Carruades de Lafite
⏳ Drinking Window
2029 - 2055
🍷 Vintage Profile
The 2019 vegetative cycle began with a cool spring that delayed flowering, followed by an intensely hot, dry summer moderated by timely late-July rains and substantial diurnal shifts that preserved vital acidity across the plateau. Harvest proceeded under pristine, warm conditions from mid-September through early October, allowing both the Merlot and late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon to achieve complete phenolic maturity without excessive alcohol accumulation. This balance yielded an exceptionally refined Carruades, characterized by fine-grained, tensioned tannins, vibrant black fruit purity, and remarkable structural poise. Entering its initial plateau of secondary maturity in 2026, this vintage will continue to evolve harmoniously through 2038.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted lamb, grilled ribeye steak, roasted duck
✨ Technical Specifications
The 2019 Carruades de Lafite carries the name of the Carruades plateau, a prized parcel acquired by the estate in 1845. This second wine benefits from the same meticulous care as the Grand Vin, showcasing the unique signature of the Pauillac terroir. The 2019 growing season was defined by a hot, dry summer, but perfectly timed late-summer rains allowed the grapes to achieve optimal phenolic ripeness while retaining a vibrant, refreshing acidity. Composed of a classic blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and rounded out by Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the wine was aged for 18 to 20 months in French oak barrels crafted in the estate's own cooperage. The result is a wine of remarkable precision, offering velvety tannins, dark berry fruit, and a subtle cedar spice that reflects the legendary gravel soils of its origin.
🍾 About the Producer
Château Lafite Rothschild stands as an archetype of Médoc nobility and timeless viticultural refinement. With recorded feudal roots tracing to 1234 and extensive plantings established around 1680 by Jacques de Ségur, the estate rose to global renown when Baron James de Rothschild acquired it in 1868. Perched on Pauillac's highest gravel plateau bordering Saint-Estèphe, the vineyard spans deep, well-draining Günzian gravel over tertiary limestone and marl subsoils, buffered by the maritime influence of the Gironde estuary. Under the modern leadership of Saskia de Rothschild and Technical Director Eric Kohler, Lafite transitioned entirely to certified organic farming. The estate's cellar program balances parcel-by-parcel fermentation with aging in barrels crafted at its on-site cooperage. The eponymous Grand Vin, dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon with measured proportions of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, alongside second wine Carruades de Lafite, offers a benchmark profile defined by graphite, cedar, and exquisite aromatic finesse.
🍇 Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot (dominant), Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
🍷 ABV
13.35