Château Lafite Rothschild, owned by the Rothschild family for five generations, was acquired by Baron James de Rothschild in 1868. The classification of the Grands Crus Classés, officially ranked Château Lafite Rothschild as the "Premier des Premiers".
1999 was an early year, which meant we were kept rather busy throughout the vines growth period. This was "enlivened" by numerous technical challenges, that proved interesting to solve. The winter was mild like almost all the others in the decade and was followed by a beautiful spring and an early flowering. From July to mid-August, the days were relatively damp and characterized by parsimonious sunshine. The harvests took place very quickly (over 10 days) from 21 September to 2 October, during a fairly wet period. But technical progress has allowed us to understand that grapes, provided they are thoroughly ripe, which was the case after the superb September, can be harvested in the rain without coming to any harm. The harvest was carried out by hand and sorted with a reinforced team of pickers (over 420 people).
For Lafite's terroir to produce its magic, the vinification process must be carried out with extreme precision.
The distribution of the grapes is determined on the basis of the characteristics of each plot and the grapes' degree of maturity. After maceration and fermentation, the wines are transferred to French oak barrels. Lafite has its own cooperage in Pauillac, the Tonnellerie des Domaines, a factor that contributes to its unique style. Every barrel is tasted and only the best are selected for the final blend. The wine is then aged in new oak barrels for 15 months.
Bottle Size: 1.5L
Region: Pauillac
ABV: 13%
Vintage: 1999
Rating: 94 Decanter; 93 RP
Grape Varietal: Cabernet sauvignon 74%, Merlot 18.50%, Cabernet franc 6%, Petit verdot 1.50%
Tasting Notes: The wine was made with four grape varieties, which is relatively rare (Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot hardly ever appear together in the grand vin).
This vintage has a pleasantly woody, spicy nose; the palate is structured and well balanced, gradually increasing in power with great elegance; the finish is long and characterized by very red, ripe fruit.
