(87.2% cabernet sauvignon and 12.8% merlot; 13.5% alcohol) Glass-staining deep purple-ruby. Archetypical Lafite elegance on the nose, offering delicate, pure aromas of cassis, blueberry, cedar and graphite complicated by intense minerality. Then bright and fresh in the mouth, with perfectly harmonious acids nicely supporting the pretty blackcurrant, cedar and delicate herbal flavors. Very long and extremely refined, with uncanny silkiness of tannins. A cool, refined, impeccably balanced Lafite that will need plenty of aging: drink 2022 through 2050. One of the top half dozen wines of the vintage.

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87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot. Now, will this be the only time I ever get to see this wine, before it all migrates east? Very intense dark blackish crimson. Lovely Lafite scent – recognisable member of the family with a hint of oyster shells. But some extra breadth, even fat, this year. Hugely ambitious. Dense and quite dry on the end. But with Lafite breed and race. Somehow manages to have real roundness, covering the notable acidity and doubtless tannins which are very difficult to discern. Already a marvel and a pleasure to taste. Lovely, lovely balance.

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The 2010 Lafite Rothschild, a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot (a 3% difference from the barrel sample shown two years ago), achieved relatively high alcohol of 13.32%, according to administrator Charles Chevalier. The wine is very impressive, not as fleshy, flamboyant and massive as the 2009, but nevertheless, a big, rich, full-throttle Lafite-Rothschild meant to age a half century or more. Deep purple, with notes of white chocolate, mocha, cedar and charcoal as well as hints of vanillin and creme de cassis, the wine is full-bodied yet has that ethereal lightness that makes it a Lafite. Rich, with good acidity, precision and freshness, this is a slightly zestier version of the 2009 as well as more restrained and structured than that particular vintage. It will need at least 10-12 years of cellaring and keep for 50+ years.

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Rather tight, with an alluring whiff of cocoa that lures you in before disappearing into the core of steeped plum, roasted fig and blackberry coulis notes. Sandalwood, black tea and loam elements fill in on the long and expansive finish. This seems to be lying in wait for what could be a very long time in the cellar before unfurling fully.

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