2018 Carruades de Lafite
By Chateau Lafite Rothschild
2018 Carruades de Lafite from Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux
The laudable 2018 Carruades de Lafite from Chateau Lafite Rothschild beckons connoisseurs with a prime investiture opportunity. It is a meritorious vintage that deeply impresses the palate, resides in an admirably crafted lineage, and speaks of the meticulous vinification practices for which the chateau is globally entrenched in renown.
Precise Craftsmanship: A Testament to Terroir
Pauillac's climate in 2018 saw dynamic conditions; an ardent summer set the stage for a harvest that was both challenging yet rewarding. This was the cataclysm from which the radiant 2018 Carruades de Lafite emerged, brandishing a taut structure and a complexity that anticipated maturity with grace. In this wine, you can perceive the narrative of the season – exceptional sunlight countered by disciplined winemaking.
A Distinct Rendition: Pauillac’s Versatility on Parade
Beyond typical resonances, the 2018 vintage distinguishes itself through its vibrancy and balance. From the initial approach, it is eloquent with dark berries, interlaced with subtle cedar nuances and whispering spices. The palate is enveloped by refined tannins and an acidity that pirouettes deftly, suggesting unwavering longevity. Our 2018 Carruades de Lafite from Chateau Lafite Rothschild is indeed a testament to Pauillac’s dexterity to conjure elegance despite stern climatic trials.
In summation, this offering stands as a quintessential vehicle for savouring or as an astute addition to an investor's cellar. It harnesses Pauillac's climatic narrative and Chateau Lafite Rothschild's vinous artistry to proffer a vintage that promises augmentation in both grandeur and value over time.
Market price (USD)
$2,420.00
12x75cl
Highest score
95
POP score
132
Scores and tasting notes
This is an extremely fine-grained Carraudes with a complex character of chocolate, walnut, cedar and a hint of graphite. Medium-to full-bodied, tight and chewy but, at the same time, agile and light. Savory finish. Special.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com - April 2019
The 2018 Carruades de Lafite is a blend of 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheery scents of redcurrant jelly, blackcurrant pastilles and Morello cherries with hints of candied violets, pencil shavings, menthol and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied and elegantly styled, with layers of crunchy red and black fruits, it has a beautifully ripe, fine-grained texture and loads of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 31 March 2021
The 2018 Carruades de Lafite is composed of 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc. The Merlot was harvested September 17-24, the Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested September 25 to October 5, and the Cabernet Franc was harvested September 24. Deep garnet-purple colored, it reveals a very serious nose of pencil shavings, black tea, violets and dark chocolate with earthy wafts of underbrush and mossy bark over a core of warm cassis, blackberry preserves and black raspberries. Medium to full-bodied, the densely packed, black-fruited palate is laced with loads of compelling mineral sparks with a firm, grainy frame and beautiful freshness to lift the long, earthy finish.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 23rd April 2019
This has rich fruit notes with exotic spices, a silky texture and a seductive approachability that clearly translates the higher than usual amount of Merlot in the blend this year, as with Petit Mouton. It’s a wine that is bound to make a lot of people happy but also means that whereas Lafite is archetypal Lafite, this is perhaps a less classic Carruades. It still has the tannins of Pauillac, and as so often is the case this year the first time you taste feels easy then they steal up on you and start to layer but this is flexible and approachable, with a menthol finish. Carruades is continuing to benefit from the techniques brought to it under in-house R&D technician Manuela Brando which include honing vineyard mapping, detailing smaller plots and tracking vine vigour, all of which are particularly useful since Carruades' soils are less consistent than those of the main wine. 39% of production.
Jane Anson - Decanter - April 2019
The 2018 Carruades de Lafite is silky, polished and very pretty. Silky tannins and bright, red-toned fruit give the Carruades a feel of total sophistication and polish. This is a very pretty second wine from Lafite-Rothschild. Even so, the four day-old sample almost certainly does not show the 2018 at its best. The blend is 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc.
Antonio Galloni - Vinous - April 2019