“Lafite has a soul, a beautiful, generous, kindly soul. Lafite turns bare earth into heaven. Lafite is harmony, a harmony between man and nature, because without our magnificent winegrowers, nothing would be accomplished.”
Baron Eric de Rothschild

In 1815, Guillaume Lawton said of Château Lafite, “I consider it to be the the most elegant and delicate, with the finest substance of the three (Premier Crus). The location of its vines is one of the finest in the Médoc”. In 1855 the Château was ranked as a Premier Grand Cru in the famous classification that was prepared for the Universal Exhibition of that year.

GRAPE VARIETIES
80 to 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 to 20% Merlot, 0 to 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Note that there are some exceptional cases such as the 1994 vintage (99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Petit Verdot) or the 1961 vintage (100% Cabernet Sauvignon).

AGEING IN OAK BARRELS
18 to 20 months in 100% new barrels.

AVERAGE ANNUAL PRODUCTION
16,000 cases

The 1985 vintage signals a return to excellent quality. The same weather conditions as in 1982, i.e. continuous sunshine from July to September, produced similar results: grapes with thick skins, with condensed, supple tannins and intense aromas. These grapes have produced full-bodied, velvety wines, with complex bouquets, possibly even more elegant than the 1982 vintage. Ideal weather in September made 1985 an exceptional vintage, even recalling the Médoc’s fabulous wines of 1953.
TASTING NOTES (AT BOTTLING):
Delicious in its youth, it can be enjoyed early but will age gracefully.