 360-degree cellar (in the shape of a circle with columns and a vault, resembling a veritable wine cathedral) can hold up to 2,200 barrels, and is dedicated to the ageing of second-year wines. This new configuration offers improved ergonomics and facilitates barrel handling during all phases of maturation. It's a technical feat and a feast for the eyes in terms of its boldness and aesthetics. A concept that received a great deal of media coverage at the time of its inauguration, and which was later taken up - without copying it 100% - by a number of equally renowned estates, such as Château Cheval Blanc in Saint-Emilion. Note that Château l'Evangile in Pomerol (owned by Domaines de Rothschild since 1990) also has such a cellar, but on a more modest scale, given the configuration of the site and the spirit of Pomerol!

 

All these improvements are aimed at serving Lafite's great terroir and producing the very best wines to ensure that Lafite Rothschild remains at the top of the Médoc wine league. A position it has unquestionably held for decades, if not centuries. Lafite Rothschild wines are once again at the top of their game, and in great demand on international markets. It has to be said that the great vintages given by nature (but not only) also help. 1981, 1982 (vintage of the century), 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1996. These two decades have made the property shine and increased brand awareness. Like his predecessors before him, Eric de Rothschild has raised the profile of the estate (whose château has been classified as a historic monument since 1989), while at the same time bringing it into line with the environmental challenges of the late 20th century and the first decades of the 21st century.

A man of vision, he and his Managing Director, Christophe Salin, have set up a new entity, Rothschild Estates, to expand the Group's international presence. These include Lafite Rothschild, Château Duhart-Milon (4th Cru Classé in 1855) in Pauillac, Château l'Evangile in Pomerol (acquired in 1990), Château Rieussec (1er Cru Classé in 1855 in Sauternes), as well as other investments outside Bordeaux, such as Château d'Aussières in the Corbières appellation in Languedoc, Vina Los Vascos in Chile and Bodegas Caro in Argentina. China is not to be outdone, for the Baron is far-sighted, curious about everything, keenly observant and never hesitates to forge ahead. He invests in Shandong province. Lafite Rothschild is a real star in China, to the point of being the subject of great speculation and the production of fake Lafite Rothschilds with misleading labels (the wines were inevitably victims of their own success). Fortunately, times have calmed down a little since 2012, with the introduction of the Prooftag authentication system. But just as in the luxury goods market, Lafite will remain, like other iconic and unwittingly speculative wines, the target of unscrupulous forgers.

The history of Lafite Rothschild is therefore one of perpetual progress and a desire to make things better, because nothing can be taken for granted and everything must be handed down from generation to generation so that the book never closes. In 2018, Eric de Rothschild decided to pass the baton to a new generation by entrusting the reins to his daughter, Saskia de Rothschild. She was 30 years old at the time. A graduate of HEC and Columbia University, this former journalist (who has worked for major international dailies and periodicals including the New York Times, Washington Post, Vanity Fair, Le Monde, Les Echos...) already had a foot on the Board of Directors of Domaines Barons de Rothschild in 2008. Along with her father, she was Chairman until 2016. She is now officially in charge of the group's estates, after completing a BTS in viti-oeno (to understand all the fundamental aspects of wine and gain legitimacy) alongside technical director Eric Kholer (formerly in charge of Château Rieussec in Sauternes and Château d'Aussières in Languedoc) in charge of vinification. The latter was indeed "trained" by the great Charles Chevallier (technical director of Domaines Barons de Rothschild from 1994 to 2016). Now an ambassador for the group's international properties, Charles Chevallier has been involved in some of Lafite Rothschild's great vintages, including its latest, the splendid 2015. It's worth remembering that this man is behind a certain revival in the quality of wines produced at Lafite Rothschild. The 90s saw Lafite Rothschild make a major comeback after the 60s and 70s, and to a lesser extent, some of the more difficult vintages of the 80s. Charles Chevallier has never given in to the fashions of over-concentrated or over-extracted wines, which were commonplace in the Bordeaux region, whatever the bank. The connoisseur of fine wines had finally tired of this exaggerated style. But at Lafite, terroir is sacred. Its sole vocation is to produce wines of measured concentration and, above all, elegance. A founding principle that Eric Kolher also intends to apply, judging by the 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 vintages produced in Bordeaux under his technical direction. With Saskia de Rothschild becoming Executive Chairman of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite branch) and co-manager of Château Lafite Rothschild, part of the team, including Christophe Salin (in charge of the general management of the estates), is also evolving, with new faces as assets. Christophe Salin, appointed Senior Advisor to the Group, officially leaves his place on March 31, 2018 to Jean-Guillaume Prats for the Group's executive management. Jean-Guillaume Prats is a well-known figure in Bordeaux and the wine world, a pure Médoc native with a remarkable career path. He is well known in the Médoc for having headed Cos d'Estournel (second growth classified in 1855 in Saint-Estèphe) for around ten years. Cos d'Estournel is Lafite Rothschild's flagship neighbor. His family, the Ginestet négociants, owned this exceptional cru, which was subsequently sold to Michel Reybier in 2000. Jean-Guillaume Prats ran it until his departure in 2011 for the LVMH group (in charge of Estates & Wines vineyards in the USA). His perfect knowledge of the international luxury wine markets and his mastery of the Bordeaux wine market, via the Place de Bordeaux, are assets in his new role at Domaines Barons de Rothschild. However, Jean-Guillaume Prats will leave the group and the Pauillac appellation in 2022 to join the Saint-Julien appellation and his long-time friend, Jean-Hubert Delon (founder of Domaines Delon, including his famous second growth classified in 1855, Léoville-Las-Cases). At the owner's request, he will become Vice-Chairman.

A Premier terroir with no room for error.

The Lafite Rothschild terroir, dedicated to the production of great wines since 1680, is a fantastic heritage, but a demanding jewel in its management. Organized into three main zones, the vineyard is made up of hillsides around the château, a 4.5-hectare parcel in the neighboring commune of Saint-Estèphe (a parcel that has belonged to the château for a very long time) and, of course, the Carruades plateau (further to the west of the château), which gives its name to the estate's splendid second wine: Carruades de Lafite. The estate comprises no less than 112 hectares planted with vines (cultivated using sustainable methods), with well-exposed plots laid out in beautiful croups (small hills). The soils are made up of fine, deep gravel on a siliceous base of white and black sand, all dominating a limestone subsoil. While sand and limestone play an important role in ensuring excellent soil drainage, Günzian gravel (quartz pebbles washed down by the ancient Garonne River two million years ago at the beginning of the Quaternary) plays an equally important role: they release heat to the grapes during the night, ensuring perfect ripening and maturity before the harvest. The vineyard, whose vines have an average age of 40 to 50 years, is essentially composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

High fashion work to transcend the Lafite spirit

With each new vintage, the commitment to perpetuate the Lafite spirit of tradition, while embracing new technologies, is a fragile but essential balance in the legend of Lafite Rothschild wines. Lafite's excellence cannot be compromised by a policy that does not serve the greatness of the terroir. To produce great grapes capable of giving density, richness and elegance, as Technical Director Eric Kohler emphasizes, vinification must always be adapted to the personality of each vintage (in its strengths as well as its possible weaknesses). It's all the more accessible when you know perfectly well the identity of each parcel, each terroir, and when your only guiding principle, year in, year out, is to produce depth, richness, finesse and elegance without denying the genetic power of Pauillac. In this sense, each plot is vinified de facto separately, with the aim of separating each terroir identity for better blending later during the blending sessions in January and February of the year following the harvest. Eric Kohler and his teams are responsible for managing the vinification process. The estate has even taken its "research" into Merlot (the second most important grape variety in the vineyard) a step further, creating a vat room entirely dedicated to it (a dozen small-capacity vats) to observe how each batch of Merlot reacts. Nothing's left to chance! As for wine ageing, which lasts between 18 and 24 months, the estate can rely on its own in-house cooperage, with five coopers making around 2,000 barrels for the group's various estates. Not every estate has its own cooperage. But Château Haut-Brion (Premier Cru Classé in 1855) in Pessac-Léognan, Smith-Haut-Lafitte (Cru Classé de Graves) in Pessac-Léognan, Château Margaux (Premier Cru Classé in 1855) in Margaux, as well as Lafite Rothschild, have chosen to bring their cooperage in-house to better control ageing and preserve the style of their wines.

From 2024 onwards, the estate will be undertaking ambitious work to redesign its vat room and cellars, while preserving the oak vats (the château's historic heritage), stainless steel vats for parcel-based vinification and its fabulous 1987 orthogonal-shaped cellar designed by Ricardo Bofill. The reorganization of the winery, from the moment the grapes arrive at the winery to the moment the finished bottle is ready for delivery to the Bordeaux wine merchants, is essential. This restructuring of the spatial organization of the winery's buildings and the optimization of vinification processes are designed to improve efficiency and coherence, while fully meeting today's environmental challenges. Architect Bernard Quirot is in charge of this highly contemporary architectural project, which, in accordance with Saskia de Rothschild's wishes, is designed to sublimate the château's history, while blending in with the surrounding terroir. The work is part of the "Bâtiments durables en Nouvelle Aquitaine" initiative. As a result, the project was awarded the Gold Medal (for the project) before actual completion.

Wines of great personality and remarkable quality

Producing around 300,000 bottles a year, the estate offers Bordeaux wine connoisseurs a wine with a unique feel and sap in the mouth. Lafite is considered to be the most aesthetic and refined of the Médoc, and it is not surprising that it was considered "the first of the first" in the 1855 imperial classification. It's a fact that can be verified in every vintage that perfects the reputation of this Médoc Premier Cru Classé, as in the older vintages where graphite or pencil lead aromas unfold over majestically dense tannins, all of which give the measure of the splendor of its immense terroir. Each wine carries the Lafite style and spirit. The wines of Château Lafite Rothschild (grand vin as well as second wine with Les Carruades) offer rare moments in the journey of a taster as well as a great wine lover. Lafite Rothschild is the epitome of the very finest Bordeaux wines.

Château Lafite-Rothschild 2010, Premier Cru Classé en 1855

Made from a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot, the wine is impressive in its architecture and elegance. Perhaps less massive and less flamboyant (or demonstrative) than the excellent 2009 vintage, Lafite Rothschild 2010 is, on the other hand, rich with more dynamism, even precision. From deep purple to blood-red, with cedar, mocha, dark chocolate and graphite, the aromatic evolution continues with notes of crème de cassis. But the wine hasn't said everything, still on its reserve due to the vintage and its fabulous ageing potential and great promise. Gourmet on the palate, with acidity giving the wine plenty of bite, freshness and tension. The texture is dense, racy and taffeta-like, with a flamboyant elegance and perfectly balanced components. The weight of wine is substantial. This is indeed an exceptional vintage, setting this Lafite Rothschild 2010 up for long cellaring (over 50 years). Don't open it too quickly (too soon) - sensibly not before 2022 (for those in a hurry) as you'll miss out on the depth and splendor of this wine.

Carruades de Lafite (second wine)

Carruades de Lafite - originally called "Moulin des Carruades" - has been named since the 1980s after the "plateau des Carruades", plots of land acquired in 1845 and backing onto the famous hilltops of Château Lafite. This second wine, made from specific vines, is by definition less powerful than its big brother, but shares with it the typical elegance of a Lafite grand vin. With a higher proportion of Merlot (generally 30 to 40%), which makes this wine easier and "quicker" to appreciate than its elder brother, complemented by 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1 to 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, Carruades de Lafite gains in precision and excellence every year. As a matter of principle, its fruitiness is always more demonstrative and greedy than that of a grand vin, but it is also capable of ageing in great vintages, where it can be kept for 15 to 20 years (admittedly more "modest" than a grand vin). It is the main gateway to the world and splendor of great wine, without forcing the taster to wait too long to appreciate it.

Chateau Lafite Rothschild's great vintages:

1899-1900-1926-1928-1929-1945-1947-1949-1953-1955-1959-1961-1970-1975-1981-1982-1985-1986-1988-1989-1990-1995-1998-2000-2005-2009-2010-2015-2016-2018-2019-2020-2022