2021 Ch. Lafite Rothschild - Pauillac 1er GCC | € 585,00 (€ 707,85) |
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IN DE PERS 96+ William Kelley - robertparker.com (Februari 2024) To my palate, the 2021 Lafite Rothschild has emerged as the finest of the Pauillac first growths this year. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark minty berries mingled with notions of iris, licorice and cigar box, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a velvety attack that segues into an elegantly dense and structured mid-palate that's nicely framed by sweet but abundant tannins, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. Drink 2031-2065. 95 Neal Martin - vinous.com (Februari 2024) The 2021 Lafite Rothschild is driven by the Cabernet Sauvignon, as you would expect with 96% in the blend. Blackberry, cigar box and touches of gravel are entwined with the fruit-linear and quintessentially Lafite. The palate is medium-bodied with chiseled tannins? It's a growing season that suits the style of Lafite-Rothschild, classically built and not austere because there is a sense of paradoxical weighlessness and a dash of cracked black pepper on the finish. Excellent. Drink 2030-2070. 95-97 Neal Martin – vinous.com (Mei 2022) The 2021 Lafite-Rothschild, which was aged in 90% new oak, has a deep, almost opaque hue. This has quite an arresting bouquet with dense blackberry, sous-bois and pencil box scents, quintessential Lafite aromas with nuanced floral scents surfacing with time. The palate is medium-bodied, though with more weight than you would expect given the growing season. The Cabernet Sauvignon imparts graphite and almost briny elements into the aromatic profile. Sapid and classic in style, head winemaker Eric Kohler suggests that it is a return to the style of Lafite-Rothschild of the nineties in terms of freshness. I concur. Drink 2030-2081. “It was easy until flowering,” quipped Eric Kohler when I visited the First Growth, Saskia de Rothschild occupied by visiting royalty. “We were not concerned by frost. There was a long and wet period that began in mid-June until mid-August. We had 250mm of rain in June and July. If the rain had fallen over just three or four days, then it would not have been a big problem, but it was always wet and humid. This meant the fight against mildew was difficult. Also, we are in conversion, our first year in 2021 (L’Evangile began in 2018). We were ready though, as we took enough time to prepare. After the fight [with the inclement weather] there was one month of excellent conditions until 10 September when we really saw the vintage and maturity changing. The first analysis of sugar level was not as high as it had been in 2018, 2019 or 2020, but it was impressive for the conditions we had faced, and after that, the progress in maturity was excellent and restored a lot of hope. We saw some light rain, and this added a bit of pressure and persuaded us not to wait, especially on precocious terroirs. So, we started picking on 22 September, though the heart of the picking was really from 27 September and finished on 8 October. We had been successful in terms of protecting the crop and picked at 33hL/ha at Lafite-Rothschild and 30hL/ha at Duhart-Milon. Maturity was satisfying considering the summer, though we never lost hope. During the vinification, we found good colour and density, the extraction went well, and rapidly we became more confident in 2012. On the Left Bank, we felt it was more difficult for the Merlot as it was more sensitive during the summer, the berries gorged with water and the véraisonmore spun out compared to Cabernet Sauvignon. So, there is less Merlot in Duhart-Milon and Lafite-Rothschild. When we know that the maturity is not perfect, we reduce the pumping over and wait to impart concentration through adding the vin de presse (14.5% for Duhart-Milon and 15% Lafite-Rothschild.) This year, it was clear which plots and tanks were designated for the Grand Vin and the Carruades de Lafite, with just one parcel of Merlot from the Plateau de Carruades in the former.” 97 Antonio Galloni - vinous.com (December 2023) The 2021 Lafite-Rothschild is every bit as exceptional as it was from barrel. The high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon comes through loud and clear. All the elements are so well balanced. The 2021 is dark, racy and full of Lafite sensuality, all kicked up by the natural intensity of the year. Dark red/purplish fruit, mint, lavender and rose petal are all on display. It's not a showy wine, and it will need quite a bit of time to fully reveal its charms. Drink 2031-2081. 95-97 Antonio Galloni – vinous.com (Mei 2022) The 2021 Lafite-Rothschild casts an imposing presence. Black fruit, sage, menthol, licorice and incense give Lafite its dark, almost somber, personality. Cabernet Sauvignon is dialed up, and that very much comes through in the wine’s flavor profile and overall feel. The tannins are quite prominent at this stage. In some ways, the 2021 reminds me of the 1996, but with the greater delineation found in today’s wines. I can’t wait to see how it ages. The 2021 is one of the stars of the Left Bank. Its longevity will ultimately be dictated by storage conditions more than anything having to do with the wine itself. Drink 2031-2081. It was a year in which we had to make strong decisions,” Technical Director Eric Kohler told me. “Flowering was a bit more challenging at Duhart than at Lafite. Ripeness was not the issue, but mildew pressure was high, especially now that we farm biodynamically. The most challenging period was July 15 to August 15. Yields were 30 and 33 hectoliters per hectare respectively,” he added. As for the wines, they are brooding and quite intense. At times I felt I was tasting wines from the 1990s, but with an added dimension of purity in the fruit. 95-97 William Kelley – robertparker.com (April 2022) A brilliant wine that shares some similarities with the formidable 1996, the 2021 Lafite Rothschild wafts from the glass with inviting aromas of dark berries, cigar box, loamy soil, black truffle and violets. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's rich and concentrated, with beautifully powdery tannins, lively acids and a long, saline finish. Of course, this isn't as dramatic as the 2020 or 2019 out of the gates, but the 2021 is a brilliant success in its own right. What's more, its structure and balance mean that it is likely to prove almost immortal. It's a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, which is one of the all-time highest percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon chez Lafite. 97-98 James Suckling – jamessuckling.com (Mei 2022) Polished and refined with a firm, fine and linear tannin structure. Harmonious. Perfumed violets, roses and subtle licorice. All in balance here, with precise layers of black fruit, minerals and pencil lead. Rather seamless. Firm, yet fine and sleek to the end. Very classy. Fine-velvet texture. 96% cabernet sauvignon, 3% merlot and 1% petit verdot. 97 Jane Anson – janeanson.com (April 2022) Deep in colour, has grip and presence. Loganberry, blueberry, wet stones, hawthorn, forest floor, this is a long-ageing Lafite, not one that I would rush to open. It delivers tannic power from beginning to end, with density and juice and length, a reminder that Lafite manages to perform strongly in so many different styles of vintage. Delivering right at the very top of Pauillac. 1st year organic conversion. 90% new oak. No frost at the estate, yields of 34hl/h, harvest September 22 to October 8. 40% 1st wine. 94-96 Lisa Perrotti-Brown – thewineindependent.com (Mei 2022) The 2021 Lafite Rothschild is a blend of 96% CS, 3% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a lot of swirling to shake loose notions of ripe blackcurrants, fresh blackberries, and black raspberries, followed by hints of cedar, graphite, cloves, and cast-iron pan with a waft of roses. Light to medium-bodied, the palate delivers intensely perfumed black fruits with a floral and herbal undercurrent textured by firm, finely grained tannins, and featuring well-integrated acidity, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. This should be one of the most long-lived wines of the vintage, with cellaring potential of 40+ years. Yields came in at 33 hl/ha and the wine has a pH of 3.9. Drink 2029-2063. 17,5+/20 James Lawther – jancisrobinson.com (Mei 2022) 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot. 33 hl/ha. Cask sample. Deep crimson hue. Customary elegance rather than power. Perfumed nose, attractive fruit and a surprising density of tannin (15% press wine to bolster the structure). Quite discreet and measured in its form but good length and should improve further in bottle. 12.6%. Drink 2030 – 2050. 96-98 Yohan Castaing - anthocyanes.fr (Mei 2022) 97-98 Terre des Vins (Mei 2022) 98 Bettane & Desseauve (Mei 2022) Lafite RothschildLafite Rothschild is één van de machtigste “super-brands”, met “global demand” tot gevolg. Maar dit “best performing investment vehicle over the past decade” van 2011 is ook een grote wijn: al eeuwen lang aanzien als een koning onder koningen, brengt Lafite indrukwekkende bewaarwijnen van de allergrootste distinctie. 1953, 1959, 1986, 1996, 2003, 2009 en 2010 zijn referenties. Perfecte parkerscores gingen naar 1986, 1996 en 2003. Het domein bevat 103 hectare wijngaarden op het noordelijke punt van Pauillac, met zelfs enkele wijnstokken in Saint Estèphe. Het terroir van Graves is beplant met 78% Cabernet Cauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc en 1% Petit Verdot. De tweede wijn heet Carruades de Lafite. Het Château staat tussen fraaie ceders op een terras, omheind door een balustrade in Louis XIV-stijl, en is sinds het Second Empire (1868) in handen van de Franse tak van de familie Rothschild. Sinds 1975 en zeker 1982 brachten Eric de Rothschild en wijnmaker Charles Chevalier de wijnen opnieuw op een weergaloos niveau. Saskia de Rothschild stuurt voortaan Lafite aan met een vernieuwd élan. Eerder was ze journalist voor New York Times, wereldreiziger en pende ze zelfs een eerste roman neer. Nu richt ze haar pijlen op Lafite Rotschild. Met zin voor het juiste woord volgt ze de evenementen nauwgezet op, met « le pouvoir des mots pour les qualifier ». Deze jonge dame heeft de toewijding van de jonge mama die ze ondertussen geworden is. Samen met Eric Kohler, wijnmaker sinds 2015, en Jean-Guillaume Prats, die eerder Cos d'Estournel groot maakte, verwachten wij van hen vele Grands Vins op Lafite! |