Château Lafite Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2001
A mere 43% of Lafite’s production went into the Grand Vin. Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot making up the balance. A rich but elegant nose of blackcurrant and cedar. Beautiful, stylish wine with fine, upright tannins and layers of sweet cedar, blackcurrant and damson fruit. Very sophisticated, sumptuous, with an intense middle palate. Beautifully balanced and destined for long-term keeping. A very fine Lafite very much on form.
critic reviews
The 2001 Lafite-Rothschild has a little more precision on the nose compared to the millennial Lafite. It’s vivid and focused, featuring blackberry, briar, cedar and mint, and a touch of cola in the background. The palate is well balanced and svelte in texture, building beautifully with aeration to a gorgeous, truffle-tinged finish that is a little spicier than three years ago, when I last tasted this vintage. Maybe it just tails off toward the finish when compared to the 2000. Still, this is an elegant, blue-blooded Lafite-Rothschild that exudes class.