Description
Lafite Rothschild 1996Wine Advocate: 100 PointsTasted three times since bottling the 1996 Lafite-Rothschild is unquestionably this renowned estate’s greatest wine. As I indicated last year only 38% of the crop was deemed grand enough to be put into the final blend which is atypically high in Cabernet Sauvignon (83% Cabernet Sauvignon 7% Cabernet Franc 7% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot). This massive wine may be the biggest largest-scaled Lafite I have ever tasted. It will require many years to come around so I suspect all of us past the age of fifty might want to give serious consideration as to whether we should be laying away multiple cases of this wine. It is also the first Lafite-Rothschild to be put into a new engraved bottle (designed to prevent fraudulent imitations). The wine exhibits a thick-looking ruby/purple color and a knock-out nose of lead pencil minerals flowers and black currant scents. Extremely powerful and full-bodied with remarkable complexity for such a young wine this huge Lafite is oozing with extract and richness yet has managed to preserve its quintessentially elegant personality. This wine is even richer than it was prior to bottling. It should unquestionably last for 40-50 years. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2050. The wine of the vintage?
