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Château Lafite Rothschild is the aromatic pole of the First Growths of Bordeaux – a Premier Cru Classé of 1855 owned by the Rothschild family since 1868. On deep gravel soils in Pauillac, a Cabernet Sauvignon–dominated Grand Vin of weightless elegance and legendary ageing ability is made. Secure one of the most sought-after wines in the world – Grand Vin or second wine Carruades de Lafite – as a collector’s piece of incomparable renown.
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Château Lafite Rothschild is a Premier Cru Classé of the 1855 Classification and one of the four original First Growths. The estate lies in the Pauillac appellation on the Left Bank of the Gironde and has belonged to the Rothschild family since 1868. On 110 hectares of deep gravel soils, it produces a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated Grand Vin of extraordinary aromatic complexity – traditionally somewhat less powerful than Mouton and Latour, but marked instead by a weightless elegance and legendary ageing potential. The house has been led since late 2021 by Saskia de Rothschild as President and Managing Director. The Grand Vin is complemented by the second wine, Carruades de Lafite.
Lafite has one of the oldest histories in Bordeaux; the first mention of the “Seigneurie de la Hite” dates from 1234. It became an estate in the modern sense with the arrival of Jacques de Ségur in the 1670s. Baron James de Rothschild acquired Lafite in 1868 – so successfully that he recouped the purchase price within ten years. Over four decades, three men shaped the estate; all three have since departed. Since 2017, Saskia de Rothschild had held the chairmanship of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), taking over from her father, Baron Éric de Rothschild; at the end of 2021, she additionally took over as managing director from Jean-Guillaume Prats. As the sixth generation, the first woman and the youngest person to head a First Growth, she is the first member of the Lafite branch of the family to live permanently in Pauillac since 1868.
Lafite is a Premier Grand Cru Classé of 1855 – a ranking that has remained practically unchanged since it was established in the Médoc. Lafite belongs to the exclusive circle of the five First Growths and ranks among the most sought-after and expensive wines in the world.
The secret lies in the gravel – in places ten metres deep – with pockets of black aeolian sand over a limestone foundation. The oldest plot, La Gravière, was planted in 1886. The 4.5-hectare plot of Blanquet in St-Estèphe is always blended into the Grand Vin – it already belonged to the estate in 1868; the right to use it in the Pauillac wine was granted on 29 October 1926.
The 110 hectares are planted with roughly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, complemented by Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The Grand Vin regularly contains between 80 and 90 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
Lafite works in a surprisingly traditional manner: a large proportion of the wine ferments in the same oak vats that have been in use since the 1980s; at the same time, drones, GPS and sensors are increasingly used to determine ripeness. All the barrels come from the estate’s own cooperage, Tonnellerie des Domaines. A new cellar with stainless-steel and concrete vats (40 to 120 hectolitres) has existed since the 2011 vintage, complementing the circular cellar designed by Ricardo Bofill (1987).
The Grand Vin Château Lafite Rothschild accounts for around 30 to 40 percent of production, depending on the vintage. The second wine, Carruades de Lafite, is today a great success – although, despite its name, the wine no longer comes from the vines of the Carruades plateau; these now go into the Grand Vin. The third wine, Légende, rounds off the Pauillac range. A white wine was discontinued in 1960.
Lafite is less powerful and muscular than Mouton and Latour, and captivates through an almost weightless aromatic complexity: the finest red and black fruit, violets, cedarwood, graphite and a floating minerality. Eric Kohler once described the key to Lafite as “a spectrum of aromas rather than the strong expression of a single one” – an apt characterisation.
Lafite ranks among the longest-lived wines of Bordeaux; bottles from the 19th century are often still vital. Outstanding recent vintages include 2009, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2022; historic legends include 1959, 1982, 1986, 1990 and 2000.
In great vintages, the Grand Vin ages for fifty years or more and only truly unfolds after fifteen to twenty years. Carruades de Lafite reaches its peak after ten to fifteen years.
European Wine-Searcher prices for current vintages (retail prices incl. VAT, indicative values):
Lafite ranks among the most coveted collector’s wines in the world and is one of the most stable positions in the fine-wine market.
An entry point into the style is offered by the second wine, Carruades de Lafite. For collectors, the Grand Vin in great vintages is the strategic position – ideally from verified provenance, as hardly any wine in the world is counterfeited as often.
Who owns Château Lafite Rothschild? The estate has belonged to the Rothschild family since 1868 through Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite). Since the end of 2021, Saskia de Rothschild has led the house as President and Managing Director.
What classification level does Lafite Rothschild hold? Lafite is a Premier Cru Classé (First Growth) of the 1855 Classification – one of only five First Growths in Bordeaux.
What is the Grand Vin’s blend? The vineyards are planted with roughly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot; the Grand Vin usually contains 80 to 90% Cabernet Sauvignon.
What are the second and third wines called? The second wine is Carruades de Lafite, the third wine Légende. A white wine was discontinued in 1960.
How long can Lafite be cellared? In great vintages, the Grand Vin ages for fifty years or more and usually needs fifteen to twenty years to open up.
What does a bottle of Lafite Rothschild cost? Current vintages of the Grand Vin sell in the European market for around 600 to 900 euros, with mature top vintages considerably higher. Carruades de Lafite starts at around 150 euros.
Lafite Rothschild embodies the aromatic, finely structured pole of Bordeaux’s First Growths. As one of five Premiers Crus and the global benchmark for elegance and ageing potential, the house unites historical depth with uncompromising quality – under the sixth Rothschild generation at its helm.
