CHATEAU LAFITE-ROTHSCHILD Château Lafite-Rothschild is the largest of the celebrated first-growths, is of very ancient renown. It occupies the finest crests in Pauillac. Throughout the Middle Ages, the Seigneurs of Lafite were the high administrators of justice in the country. It was through the officers of their choice that they exercised this right until 1789. The great qualities shown by their wines earned them the sobriquet "Princes of Vines." Lafite was very fashionable at the king's table in the time of Louis XV. It had a place of honor at the banquets held by Marshal de Richelieu and Madame de Pompadour always poured some at her little suppers. After having been the property of the great Ségur family, it belonged to Mr. de Prichard, President of the Parliament of Guienne, until the end of the 18th century. Unfortunately, he was not spared by the upheaval of the revolution and was guillotined in Paris on June 30, 1794. At this point Lafite became the property of the State, eventually it was acquired by a Dutchman, Vanderberghes and then by the English banker Sir Samuel Scott In 1868, it was purchased by Baron James de Rothschild and still belongs to his heirs. The Baron's purchase of Lafite came late in his life as he was 76 years old. By now many are aware of Lafite's legendary pre-phylloxera vintages - 1864, Lord Roseberry's 1865, the Glamis Castle's 1870 and the Woodperry House's 1874. Then of course there are the great Lafite mid-century vintages of our time - 1945, 1947, 1949, 1959 and 1966. It is said that the bouquet of Lafite is very suave and of incomparable delicacy; its savour brings together at the same time the taste of almonds and the scent of violets without being possible to distinguish whether the one dominates the other. Lafite is simply a study in balance, poise and restraint. Château Lafite-Rothschild--Vintage 1895 Pauillac, 1er cru classé Levels: one top, one upper, one mid and one mid/low shoulder; one corroded capsule, one slightly protruding cork, badly torn labels, badly bin soiled labels, Bordeaux bottled, original corks "The results were successful. I had never come across T. de Vial & Fils, Bordeaux (on capsule) before but their corks, branded Vial , had survived 80 years: a good, fairly deep colour; a lovely old ceder bouquet which opened up deliciously; flavour to match, soft, excellent finish. More recently, a bottle recorked by the mâitre de chai in 1987 (it would not have been château-bottled originally, for in the phylloxera-affected period, from 1885 vintage to the 1906, Lafite did not bottle its own wine at the château: the wine was all supplied in barriques for merchant-bottling). The recorked bottle was equally good: deep; sweet, lively but rich; good fruit and length. Last noted at Flatt's Lafite Tasting, Oct 1988 **** MB, Vintage Wine 4 bottles per lot
CHATEAU LAFITE-ROTHSCHILD Château Lafite-Rothschild is the largest of the celebrated first-growths, is of very ancient renown. It occupies the finest crests in Pauillac. Throughout the Middle Ages, the Seigneurs of Lafite were the high administrators of justice in the country. It was through the officers of their choice that they exercised this right until 1789. The great qualities shown by their wines earned them the sobriquet "Princes of Vines." Lafite was very fashionable at the king's table in the time of Louis XV. It had a place of honor at the banquets held by Marshal de Richelieu and Madame de Pompadour always poured some at her little suppers. After having been the property of the great Ségur family, it belonged to Mr. de Prichard, President of the Parliament of Guienne, until the end of the 18th century. Unfortunately, he was not spared by the upheaval of the revolution and was guillotined in Paris on June 30, 1794. At this point Lafite became the property of the State, eventually it was acquired by a Dutchman, Vanderberghes and then by the English banker Sir Samuel Scott In 1868, it was purchased by Baron James de Rothschild and still belongs to his heirs. The Baron's purchase of Lafite came late in his life as he was 76 years old. By now many are aware of Lafite's legendary pre-phylloxera vintages - 1864, Lord Roseberry's 1865, the Glamis Castle's 1870 and the Woodperry House's 1874. Then of course there are the great Lafite mid-century vintages of our time - 1945, 1947, 1949, 1959 and 1966. It is said that the bouquet of Lafite is very suave and of incomparable delicacy; its savour brings together at the same time the taste of almonds and the scent of violets without being possible to distinguish whether the one dominates the other. Lafite is simply a study in balance, poise and restraint. Château Lafite-Rothschild--Vintage 1895 Pauillac, 1er cru classé Levels: one top, one upper, one mid and one mid/low shoulder; one corroded capsule, one slightly protruding cork, badly torn labels, badly bin soiled labels, Bordeaux bottled, original corks "The results were successful. I had never come across T. de Vial & Fils, Bordeaux (on capsule) before but their corks, branded Vial , had survived 80 years: a good, fairly deep colour; a lovely old ceder bouquet which opened up deliciously; flavour to match, soft, excellent finish. More recently, a bottle recorked by the mâitre de chai in 1987 (it would not have been château-bottled originally, for in the phylloxera-affected period, from 1885 vintage to the 1906, Lafite did not bottle its own wine at the château: the wine was all supplied in barriques for merchant-bottling). The recorked bottle was equally good: deep; sweet, lively but rich; good fruit and length. Last noted at Flatt's Lafite Tasting, Oct 1988 **** MB, Vintage Wine 4 bottles per lot
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
