Tasting Notes
Vinous NR
The 2020 Lafite-Rothschild is a wine that I completely misread in the glass. It has a very well-defined bouquet-mainly red fruit, mulberry, warm gravel and subtle floral scents. Very comely. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple entry, again, red fruit at the fore, with notes of white pepper and a touch of bay leaf. There is a lot of structure here, and I'm just missing the "juiciness" that I observed after bottling, suggesting this has gone into its shell. I will seek to re-taste another time. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Anticipated maturity: 2030-2060
JancisRobinson.com 17.5
Tasted blind. Dark greyish crimson. Fragrant and refined. A whisper of oak and lovely dark fruit. Juicy, fresh, surprisingly approachable with lots of freshness and refinement in the texture. Sour-fresh finish, real freshness for 2020. Juicy, harmonious, long. (JH)
Anticipated maturity: 2030-2050
Robert Parker 97
Displaying a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Lafite Rothschild takes a little swirling and coaxing to unlock scents of freshly crushed blackcurrants, boysenberries and spiced plums, followed by emerging nuances of red roses, raspberry preserves, underbrush and unsmoked cigars, with a waft of cedar chest. The medium-bodied palate is an exercise in elegance and finesse, featuring tightly wound layers of red and black berries and loads of mineral sparks, framed by finely grained tannins and well-poised tension, finishing with fantastic length and the most stunning perfume. Magnificent achievement. This 2020 is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, coming in at 12.8% alcohol and a pH of 3.9.
Anticipated maturity: 2028-2063
