Château Lafite Rothschild 2014 Lafite Rothschild

Der Château Lafite Rothschild gehört zu den gefragtesten Weinen weltweit und stammt aus der Appellation Paulliac. Für die Produktion dieses Weines werden ausschließlich Trauben von Reben verwendet, die älter als 20 Jahre sind. Somit ist der Wein wohlverdient als "Premier Cru Classé" ausgezeichnet. Jährlich produziert das Weingut durchschnittlich 240.000 Flaschen ihres "Grand vins". Nach der Vinifikation wird der Wein für 20 Monate in neuen Eichenholzfässern ausgebaut, wobei die einzelnen Parzellen nicht vermischt werden.

Alcohol		12.5%
Vintage		2014
Volume		0.75l
Winery		Château Lafite Rothschild
Rebsorte		Cuvée
Vineyard		Pauillac
City		Pauillac
Region		Bordeaux
Country		Frankreich
Stored		20.06.2022

775.00 € / Bottle

1,033.33 € / Liter

1 bottles available

The vineyard Pauillac

Location and landscape

The Pauillac appellation is located on the left bank of the Gironde in the central Médoc, around 50 kilometres north of Bordeaux. Its area covers the commune of Pauillac as well as defined parcels in Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle and Saint-Sauveur. The town and the harbour of Pauillac lie below the vineyards on the estuary.

Climate and soils

The temperate oceanic climate, shaped by the Atlantic and the Gironde, leads to differences between vintages, which are linked, among other things, to autumn rainfall or warm, sunny late-season periods. The vineyard area is characterised by three systems of gravel mounds that rise to around 3 to 30 metres above sea level. The Quaternary gravel layers, which are mostly about ten metres thick, lie on marls and limestone from the Eocene and Oligocene. Gravel soils of varying sand content are predominant; in depressions, sandy soils occur over clay.

Wines and grape varieties

Pauillac AOC is reserved exclusively for still red wines. They are described as deeply coloured, powerful and structured, with Cabernet Sauvignon usually dominating. Merlot brings roundness and fruit, while Cabernet Franc and, occasionally, Petit Verdot provide structure and complexity. The tannin-driven structure supports maturation; longer ageing is associated with the development of a complex bouquet.

History and regulations

The earliest documented development of viticulture in Pauillac dates back to the middle of the 13th century. Drainage, supported by Dutch influence, later made previously uncultivated areas suitable for growing vines. The present-day AOC boundary dates back to a court ruling from 1926 and was set out by the decree of 14 November 1936. Among other requirements, at least 7,000 vine plants per hectare are prescribed, an yield limit of 57 hectolitres per hectare, as well as a ripening period of at least until 1 June of the year following the harvest.

About the winery

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.