Site and Climate
Château Lafite Rothschild is located in Pauillac in the Bordeaux region, France. Part of the vineyard area extends into the neighbouring commune of Saint-Estèphe. The Pauillac appellation is characterised by a moderate oceanic climate, influenced by the Atlantic and the Gironde estuary.
Vineyard Area and Soils
The 112-hectare estate comprises the slopes around the château, the Carruades plateau to the west, and a 4.5-hectare plot in Saint-Estèphe. The landscape of Pauillac is formed by powerful gravel ridges that slope gently towards the estuary. In the vineyard of Château Lafite Rothschild, there are fine, deep gravel soils with wind-blown sand over a well-drained and well-exposed tertiary limestone subsoil; the Carruades plateau has deep clay-gravel soils.
Vines and Farming
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot are grown. Since 2021, Château Lafite Rothschild has been transitioning to organic farming; following the technical profile for 2023, 16 hectares are farmed biodynamically. In the PHARE research project, the estate is investigating adaptation to climate change using mass selection and variety trials.
Wines and Maturation
The Grand Vin is typically made up of a large proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, complemented by Merlot and a small proportion of Petit Verdot; only vines older than ten years are used. Fermentation lasts for 15 days at 26 to 27 °C. After the individual tasting of the barrels and the blending of the cuvée, the wine matures for 15 months in new oak barrels. Carruades de Lafite is a red wine in the Bordeaux style with a higher Merlot content than the Grand Vin, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon and occasionally Cabernet Franc. It is fermented in wooden, concrete and stainless-steel vats, macerated for around 20 days, and matured for about 16 months in French oak barrels.
History and Classification
Château Lafite Rothschild has been documented as a wine producer since the 13th century. Baron James de Rothschild acquired the estate in 1868. In the 1855 classification, it received the status Premier Grand Cru Classé. The Pauillac appellation is a French AOP for red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
