2009 Carruades de Lafite
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Tasting notes
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Wine Spectator
More reviews and scores
Vibrant with an energetic nose. Very sweet. Rose petals. Not the freshest. Some green notes too. A little loose and formless. Flattering but suggestions of candy rather than refreshment. Falls away a little. (JR)
Bright ruby-red. Open-knit, fruity nose offers plenty of charm to its strawberry, blackcurrant and floral aromas. Fresh and juicy on the palate, with red cherry and fresh blackcurrant flavors complicated by flinty and floral nuances. This easygoing, fragrant Carruades is hard to resist drinking up right now.
Of course, the wine to buy in order to get a look at the Lafite Rothschild style and personality is their second wine, Carruades de Lafite, which has become very fashionable in Asia, causing the prices to soar. A very strong effort, the 2009 Carruades de Lafite may be the finest Carruades since the 2003. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and tiny amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it reveals lots of sweet cassis intermixed with subtle smoke and forest floor, undeniable lusciousness and full-bodied hedonism. The wood component is pushed to the background, and the wine is extremely viscous, round and delicious. Additional complexity should continue to emerge over the next decade and this 2009 should keep for 20-30 years.
About the producer
Ch. Lafite Rothschild is one of the most famous wine estates in Bordeaux and the world. One of the Left Bank’s five First Growths, the Pauillac property is renowned for producing wines of finesse and elegance that age beautifully.