Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1986

Professional reviews

Robert Parker (100)

The 1986 possesses outstanding richness, a deep color, medium body, a graceful, harmonious texture, and superb length. The penetrating fragrance of cedar, chestnuts, minerals, and rich fruit is a hallmark of this wine. Powerful, dense, rich, and tannic, as well as medium to full-bodied, with awesome extraction of fruit, this Lafite has immense potential. Patience is required.

Winespectator (94)

A firm, young wine. Dark ruby color. Intense aromas of blackberry and mint. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long finish.

Jancis Robinson (18)

A mild winter followed by a cold and wet spring to start the year. Fortunately, a hot summer interspersed with storms in July and August, and an absolutely exceptional after-season, wiped out the worries experienced before the summer, allowing the grapes to be harvested in perfect condition. The harvest took place without a single day of rain and at a particularly slow pace to be sure that our precious grapes reached maximum ripeness. A great year with radiant wines!
This was by far the most youthful and concentrated of the trio (1983, 1985 and 1986) of Lafite vintages served blind with masses of tannins still in evidence. Sweet and arguably just slightly lacking freshness and energy compared with the 1985 – also thicker. But there is still the Lafite polish. This could be drunk now but should last an age. More solid and stolid than most Lafites.

Rene Gabriel (19)

Rene Gabriel rates this wine 19/20 points.