6pk Original Timber Box - The legendary Vintage 2018
Compelling in every sense of the word, you know you're in for something special just from the depth of color. From there you experience a cornucopia of aromatics meshing tobacco leaf, cigar box, cedar chest, red currants, cherries, red plums, 5 spice, flowers and earthy scents. Rich yet incredibly refined, the wine offers incredibly silky textures, a beautiful purity to the fruit and a seamless finish that exceeds 60 seconds. Produced from a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Merlot and .5% Petit Verdot,13.3% ABV.
99 points- Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
The vintage
On the eve of the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the acquisition of Château Lafite by the Rothschild family, our teams faced major challenges due to the capricious weather conditions.
From December to July, unremitting rain increased the risk of mildew and hail. The summer only really started in mid-July with very high, sometimes extreme heat, which helped to restore the vinesâ health and set us on the path to a great vintage.
After the exceptionally challenging start to the growth cycle, our fears turned to joy during the final weeks as we saw 2018 developing the qualities of a magnificent vintage. When it came to the harvests, we were able to focus solely on obtaining optimal ripeness. The perfect health of the grapes enabled us to apply rigorous standards to the quality of our Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which proved to be exceptional.
Winemaking
For Lafite's terroir to produce its magic, the vinification process must be carried out with extreme precision. The distribution of the grapes between wooden, stainless steel and concrete vats is determined on the basis of the characteristics of each plot and the grapesâ degree of maturity. Alcoholic fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature with regular pumping over to gently extract all the phenolic compounds. Each vat is meticulously monitored and tasted daily to determine the best time for racking. The maceration period is around 22 days.
After malolactic fermentation, the wines are transferred to French oak barrels. Lafite has its own cooperage in Pauillac, the Tonnellerie des Domaines, a factor that contributes to its unique style. Every barrel is tasted and only the best are selected for the final blend. The wine is then aged in new oak barrels for 15 months.
A Shower of Acclaim
The 2018 Lafite Rothschild has ignited a symphony of praise from the world's most discerning palates. There is probably nothing better in the wine world.
18/20 by Jancis Robinson
99/100 by Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
20/20 by La Revue du Vin de France
100/100 by The Wine Independent
100/100 by Wine Enthusiast
18/20 by Vinum Wine Magazine
Technical Infomation
Varietals : Cabernet sauvignon 91%, Merlot 8,50%, Petit verdot 0,50%
Alcohol content : 13.5 % vol.
pH : 3.75
Total acidity : 3.7 g/l
