Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1870

Professional reviews

Robert Parker (100)

"Immortal" is a potent word to describe a wine. However, if it was to be applied to one Bordeaux, then it might as well be to the 1870 Château Lafite-Rothschild. It was served blind, but in any case, there was no label on the bottle. Provenance is of course key. This was not one of the famous Glamis Castle bottles, however, it did come from another famous cellar and was sold through Christies in 1979. It had a deep chestnut color. The bouquet was ethereal, perfectly defined with remnants of black fruit, cedar, pine and juniper autumn leaves. You would ascribe an age between 30 and 40 years, not 145. The palate is simply faultless. Perfect acidity, harmonious, undiminished by age, aristocratic and effortless. There are hints of brown spices, molasses, just a dab of sweetness on the finish - as it just sashays along and perhaps unintentionally puts every Claret that you have ever drunk before in the shade. Tasted September 2015.