2025 Château Lafite Rothschild
With a potential 98-100 point score from leading critic Neal Martin, the 2025 Lafite Rothschild is poised to become the château’s highest-rated vintage since the legendary 1953 — and, before that, the historic 1870!
Against more recent benchmarks, the value is equally compelling: the 2025 is being offered at more than 25% below the price of the exceptional 2016 vintage, itself awarded 99 points.
Our own tasting notes revealed a wine of extraordinary balance and precision: perfectly ripe, beautifully integrated tannins, layers of seamless red and black fruit, remarkable length, and breathtaking refinement. A truly great Lafite.
With quantities released down 40% on last year, priority will unfortunately need to be given to buyers of the 2024 vintage. However, please do let us know if you would like to secure a case, and we will do our utmost to help.
Displaying a similar level of refinement, Château Duhart-Milon was quite possibly the finest example we have ever tasted at this early stage — and, importantly, somewhat easier to secure. Awarded 95 points by Jane Anson and offered at just £294 per six bottles in bond, it represents a more accessible opportunity to experience the brilliance of the Lafite-Rothschild winemaking in 2025.
'Cult-classic' Carruades de Lafite (95-96 points from James Suckling) is available in miniscule quantities at £852 per six bottles. Please contact us for an allocation.
You can see full details of these and other new releases on our Bordeaux 2025 En Primeur offer page, here.
Offered en primeur landing spring 2028. Magnums available with a bottling surcharge of £25 per six, other formats on request.
Producer Profile
Château Lafite Rothschild
Château Lafite Rothschild takes its name from ‘La Hite’ in Gascon dialect – a term for the gravel mound which forms a key part of the terroir. Winemaking was first recorded here in 1234, when it was under the ownership of Gombaud de Lafite. It was owned by the Segur family from the 17th century and in the early 18th century, Nicolas-Alexandre, marquis de Ségur improved winemaking at the château. Known as the "Wine Prince", he made Lafite famous in wealthy society across Europe. Lafite itself became known as "The King's Wine", after Maréchal de Richelieu supported it at Court. Famously, Thomas Jefferson visited the estate and bought Lafite throughout his life.
Lafite was classified a first-growth in the 1855 Classification, and it was purchased by the Rothschild family in 1868. Currently the estate is run by Saskia de Rothschild, daughter of Baron Eric de Rothschild.
The estate is on the northern end of Pauillac, separated by St Estèphe by the Jalle de Breuil stream. The complex terroir can be divided into two main areas: the gravel plateau and the Plateau de Carruades, from which the second wine takes its name. As well as 110 hectares of vines, the estate has 300 hectares of woods and marshes.
| RED | 2025 | Château Lafite | 75cl | £2,082 per case of 6 | Château Lafite 2025 / / 75cl £2,082 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2025 Lafite Rothschild unwinds in the glass with a deep and brooding bouquet of dark berries, violets, rose petals and pencil lead. Medium- to full-bodied, supple and layered, with suave tannins, good concentration and bright acidity, it checks in at 12.5% alcohol and an unusually low (by the standards of recent warm vintages at Lafite) pH of 3.65. Harvest began here on September 2, with the estate's old-vine Merlot beginning on September 3 and the first Cabernet Sauvignon coming in from September 11 (earlier than in 2022), and the harvest wrapped up on September 20. 95-97 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Deep plum in colour, not as inky as you might find in a vintage like 2O22. Gorgeous, sculpted, jumps out of the glass, showcasing the ability to remain Lafite through so many differing vintage conditions. A ton of depth and character, slate and rosebud, a sappy and highly drinkable Lafite. The last vintage in the old winery, next year will be in the new one (so more vats to do microvinification, and they expect to use Cabernet Franc again. 16% of press wine. Harvest started September 11, until September 20, even earlier than 2022. 27hl/h yields, very small for this estate, one of the smallest on record, but no doubt helped it resist the drought of the summer because these yields were small from the beginning. Eric Kohler winemaker, Eric Boissenot consultant. 2035-2050. 97 points" janeanson.com------"Checking in as 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot that's resting in 90% new French oak, the 2025 Château Lafite Rothschild sports a classic, deep ruby hue as well as a complex and classic nose of cassis, spicy wood, tobacco, violets, and graphite. It's quintessential Lafite on the palate as well, with its class, medium to full body, ripe, building, yet polished tannins, and nicely integrated acidity. It checks in at 12.51% alcohol with a pH of 3.65. I love its overall balance, purity, and complexity, and I suspect it's going to continue gaining weight over the course of its élevage. 96-98 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2025 Lafite-Rothschild is powerful and explosive in the glass. Dark cherry/plum fruit, graphite, new leather, graphite, licorice and lavender race across the palate. A Pauillac of mid-weight structure, the 2025 impresses with its tension and deep, layered personality. Even in the early going, the Grand Vin is so vivid, so expressive. I can't wait to taste it in finished form. 2035-2075. 97-99 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Lafite-Rothschild was cropped at 27 hl/ha between September 2 and 20. Eric Kohler mentioned that, unlike 2022, it underwent a longer maceration than usual because, after 24 days, he felt the wine was at ease with itself and there was no excess. That comes through completely on the deliriously intoxicating nose, replete with nuanced blackberry, bilberry and estuarine scents, all beautifully defined and seamlessly integrated with the 90% new oak that is made from Lafite’s own cooper. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiselled tannins. It is blessed with extraordinary harmony and it is so well balanced that you almost overlook the weight and minéralité towards the finish. Just a dab of graphite lingers on the aftertaste. This is a very succinct and refined Lafite-Rothschild that I suspect will drink earlier than the 2022, yet will age with equal grace in bottle. I admit that, upon returning to my car, it was only then that I realised what a brilliant wine the 2025 Lafite-Rothschild is destined to become. Drinking Window: 2032-2070. 98-100 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Intense aromas of sweet tobacco, dark cedar, cigar humidor, mushroom, roses, and wet earth follow through to a medium to full body with firm, velvety tannins and a driven, intense finish. Very structured with bones. Reminds me of Lafite from the 1980s. Unique for the vintage. 12.5% alcohol. A blend of 94% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot and 1% petit verdot. 99-100 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2025 | Château Lafite - Carruades de Lafite | 75cl | £852 per case of 6 | Château Lafite Carruades de Lafite 2025 / / 75cl £852 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 9% Cabernet France and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2025 Carruades de Lafite exhibits notes of sweet plums and berries mingled with notions of orange zest, cedar and cigar wrapper. Medium- to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with powdery tannins, lively acids and a gently chalky finish, it checks in at 12.5% alcohol. 91-93 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The energy in the glass in immediately in evidence, richly fragrant autumnal berry fruit, great lift through the palate, mouthwatering on the finish, good balance, chalky, slate-filled tannins, classic, balanced, slate and pumice stone, lots of cassis and bilberry fruit, harvest September 2 - 20. 3.8ph. 2029-2044. 93 points" janeanson.com------"The 2025 Carruades de Lafite is a total stunner. It's a great example of how Bordeaux has come along in the last few decades, in that it could have easily been a Grand Vin from another generation—maybe not from a great year, but from many years. Brisk acids and strong floral overtones immediately convey energy. Hints of lavender, rose petal, graphite and spice box are classic Lafite; all the Carruades lacks vis-à-vis its sibling is the classic Lafite mid-palate. This should blossom beautifully with time, and I would be in no rush to open it. What a delight. 2033 - 2050. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Carruades de Lafite has quite an understated bouquet that needs a little more encouragement than usual. Blackberry, pencil box and light estuarine scents gradually unfurl. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, with sapid black fruit on the entry, gentle grip, wonderful balance and plenty of freshness and brightness on the finish. What a superb Carruades.Drinking Window 2030 - 2050. 92-94 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"An incredibly elegant second wine (which is classic Lafite), the 2025 Carruades De Lafite has cassis, raspberries, crushed violets, graphite, and spicy wood on the nose. Based on 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, it's medium-bodied on the palate, with a very pure, focused mouthfeel, polished tannins, and flawless balance. It checks in at 12.69% alcohol with a pH of 3.62. 93-95 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"A tight and linear red with red currant, sweet tobacco and cedar aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, fine and creamy tannins. Bright finish. Extremely fine texture for the second wine of Lafite. Typical character of Carruades. A blend of 55% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com |
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