2009 Carruades de Lafite, Pauillac, Bordeaux

Currants and blackberries on the nose. Spicy and intense undertones. Full body with juicy fruit, a soft, silky texture, and a long, long finish. Polished and very pretty. Best Carraudes ever. 

Drink from 2018 onward

Vibrant with an energetic nose. Very sweet. Rose petals. Not the freshest. Some green notes too. A little loose and formless. Flattering, but suggestions of candy rather than refreshment. Falls away a little.

Drink 2016 - 2026

Of course, the wine to buy to look at the Lafite Rothschild style and personality is their second wine, Carruades de Lafite, which has become very fashionable in Asia, causing the prices to soar. A solid effort, the 2009 Carruades de Lafite may be the finest Carruades since the 2003. 

A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and tiny amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it reveals lots of sweet cassis intermixed with subtle smoke and forest floor, undeniable lusciousness and full-bodied hedonism. 

The wood component is pushed to the background, and the wine is highly viscous, round and delicious. Additional complexity should continue to emerge over the next decade, and this 2009 should keep for 20-30 years.

Drink 2012 - 2042