Lafite Rothschild 1986

Lafite Rothschild 1986

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£1,300.00
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  • Robert Parker rating 100
  • Jane Anson rating 100
  • Vinous rating 96
  • Jancis Robinson rating 16.5
Lafite Rothschild 1986
2 left

HED0441

75 cl

12.5%
£1,300.00
Taxes included.

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69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot. This wine offers a surprising blend of many of the characteristics of the vintages from 1945 to 1949, with exceptional structure. At the dawn of the 1986 harvests, after half a decade of success, the winemakers and wine enthusiasts were sceptical of yet another fine vintage. Yet a fine vintage it was. Excellent spring weather followed by a dry summer with occasional light rain, led to a very abundant high-quality yield. The 1986 vintage is very concentrated without being heavy, with distinguished, dominant tannins.
100 Jane Anson
The tannins remain evident, fully in tact, and overall this 1986 is young, profound, full of spiced herbs and freshly turned-over earth. It needs time in the bottle or carafe, because although there is more evident charm in the 1985 on first opening, this is the vintage of the pair that will be around for the longest. Dense black fruits abound, along with cigar box, black tea and slate. In its youth it was described as tannic, solid, almost austere, and it is astonishing how it has kept that character over the decades. There are still nuaces here that will be revealed over the decades to come, so be sure to give it time to unwind if you are opening any time over the next decade. 45hl/h yield. The famous Ricardo Bofill circular cellar was under construction at this point.Jane Anson17th September 2021
96 Vinous
The 1986 Lafite-Rothschild is a great wine although over several recent encounters it is never a convincing perfect wine. This mirrors the bottle I tasted at the property in 2016: blackberry and graphite on the nose, gawky at first, but coalescing with time. The palate is well balanced with firm tannins, strong graphite scents unfolding with time, superb energy if not delivering quite the finesse and precision that the very best Lafite-Rothschild will bestow. This is a wine that benefits from long decanting, say five or six hours, though it never quite reaches the ethereal heights that it could have done. Tasted at the International Business & Wine First Growth Dinner at the Four Seasons. Neal Martin1st July 2018
16.5 Jancis Robinson
Still quite purplish crimson. Toasted nose. Very, very ripe and arresting. Quite taut and still quite tannic. So while the nose beguiles, the palate is uncomfortably, scratchily dry. This wine may get there eventually but it`s a bit hollow now. (JR)

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Chateau Lafite Rothschild

Chateau Lafite Rothschild

An Iconic First Growth

A highly-coveted First Growth from Pauillac, the estate boasts a fascinating history that can be traced back as far as 1234. Spanning 110 hectares, Château Lafite Rothschild produces a legendary first wine, Lafite Rothschild, showcasing beautiful aromatics and an extraordinary capacity to age; a superb second wine, Carruades de Lafite, and Légende de Pauillac.

Located at the northerly boundary of Pauillac, adjacent to Saint-Estèphe, the Château vineyards are broadly split into two parcels - one which supplies the bulk of the grapes for the Grand Vin and a second parcel that is used to produce Carruades de Lafite. Vineyard plantings are around 70% Cabernet Sauvignon 25% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

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