Presentation
Second wine of Château Lafite Rothschild, Carruades de Lafite has characteristics similar to those of the Grand Vin, but with its own personality thanks to a higher proportion of Merlot and specific plots dedicated to the production of Carruades. The origin of the name comes from "plateau des Carruades", the place name of a group of plots adjoining the hilltop of Château, acquired in 1845.
The vintage
2012 was characterized by tricky weather conditions in the Bordeaux region.
After a relatively mild winter, rain and humidity prevailed throughout the spring, particularly in April, when a hailstorm (April 24) was recorded.
Such conditions made fertilization difficult, and led to fears of lower yields. The work of the winemakers was more essential than ever.
June and July alternated between heat and humidity. By August, the weather had returned to a certain stability, allowing healthy grapes to perfect their ripeness.
Nevertheless, a certain heterogeneity in ripeness forced our teams to carry out a major sorting operation from the end of September.
Situation
The Pauillac appellation is located on the Rive gauche of the Gironde estuary, some 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
Pumping over and maceration times were adapted for each vat, according to the origin of the plot and its level of tannin maturity.
18 months in barrels (10% new) from La Tonnellerie des Domaines.
Tasting
Singularly complex nose, very floral and heady. On the palate, well-balanced from the outset, then the notes express themselves before finishing on a fine structure, quite long but still a little woody and lively.
