1961 Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux

Served blind. Two bottles, first one elegant but a little soft, second one just delicious, delivering one of the best examples of this wine that I have ever drunk. Soft, silky, melted tannins, fragrant, floral, almost Burgundian in its lacework tannins. Rose petals, soot, campfire, autumnal fruits, so easy to drink, so much energy, this is an elegant, gorgeous and generous Lafite. Unusually, the 1961 vintage was 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. There is almost no stock of this worldwide, certainly not with the provenance that we had, from the château cellars, and with the renowned bottle variation, we were extremely lucky to enjoy such a wonderful example of a legendary wine.

The 1961 Lafite-Rothschild was opened at the last minute in response to an impassioned speech I made about the joys of mature Bordeaux and how I lamented the fact that too many wine lovers drink great Claret prematurely. It is actually 15 years since I last tasted this wine. In many wines, as is so often the case with this First Growth, it is very difficult to describe. Firstly, I noted the deepness of color with little ageing on the rim. The bouquet is utterly refined, in some ways not as complex as more recent vintages, yet it has a sense of authority and purpose. Vestiges of faded dark fruit mix with scents of an antique mahogany bureau and tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, degraded tannin. Surprisingly youthful, it is undoubtedly beautifully balanced with perfectly judged acidity. It does not possess the aristocracy of the 1961 Latour, not the complexity, yet there is something "princely" about this Lafite, blue blooded and yet old school. The glass was finished too quickly—an effortless class act.

I have always been a little mean to the 1961 Lafite-Rothschild that was fated to lie in the shadow of Latour and Mouton-Rothschild. However, this is definitely the best bottle that I have encountered. With classic cedar and graphite scents and a faint touch of leather on the nose, this example heightens the marine influence—very fine delineation. The palate is balanced, pure and crisp with graphite-infused black fruit, conveying the refinement and almost understatedness of the First Growth. It just seems to "glide" on the finish. It deserves a round of applause and a higher score than I gave previous bottles. Tasted at the Lafite-Rothschild vertical at Ami restaurant in Hong Kong.