Description

Château Lafite Rothschild heads the 1855 Classification and has belonged to the Rothschild family since 1868. On the deep gravel of northern Pauillac, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the blend, with Merlot and small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

The vintage 1986. 1986 is a great Cabernet vintage in the Médoc: powerful and tannic, slow to evolve and built for the very long term.

Lafite is about precision rather than power: cedar and pencil shavings, cassis, tobacco leaf and a cool mineral edge. The tannins are fine-grained and the finish long and understated, the kind of wine that rewards patience and attention.

Service & pairing. Serve at 17 °C. Decant young vintages for one to two hours; older bottles gently, just before serving. Classic with roast lamb, entrecôte à la bordelaise, game birds or a mature Saint-Nectaire.