CHÂTEAU LAFITE
2014 1er Cru Classé Pauillac Château Lafite Rothschild
So demure, so sleek, but this has real presence. Savoury notes mingle with a dried flower scent on the nose. This is elegant but so brooding. The dark fruit is firmly wound up in a tight, dense middle, but the odd whiff of riper red fruit berries is evidence of the lovely ripeness here. This finishes super clean, beautifully mineral, long, linear and driven, and just a dry feel of super-fine tannin. Such class, long and polished. Rating: 96 L&S (Apr 2015)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2014 Lafite-Rothschild has a typically refined nose at first, though I notice that it gains more richness after five minutes and replicates the menthol scents that I noticed in the previous bottle four years ago. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded tannins, fleshy and ripe. White pepper and fennel infuse the red fruit. Perhaps it doesn't quite "kick on" towards the finish like Mouton, though it does feel reassuringly persistent. Maybe it has something up its sleeve? A second bottle tasted blind at Southwold was a bit "aloof". Tasted at Bordeaux Index's 10-Year-On tasting. Drinking range: 2026 - 2055 Rating: 92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Mar 2024)
Fine swirls of gunsmoke on the first nose, totally enticing, very much in control, with mouthwatering salinity, fine tannic structure that initially masks the build up of power and concentration, with an expansion through the mid palate of raspberry, cassis, rose petals and tobacco leaf. One of those sapid, mouthwatering, moreish Lafites that beg to be drunk, but are deceptive because will continue to develop over the next decade, then hold on for another two or three. It's delicious, not the most luscious 2014, but elegant and on point. Drinking range: 2024 - 2045 Rating: 97 Jane Anson, Decanter (Feb 2024)
The 2014 Lafite-Rothschild has an incredibly fruit-driven bouquet with layers of black cherries, cassis, raspberry preserve and menthol aromas all beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet core of intense red berry fruit laced with white pepper, sage and a hint of fennel. The balance here is exquisite and the manner in which it fans out on the final third is just glorious. You could actually broach this now, it is so drinkable, but it has the substance to suggest long-term ageing. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Drinking range: 2024 - 2055 Rating: 95 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Mar 2018)
A bit worked, soft and loose but with lots of vegy quality and some mintiness. Rather forward. Tea leaves. Drinking range: 2023 - 2043 Rating: 17.5 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Feb 2018)
The 2014 Lafite-Rothschild is a beautiful, vivid wine. It is also going to need a number of years to come together. All the classic Lafite signatures are present in the glass. Dark red and bluish-hued fruits, grilled herbs, crème de cassis and leather are some of the many notes that gradually open up. The wine is finessed and nuanced to the core. I imagine it will drink well with minimal cellaring, although it clearly also has the potential to grow in bottle. The blend is 87 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 % Merlot and 3 % Cabernet Franc. In 2014, the Grand Vin accounts for 38 % of production. Drinking range: 2022 - 2044 Rating: 94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2017)
Reserved for now, but the core of cassis, bitter plum and raspberry coulis flavors is pure and energetic, while extra black tea, iron and singed alder notes fill in steadily through the finish. This has a very focused, streamlined feel overall, yet there’s serious depth for the cellar. Best from 2020 through 2035. 16,000 cases made. Drinking range: 2020 - 2035 Rating: 95 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Jan 2017)
The Château Lafite-Rothschild 2014 is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, picked from 22 September until 10 October with the Petit Verdot, the Cabernet finished two days earlier. The Grand Vin is adorned with surprising richness and opulence on the nose: layers of ripe black plum and juniper, fine definition with even a hint of fig developing with continued aeration. After 5 minutes it turns volte face and becomes much more graphite and cedary - more Pauillac in essence. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannin, a potent core of black and blue fruit with a bullish (for Lafite) peacock's tail on the finish. Very long in the mouth, this is a Lafite that yearns to compensate for last year and it accomplishes that with some panache. Drinking range: 2024 - 2045 Rating: 94-96 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2015)
A rich, powerful wine, the 2014 Lafite boasts superb depth, nuance and class. Hints of plum, cinnamon, wild flowers and exotic spices are woven throughout, but the flavors remain quite primary. The delicate, brilliant finish points to a bright future for a Lafite that should start to drink well with minimal cellaring. The blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Lafite accounts for 38% of the production. Rating: 92-95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2015)
87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Nuanced, very healthy crimson with a ruby rim. Tea leaves on the nose. Rather severe palate with marked tannins quotient. Very Cabernet indeed – but Cabernet that is far from opulent. A bit more stolid than most Lafites. Bone dry and without the beautiful aromatic lift that characterises the best vintages. A bit short on charm. Drinking range: 2025 - 2040 Rating: 17.5 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2015)
Lovely floral nose and almost understated compared to Mouton – just a line of clarity and fruit purity that doesn't need description. Fine tannins and that wild violet lift over a firm textured depth of fruit, all in perfect harmony. (Outstanding Pauillac, Decanter.) Drinking range: 2022 - 2045 Rating: 95+ Steven Spurrier (Apr 2015)
The nose has a fragrant floral charm spring violets and the start of the palate has bilberry and bramble freshness lots of bright fruit. Rich in the middle the sweet cassis supported by fine tannins the back palate fleshy and supple. There is an underlying freshness and brightness but the finish has depth with black fruited richness. Drinking range: 2027 - 2040 Rating: 94-97 Derek Smedley MW, www.dereksmedleymw.co.uk (Apr 2015)
A wine that proves that Bordeaux doesn't have to be full bodied to have concentration and ageing potential, this is a gloriously refined red that doesn't show its 100% new oak. Stylish tannins, fine red and black fruits and palate-cleansing acidity are framed by attractive oak. One of the wines of the year. (One of Tim's Top 10 Left Bank Reds.) Drinking range: 2022 - 2035 Rating: 97 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2015)
Very backward, with loads of cedar, espresso and juniper out front, while the core of currant and blackberry fruit stays in reserve. Shows ample grip on the finish, but this is fine-grained and exhibits superb cut. Tasted non-blind. Rating: 94-97 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2015)
I love the sexy, perfumed and feminine style to this young Lafite with rose petals, rose stems and currants. Full body, super fine tannins and a wonderful finish. Lasts for a very, very long time. Rating: 97-98 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Mar 2015)
Château Lafite Rothschild
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those of the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do call us, but see the 'practical notes' below.
Ordering
Prices are per case as listed 'in bond London'.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment from you to buy the wines you order on release, subject to the price being below the upper price of the estimated band on our website. You may also set your own upper price limit, lower or higher than ours. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability. Providing this firm commitment to us effectively gives you priority.
Wines listed on the website (after any pre-orders and allocations have been fulfilled) can be ordered in the usual way via the website order form or by email or telephone 020 7221 1982, always subject to stock remaining.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are contractually binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of the confirmation date, apart from pre-orders which are binding if the release price is below the top estimate or other price you have set.
Invoices are raised at the In Bond price, excluding any duty and VAT which will become payable at the prevailing rates on arrival of the wine if required duty paid.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or credit transfer. We reserve the right to charge 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £1000, orders below this total will be charged £16.50+ VAT when the wine invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery for 2016 Bordeaux primeurs will probably be completed by October 2019, but we make no guarantee as to specific delivery times, and some of the Sauternes may be later.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes) for immediate payment. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option, but do please note that confirmed orders are still binding as above even if the final invoice has not been issued.
When the wine is shipped, unless previously specified we will assume that delivery is to be to bonded storage with Elephant Storage, but in any case, we will contact you requesting any alternative instructions. If you have another bonded delivery address you would like the wine to go to, please tell us at the time of ordering. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue invoices at the rates prevailing at the time for the excise duty (currently £25.98 per case) and the VAT (currently at 20%) on the total of the wine cost and the duty.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the bottle size you want. Even if a wine is only listed in one size, you can order any bottle or case size you want if the property supplies it, but you must order the case/bottle size you require and check that the correct size has been invoiced.
Additional charges are as follows:-
- +£15 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£15 per case of 6 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£35 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£45 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.