Description
Carruades de Lafite 2018 is the second wine of Château Lafite Rothschild, a first-growth Bordeaux estate. Often called "Little Lafite," it's a blend of 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot,
and 5.5% Cabernet Franc, exhibiting an elegant style similar to the grand vin and classic Pauillac terroir characteristics.
🍷 Vintage Background and Winemaking Process
2018 Vintage Characteristics: 2018 was a "legendary vintage" for Bordeaux, with a rainy spring and a hot, dry summer. The grapes were exceptionally ripe and healthy,
hailed by many critics as "one of the best vintages of the last decade," showcasing a perfect balance of ripe fruit and bright acidity.
Grape Origin: Selected from specific plots surrounding Château Lafite Rothschild (including the Carruades plateau and surrounding vineyards),
with soils primarily composed of deep gravel and chalk, imparting elegant tannins and minerality to the wine.
Blending: 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon (providing blackcurrant, pencil shavings, and structure), 38% Merlot (contributing red fruit and smooth tannins), and 5.5% Cabernet Franc (adding fresh acidity and floral aromas).
Oak Barrel Aging: Aged for 16–20 months in 80% French oak barrels (10% new), imparting elegant layers of vanilla, cedar, and spice while retaining pure fruit aromas.
👃 Tasting Notes
Color: A deep ruby-purple with garnet sheen, as brilliant as the afterglow of a sunset.
Aroma (Nose): Complex and layered, the aromas exude sweet fruitiness of redcurrant jelly, blackcurrant sugar, Morelo cherry, black cherry, and wild blueberry, interwoven with deep notes of pencil shavings, cedar, violet, mint, gravel, tobacco leaves, forest floor, chocolate, walnut, graphite, and minerality.
Palate: Medium to full-bodied on the palate, the sweet red and black fruit flavors (redcurrant, blackcurrant, cherry, blueberry) are vibrant and supported by bright acidity. The mid-palate reveals a complex blend of fine, smooth tannins, cedar, pencil shavings, mint, chocolate, spice, and minerality, resulting in an elegant and refined wine that combines power and grace.
Finish: Long and clean finish, leaving a lingering sweetness of red and black fruit, cedar, pencil shavings, mint, chocolate, graphite, and a mineral, savory aftertaste. The overall impression is both sweet and savory, making it a highly versatile wine for food pairing.
Origin: Bordeaux, France
Type:Red Wine
Grapes : Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc
Alcohol : 13.5 %
Bottle Size : 750ml