2003 Château Lafite Rothschild

TASTING NOTES

"A modern day version of the 1959 Lafite, the 2003 Lafite Rothschild was bottled in mid-May, 2005 after achieving 12.9% natural alcohol – hardly an astonishing figure given the vintage’s weather conditions. A combination of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, it represents a ripe version of the essence of Lafite-Rothschild. Dense purple-colored, with classic notes of graphite intertwined with melted licorice, creme de cassis, smoke, and flowers, it reveals extraordinary richness, opulence, power, purity, intensity, and viscosity. Whether this wine will close down or not is questionable as it is somewhat atypical given its sweetness and softness. Analytically, there are extremely high tannins, which I suspect will assert themselves in the future. Production in 2003 was less than half of normal. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2050." Robert Parker's Wine Advocate #164
(WA, 04/01/2006)

Rating: 100
Drink from: 2010-2050

"Subtle, complex aromas of berries, licorice and currants. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a long finish. Very well-integrated wine. Lovely stuff. Wonderful length and finesse. Best after 2012. 20,000 cases made." Wine Spectator
(WS, 03/31/2006)

Rating: 96
Drink from: 2012

"Full red-ruby color. Captivating aromas of cassis, cherry, tobacco, mocha, coffee and leather, with a complicating element of dried oregano and thyme. At once silky and penetrating in the mouth, with very firm acids for the vintage giving shape and thrust to the dense flavors of currant, tobacco and iodine. Finishes with broad, dusty tannins and superb persistence. Although this appears to be built for two or three decades of life in bottle, I miss the primary fruit character and the mineral and floral high notes of the more classic vintages of this wine." Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
(IWC, 05/01/2006)

Rating: 93(+?)?

"Intense colour and dense nose, with whiffs of cedar and red berries. This wine has it all: depth and maturity, ultra-fine, tight tannins, bags of style and a superb balance of generous texture, close-grained substance and taut tannins. A huge Lafite, supremely classical despite the bizarre vintage (that positively transformed the Latour). To our minds, even more sharply defined than the 1990." Michel Bettane/Thierry Desseauve, The World of Fine Wine, Issue 1
(WFW, 05/01/2004)

Rating: 19

"Deep crimson. Very rich indeed. Super opulent. Lots of alcohol and sweetness. A little California! But dry on the end. It does finish a little suddenly. Very obviously sweet. (Average group score: 18.1)." JancisRobinson.com
(JR, 10/01/2010)

Rating: 17
Drink from: 2009-2016

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