The vintage
On the eve of the 150th anniversary of the acquisition of Château Lafite by the Rothschild family, our teams had to face up to some major challenges in the face of a capricious climate.
From December to July, incessant rain favored the development of mildew and the risk of hail. Summer didn't really begin until mid-July, with very hot weather, sometimes extreme, which helped to restore the vineyard's health and set us on the road to a great vintage.
A special effort was made in 2018 in the Carruades vineyard to improve lot selection. Every effort has been made to achieve greater precision and potential in the final blend.
Situation
The Pauillac appellation is located on the Rive gauche of the Gironde estuary, around 40 km north of Bordeaux. Benefiting from the influence of the estuary and a great diversity of soils originating from the Massif Central and the Pyrenees, Pauillac combines exceptional climatic and geological conditions to produce great wines.
Terroir
Château Lafite Rothschild is located to the north of the Pauillac appellation, on the edge of Saint-Estèphe. The vineyard comprises three main areas: the slopes around Château, the plateau des Carruades to the west and a 4.5-hectare parcel in the Saint-Estèphe appellation. The surface area is 112 ha and the soils are made up of fine, deep, well-drained, well-exposed gravel mixed with Aeolian sands on a tertiary limestone subsoil.
Winemaking
Carruades de Lafite is made according to the traditional winemaking methods of Bordeaux. Alcoholic fermentation is carried out in wood, cement and stainless steel vats. Light pumping-over helps to Extra extract tannins and color. These are carried out according to the characteristics of each vat. Total maceration time is approximately 20 days.
Following malolactic fermentation, the wines are filled into French oak barrels made by Tonnellerie des Domaines to Pauillac for a maturation period of around 16 months.
Tasting
Deep, dark color.
Despite its recent bottling, the nose reveals complexity and freshness.
Discreet on the palate at first, the wine displays great amplitude with precise, harmonious tannins. The Cabernet Franc, which played a decisive role in the blending, brings a precious freshness for this vintage. A wine that will be perfectly open within 10 years, but which has the potential to be kept much longer.
