Lafite Rothschild - Pauillac 2005 (Pre-arrival) (750ml)
Price: $1325.00
| Producer | Lafite Rothschild |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | Pauillac |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2005 |
| Sku | 1006082 |
| Size | 750ml |
James Suckling: 100 Points
"An incredible nose so subtle with red fruits mint minerals and all sorts of flowers give
Wine Enthusiast: 99 Points
"Initially dense almost black enough to be attacked with a knife. But then it becomes apparent that this is a beautifully integrated balanced wine bringing together power with the hallmark Lafite style and poise. In the end you have a wine that promises an impressive aging potential along with delicious black currant fruits acidity and a layer of striking tannins."
Wine Spectator: 98 Points
"Delivers blackberry dried porcini tobacco and licorice aromas. Full-bodied with layers of velvety tannins and loads of dark chocolate cigar box currant berry and mineral. The finish is long with a coffee almost meaty aftertaste. Very beautiful and balanced. "
Vinous: 97 Points
The 2005 Lafite-Rothschild is a gorgeous wine but it is also very young. Readers lucky enough to own it will find a very classic gracious Lafite-Rothschild that still needs a few years to be at its best. Bright red-toned fruit crushed rocks mint and licorice open first followed by darker aromas and flavors that develop as the wine gains volume with air. Tasted next to its peers Lafite is so typical of itself and less marked by the year. And that is one of the signs of a truly great terroir. Lafite-Rothschild is not as showy as many other wines in this vintage but it is so true to its own identity and that is the highest compliment I can pay it. The 2005 is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot done in 100% new oak which is not at all noticeable. At the time the Cabernet percentage was quite high but that has now become the norm. Tasted two times.
vWine Advocate: 96 Points
Having tasted the 2005 Château Lafite-Rothschild several times both blind and non-blind it comes across as a First Growth politely requesting more time to "settle". Here from an ex-château bottle tasted in Bordeaux it delivers that graphite pencil-box bouquet that unfurls gradually in the glass biding its time graceful but not intense. Parallel to some of its fellow 2005s it is developing a little more spice namely thyme and sage than I recall. The palate is medium-bodied and beautifully balanced to wit a sophisticated Pauillac that priorities elegance and poise over intensity of fruit?in keeping with Lafite Rothschild's style. You come away with the sense that it will take its time and decline giving away a great deal in its primacy even if it is still more approachable than the 2005 Latour for example. Therefore I would be inclined to set this aside for several more years. Tasted November 2014.
