Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 2010

Characteristics and tasting advice for Château Lafite-Rothschild 2010

Tasting

With a beautiful concentrated color, this 2010 vintage offers a solid and dense palate, supported by a strong structure and pronounced tannins, while its long and persistent finish reveals delicate notes of violet.

An elegant and balanced Pauillac wine

The property

First among the classified growths of 1855 in Bordeaux, the Château Lafite-Rothschild is a lord on its gravel lands. Carrying a long viticultural tradition initiated in 1620, it has asserted itself over the centuries as a true standard-bearer of the Pauillac appellation on the left bank of the Bordeaux region. Indeed, from Cardinal Richelieu to the then President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, the great personalities of this world have fallen under the charm of these great wines with a unique soul and unparalleled refinement.

The vineyard

Château Lafite-Rothschild benefits from an exceptional location with a vineyard divided into three major areas of Pauillac. From the hills surrounding the château to the Carruades plateau to the west and a plot in the neighboring commune of Saint-Estèphe, Château Lafite-Rothschild oversees a total of 112 ha of vines planted on deep fine gravel soils with sand on the surface while the limestone subsoil allows excellent drainage.

The vintage

2010 began with a cold and wet winter, slightly delaying bud break until mid-April. The dry and sunny weather in April favored vine development, while May and June alternated between rain and sun. A wave of coolness in early June complicated the flowering of the Merlots, causing shatter and millerandage. July, hot and dry, allowed to catch up this delay. Finally, August and September, marked by hot days and cool nights, ensured a slow and complete maturation of the grapes.

Vinification and aging

Parcel vinification in wooden, stainless steel or cement vats. Alcoholic fermentation accompanied by regular pump-overs. Maceration of about 20 days depending on the vintages. Following malolactic fermentation, barreling in French oak barrels from the property's cooperage. Individual tasting of the barrels to select the most qualitative ones for the final blend. The wine is then aged in oak barrels for 20 months.

Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (87%) and Merlot (13%).