The vintage
On the eve of the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the acquisition of Château Lafite by the Rothschild family, our teams faced major challenges due to the capricious weather conditions.
From December to July, unremitting rain increased the risk of mildew and hail. The summer only really started in mid-July with very high, sometimes extreme heat, which helped to restore the vines’ health and set us on the path to a great vintage. New measures were taken to improve the selection of the batches in the Carruades vineyard for the 2018 vintage. Every possible effort was made to achieve greater precision and potential in the final blend.
From December to July, unremitting rain increased the risk of mildew and hail. The summer only really started in mid-July with very high, sometimes extreme heat, which helped to restore the vines’ health and set us on the path to a great vintage. New measures were taken to improve the selection of the batches in the Carruades vineyard for the 2018 vintage. Every possible effort was made to achieve greater precision and potential in the final blend.
Varietals
Merlot : 48%
Cabernet sauvignon : 39%
Petit verdot : 13%
Cabernet sauvignon : 39%
Petit verdot : 13%
Tasting
Deep and dark in color, almost black. Nice brightness. Before aeration, the nose is already intense, a sign of the start of opening. After aeration, it becomes even more expressive with notes of cherries. We can still distinguish some smoky notes of the barrel ageing, then spices from the Petit-Verdot which makes up 13% of this blend. Well balanced on the palate, with lots of volume thanks to the Merlot, and a great structure and freshness brought by the Cabernet Sauvignon, which gives the length that is characteristic of Pauillac. Still young but already very accessible, this wine will be at its peak between 2023 and 2028.