Château Lafite Rothschild 1998

Pauillac

First growth of Médoc

France - - Red wine

75 cl - 13% vol.

Price/btl: €1,071.70 inc. VAT

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Press review

Parker # 134 (4/23/2001) : 98 Maturity: -2035

A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, this wine represents only 34% of Lafite's total harvest. In a less than perfect Médoc vintage, it has been spectacular since birth, putting on more weight and flesh over the last year. This opaque purple-colored 1998 is close to perfection. The spectacular nose of lead pencil, smoky, mineral, and black currant fruit soars majestically from the glass. The wine is elegant yet profoundly rich, revealing the essence of Lafite's character. The tannin is sweet, and the wine is spectacularly layered yet never heavy. The finish is sweet, super-rich, yet impeccably balanced and long (50+ seconds).

Wine Spectator (1/16/2001) : 93

Beautifully proportioned. Aromas of blackberry and spice, with a hint of toasted oak. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a long finish. Very well done. Best of the Médoc first-growths.

The property in brief

1st classified growth in 1855. The quality of Château Lafite Rothschild needs no introduction. As early as 1815, Abraham Lawton had already designated it as leader: "I ranked it as being the most elegant and delicate, with the finest body of the three (leading wines)" he qualified in 1855. As to Château Lafite's attributes found in all vintages, it was an enlightened amateur that summed it up best by saying "...whatever the case, all the Château Lafite wines have an almond and violet aroma!" In the classification of 1855, Lafite was classified as the first among the first. The domain was bought by Baron James de Rotschild, the richest man in France, in 1868. His cousin Nathaniel had bought Mouton in 1853. The inheritors of Baron James de Rothschild are still owners of Lafite.