Ch. Lafite Rothschild is one of the most famous wine estates in Bordeaux and the world. One of the Left Bank’s five First Growths, the Pauillac property is renowned for producing wines of finesse and elegance that age beautifully.

Château Lafite Rothschild 1:1

A spotlight on one of the most famous Bordeaux wines, First Growth Château Lafite Rothschild and its highly collectable wines 

Ch. Lafite Rothschild, the Bordeaux First Growth

About Lafite Rothschild

Ch. Lafite Rothschild

Walking into the cooperage at Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte is like stepping back in time, filled with the smell of seasoned wood, an open fire and the same tools that barrel-makers have used for centuries. Few estates have the luxury of an in-house cooper. While producers inevitably work closely with the tonnelleries (barrel-making firms, such as François Frères, Stockinger and more), having an artisan on-site, working alongside the winemaking team to craft casks exclusively for your specific terroir is different. “It’s very important for the precision of the wine,” explains Cellar Master Yann Laudeho.  Florence and Daniel Cathiard, owners of the Pessac-Léognan estate, built a cooperage on-site almost 30 years ago, in 1995, and their current cooper, Yann Dez, has been working here since 2021. The Bordeaux native’s father was a metal worker, and Dez fell into the world of barrel-making entirely by accident – having a friend who was a tonnelier, and a job opening at an opportune moment. Before he knew it, Dez had learnt the trade from some of the best coopers in the country (including one who now makes the barrels at Ch. Margaux), and spending 15 years working under Didier Fesil. Fesil was the Cathiard family’s first cooper back in 1995, who went on to create his own small tonnellerie (Tonnellerie Bordelaise), and has been named the nation’s best “Master Cooper” – twice. Indeed, Fesil is still very involved with the estate, helping choose the wood for barrels and advising on all things oak; and it was Fesil who put Dez forward for the role at Smith Haut Lafitte.  “There are no books,” Dez says, when I ask about the art of barrel-making. “It’s passed on from tonnelier to tonnelier." The first evidence of coopering as a trade dates back to 900BC – with the craft passed down the generations ever since. “I continue the tradition,” Dez says, clearly with a sense of pride in this ancient, artisanal skill. But with the dust, noise and physical labour involved, tonnellerie schools, Dez tells me, are struggling to recruit young people. It’s common for coopers to have issues with their shoulders and ears (from the non-stop hammering) – and Dez himself has broken an elbow.  In theory, the process can be mechanised – but Dez is clear on how important it is to work by hand, and not just to preserve this ancient art. “I hear the nose, I feel the resistance,” he says. Each barrel, he explains, is different – with a slightly different number of staves and slightly different shape, all adapted according to the wood he’s working with. Selecting the right wood is key – “reading” it, he explains, looking at the grain to see where potential weaknesses are, understanding where will take the most pressure and placing each stave accordingly, ensuring not a drop can seep from the finished barrel. “It’s a job that is both physical, and at the same time requires thinking,” says Dez – and this combination is much of its allure for him.  Hearing the way Dez talks about barrels is fascinating; for him, they each have a unique personality. When I ask Dez how he knows he’s made a really good barrel, he shrugs: “On le sent.” (“You feel it.”) As you toast a barrel, he tells me, the scent of the smoke changes, releasing different aromas – something I smell as he works in front of me. Knowing when it’s spent the perfect amount of time over the fire is the secret – and it’s about more than just the smell, it’s a gut instinct that he can’t quite explain.  Smith Haut Lafitte sources oak from a range of forests, and are always trialling wood from different forests, toasts and doing blind tastings, although – after over 25 years – they know what works for their wine, and terroir. Cellar Master Laudeho explains that, for him, Tronçais and Jupilles are the best – “diamonds” that flawlessly complement their site. And that balance is key; the wood works for the wine, not the other way around.  It seems like a lonely job, I comment, hammering away in his tower – but it’s not something that bothers him. “I’m a bit of a perfectionist,” he tells me. Having only himself to depend on, and knowing that he can ensure each barrel meets his exacting standards, suits him. Indeed, he doesn’t even settle for standard tools – making most himself, custom-designed to suit the way he works. He talks me through a specific hammer that he made, and how it allows him to work better and more precisely, the wooden handle almost silken from the hours of use, shaped to his hand.   The lone electronic technology to have earned a place here are noise-cancelling headphones and a Marshall speaker. He’s a musician in his spare time, and an additional perk of working alone is that he gets to spend all day listening to music. “All the barrels I’ve made,” he says, “are made with music.” He avoids anything too modern or electronic, favouring old jazz, with some reggae, ska jazz and funk in the mix, depending on the day. While he doesn’t feel the music he listens to influences his coopering, he suspects his mood does – and music is a big part of that.  Woodwork is much more than a job for Dez. I spy a beautiful chest alongside his speaker, and it’s one that he made. He has a workshop at home too, spending his free time making everything from guitar stands and toys to chandeliers – anything, he says, that isn’t straight, and therefore can’t really be done by a machine.  It’s amazing watching him work – in the same way as coopers have for centuries – with a natural intuition, ease and precision. There’s definitely something musical to it, a craft that has its own rhythm. He makes around 300 barrels a year, and they may not be soloists – but each one contributes their own note to that year’s symphony.  Explore all current listings of Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte or read more about Bordeaux 

Wooden barrels line most of the finest wine cellars around the world – and many are made by hand. Continuing our series taking you behind the scenes in Bordeaux, we ducked into the cooperage at Smith Haut Lafitte to find out more about this special craft

We visited Pessac-Leognan’s Smith Haut Lafitte to talk to the wine estate’s master cooper, Yann Dez – and find out all about the art of barrel-making

Meeting Smith Haut Lafitte’s Master Cooper

Working to the beat: Smith Haut Lafitte’s Master Cooper

The air is cool and crisp, with the radiant blue skies that only late winter can provide. On the crest of the hill in front of me, a troupe is studiously pruning Ch. Lafite Rothschild’s oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines, their roots sinking deep into the precious gravel soils that define the First Growth’s wines. Looking over a junior member of the team’s shoulder is Luís Pinto, making sure that no mistakes are being made as they shape the vines for the future, laying the groundwork for not just 2024, but the vintages beyond that. Sporting navy-blue Domaines Barons de Rothschild overalls (vintage, sadly out of production and unavailable for purchase – I asked), Pinto has been working at the estate for over 30 years, and now leads one of the vineyard teams. As you might guess given his name, his family is Portuguese, although he was born and raised in Bordeaux. In fact, his mother even worked the harvest at Lafite, and Pinto has pictures of himself as a child at the on-site nursery the château then had for workers’ offspring – perhaps sewing the first seeds of his future profession. As Louis Caillard, Vineyard Manager at Ch. Lafite Rothschild and Ch. Duhart-Milon, explains, Pinto isn’t an anomaly. Caillard heads up the 80-strong team which works across both properties (and are managed identically when it comes to the vines). The vast majority of this team are extremely local, coming from within a 20-kilometre radius of the château, and once they join the team, few ever leave. Much has changed over Pinto’s many years working these vines – offering an on-the-ground view of viticultural trends. He remembers a time when they would rip out hedges and trees to make room for vines, focused more on yield, now coming full-circle to reinstate the biodiversity that existed before. Today there’s more appreciation of the craft and calling of a vigneron, or vine-grower – a return to traditional vineyard management.  Looking at pruning, for example, Pinto explains how there are no set rules: “Each person prunes a vine as they wish,” he tells me. They respond to each vine, its needs, looking at the sap flow and thinking about its long-term future, rather than just the next season. It’s very Simonit&Sirch in approach – although Pinto is bemused by such a suggestion; for him, it’s how he learnt to understand vines. “All it is, effectively, is that we think,” says Caillard. “It’s always existed; it’s just that we had forgotten it a little.” The challenge is teaching this sort of instinctive approach to managing a vineyard. “I don’t follow a recipe anymore,” says Pinto. It’s not just knowledge he is trying to pass on to his team, but “a way of thinking”, he says, one that inevitably comes from experience, from making mistakes and learning from them. There’s a drastic difference between studying the theory from a book, and standing in front of a vine, secateurs in hand. Of course, the idea of making mistakes when the wine commands the reputation (and price) that Lafite does might seem daunting – but it’s this that sets top addresses apart. Lafite’s scrupulous approach to quality, declassifying any fruit that doesn’t meet its very high standards, is a luxury that not all producers can afford. For Pinto, it’s this dedication to quality and long-term view that has kept him at Lafite all these years. There are plenty of properties that will rip vines out once they reach a certain age, all in the name for better crop loads, but at Lafite, the philosophy is to see “how far we can take the vine”, nurturing parcels into old age. His work might be cyclic, following the vine’s yearly progression, but there are changes every year – an effort to constantly evolve and improve. This, perhaps, is what – for me – is most interesting about Lafite. It’s not just the finesse and elegance of its pinpoint Grand Vin that sets this estate apart, but the way in which it has quietly been changing the way Bordeaux works, pushing forward in its pursuit of excellence. For over a decade, they’ve had Manuela Brando leading their Research & Development; talking to her is fascinating, with trials on everything from biodynamics, rootstocks and treatments to umbrella-like covers as an alternative way to combat mildew. If successful, these trials are transferred to the wider vineyard – with training that means the team never stops learning. Just the other day, Pinto tells me, they had a session on agroforestry – something that he’s clearly fascinated by. Pinto seems relaxed, joking lightly with us, but is also quietly serious when it comes to his work, knowing that every decision they make in the vineyard is critical to the quality of the wine that eventually emerges from the cellar. “Every decision has an impact,” echoes Caillard – “and, in fact, nothing is simple.” Difficult it might be, but Pinto is pleased with the progression he has seen over the years. “You can feel the terroir a bit more again,” he says. The shift to organic, re-introduction of hedgerows and trees to the vineyard, which in turn has brought an array of fauna – butterflies and ladybirds, for example, has transformed the property. As an apiarist, he’s acutely aware of the wildflowers that now blossom and abundant bees they attract. At the end of the day, however, there’s no wizardry, he suggests, to what they do – it’s simple: “We respect the vines a bit more.” With the gloss of an estate like Lafite, a First Growth whose reputation is so immense, it’s easy to forget the work that happens behind the scenes. But, as Caillard knows all too well, “You cannot achieve anything technical without the people; people are key to everything we do.” People like Pinto, so clearly at one with their calling, the place and vines, are what make truly great wine – separating the excellent and exceptional. As our conversation draws to a close, Pinto returns back to his team, his stocky frame receding down the row of vines and weathered face turned once more to the bright sunshine, as deeply rooted in this terroir as the Cabernet Sauvignon that surrounds him. Browse all current listings of Ch. Lafite Rothschild, or read more about Bordeaux

As we continue to take you behind the scenes at Bordeaux’s top addresses, our latest feature shines a light on Ch. Lafite Rothschild. We caught up with one of its vineyard team, a vigneron who has dedicated over 30 years of his life to the First Growth’s vines

Taking you behind the scenes at Ch. Lafite Rothschild to talk to one of the Bordeaux First Growth’s vineyard workers

The call of the vine – Ch. Lafite Rothschild

The call of the vine: Ch. Lafite Rothschild

Few wine estates have the history or pedigree of Ch. Lafite Rothschild. Grapes  have been grown on the estate’s hallowed ground in Pauillac since 1707 and the property has been in the same family (the Rothschilds) for over 150 years. It is the First Growth that became the most desired and collectable, loved for its elegance. Lafite, more than any other estate, had a huge influence in drawing Asian customers to Bordeaux – who, with their immense buying power, have been instrumental in transforming the region over the last 25 years. With such a reputation, the expectations of tasting benchmark Lafite vintages back to 1960 at the Rothschilds’ 19th-century Buckinghamshire estate, Waddesdon Manor, couldn’t be higher. The vintages on show were hand-selected by Domaines Barons de Rothschild’s International Director Jean-Sébastien Philippe who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of every vintage back to the 1920s. Philippe wanted to show how Lafite has an extraordinary capacity to age and an incredible ability to retain freshness, even 50 years or more into its maturity. The main event would pitch the more modern vintages of 2010 and 2005 against the 1990, 1982 and the elusive 1960 – all epic vintages for Lafite. Every wine was sourced directly from Lafite’s cellars and all were served from either magnum or double magnum. Philippe believes magnums are without question the ideal size for maturing wine and, by pouring from larger formats, it meant all the guests got to experience each vintage from the same bottle and therefore avoided any potential bottle variation across the table. Alongside these legendary vintages of Lafite, Philippe also wanted to showcase mature vintages of the neighbouring Ch. Duhart-Milon, also owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild. With the same winemaking team at both Lafite and Duhart-Milon, it was fascinating to taste both the 1990 and 2005 Duhart-Milon against the same vintage from Lafite. The vines at Duhart abut Lafite’s own vineyards and are known for their quality, if not quite the same level as Lafite. It is a little unfair on Duhart-Milon, but tasting them side by side beautifully highlighted the extraordinary depth and sustain you find at Lafite, that the terroir of Duhart just cannot match. Duhart-Milon has been rewarded with plenty of investment from the Barons de Rothschild group in recent years, both in the vineyards and with a newly built winery. The 2022 is arguably their best vintage to date and the 2020 was also outstanding and surpassed any vintage prior. The estate since 2018 really has been on an impressive trajectory. For Philippe, Duhart is the epitome of Pauillac terroir – Cabernet-driven, with great linear structure and a distinct graphite minerality. While the 2005 and 1990 were not from the property’s heyday, they have matured beautifully. There was a touch of brettanomyces (a yeast that gives savoury, barnyard or even fabric plaster notes) on the 1990 which the guests were all in agreement was no bad thing, joking that everyone loves a touch of brett in mature Bordeaux. But the wines were fresh, vibrant, classic in style and impressively structured. Against the Lafite, they were no competition. Each vintage of Lafite fanned out so much more on the mid-palate, the dense, layered tannins are so plush and refined, while the freshness on the finish leaves the palate salivating. There was a debate at the table whether to start with older vintages and finish with younger ones or the other way round. It became clear with all the wines poured, why it’s so important to taste younger vintages first. In isolation, the 2010 was outstanding. The tannins were still firmly clenched but the depth and the Lafite elegance was all there. It was brooding but still beautiful. Philippe is convinced it is one of the greatest Lafites ever to be made and with maturity will compete with the 1959, 1953 and 1982. Tasting the 2005 alongside the 2010 shows how much more the latter wine has to give, with the 2005 that little bit less tightly clenched on the palate. The 2005s are famously tight and only now starting to unfurl, but while 2005 Lafite has fantastic depth and extraordinary length you just know it still has so much more to give. This wine has decades ahead of it, but several commented how much the 2005 has opened up in the last year. Philippe believes the 2005 still has at least another five years before this is going to even start to show its full potential. It is a wine whose peacock-tail finish started to get the adrenaline pumping, in perfect preparation for what was arguably the wine of the night – the 1990. Just dipping your nose in the 1990, you realise this is Lafite in top gear. Beautifully exuberant, a perfect blend of primary fruit, tertiary notes, cedar wood and earthy, mineral tones – you could smell it all night. The density found in the 2010 and 2005 was present too, but the tannins have relaxed and the wine fully unfurls on the palate bringing extraordinary depth. And it is here where the freshness hits you. This 33-year-old wine has such vibrancy, an energy that just lifts the wine and gives it a wonderful ethereal quality – not a description I would normally equate with Pauillac. The finesse is breath-taking. Having tasted the 1990 almost 15 years ago, it was fascinating to return to it and see it has only improved in that time. At 33 years old, this wine is at its peak. The 1982, the most eagerly awaited vintage of the line-up, could perhaps not live up to expectation despite its arresting nature. It is a terrific wine and, again, the freshness in what was a hot vintage is hard to believe. Philippe noted that the ’82 – despite its mythic status – is not a perfect wine, but is a testament to Lafite’s ability to excel in hot vintages. Philippe believes this is because the terroir at Lafite means the vines naturally close down in hot vintages, reducing sugar production in the grapes. It also gives a contrasting menthol freshness to the wine, which means it remains moderate in alcohol and yet does not taste phenolic or underripe. What is perhaps more extraordinary is that the ’82 was in fact a bumper vintage, with Lafite cropping at 80hl/ha. That is double the production at Lafite today (in a good year), which goes some way in realising the qualitative measures that have been taken at the property over this time. Despite the high production levels, the ’82 is stunning. This bottle didn’t quite have the vitality of the 1990, so it’s worth cracking on with any bottles you are lucky enough to have in your cellar. The final vintage was the elusive 1960. With a table of avid Lafite fans, no one present had tasted or knew much about the 1960. For Philippe it is arguably better than the legendary 1961. It features in a rare consecutive trio of exceptional vintages in the estate’s history. Philippe explained the phenomenon has only happened three times in the history of the estate: with 1959, 1960 and 1961; 1988, 1989 and 1990; and 2018, 2019 and 2020. In the oldest trio, Philippe actually thinks the ‘59 is perhaps the greatest vintage ever at Lafite, followed by the 1960 and then the 1961. My tasting notes for the 1960 started with “surprising freshness”, but perhaps I should have known better by this stage that Lafite’s ageability is not really in question. The wine was in exceptional condition and poured from magnum. It had fantastic structure, classic mature Cabernet linearity but with a plushness to the mid-palate that is typically Lafite, but still a surprise at such maturity. The wine was full of tertiary notes, dried fruits, savoury spice and cedar wood. It was so vibrant, so energetic, it seems that the 1960 is likely to see out its centenary in style. What a wine! To taste so many mature vintages of Ch. Lafite Rothschild is a rare and special treat – offering unforgettable insight into a Bordeaux legend. Now, where can I find that 1959…? Browse all Ch. Lafite Rothschld listings, find out more about our events or read more about Bordeaux

Ch. Lafite Rothschild is rightfully revered. The Pauillac First Growth crafts some of the most refined wines in Bordeaux. At a recent dinner, we had the chance to explore the fingerprint of this special estate and its extraordinary ability to age

Exploring Pauillac First Growth Chateau Lafite Rothschild through the lens of an extraordinary vertical at Waddesdon Manor

Chateau Lafite Rothschild through the ages

Ch. Lafite Rothschild through the ages

Juliette Couderc didn’t have the easiest start at Ch. l’Evangile. She arrived in September 2020, in the heart of the pandemic, and just in time for the 2021 growing season – a vintage that saw incredible mildew pressure and a return to the chaptalisation that was, pre-climate change, normal for the region.  But the 31-year-old isn’t one to shy away from a battle. The Sunday before I spoke to her, she’d broken a finger playing rugby – something about which she was particularly blasé (it was “very, very blue”, she told me). Indeed, she used to play fullback for Narbonne’s team in the Fédérale 1 league, and now represents the local Libourne squad. In a wine region that is dominated by the slick and suited, she’s a breath of fresh air.  Born in the Charente, Couderc studied winemaking in Bordeaux and Montpellier before travelling to opposite ends of the earth – Chile and then New Zealand – to learn her craft. But L’Evangile – one of Pomerol’s most respected names – is a far cry from the wineries she started in. Both Escudo Rojo (a Mouton Rothschild project) and Wairau River in Marlborough were big operations, giving her exposure to larger-scale winemaking. She returned to France and worked her way through Burgundy and the Rhône before settling in the Languedoc for several years, focusing on viticulture. It was here that she first met Olivier Trégoat, who was then Technical Director of Domaines Barons de Rothschild’s projects in Chile, China and the Languedoc. In 2017, he recruited her – then aged just 26 – to head up the vineyards for Long Dai, their winery in Shandong Province. She’d planned to only stay a year, but then she was made Technical Director, managing work in both the vineyards and winery. It was Covid’s arrival, along with China’s strict lockdowns, that saw her return home – and Olivier Trégoat, who had just taken the reins for L’Evangile and Rieussec gave the talented winemaker her next opportunity, as Chief Operating Officer at Ch. l’Evangile.  For the rest of the team – including a Cellar Master that had been there 20 years – she may not have been the obvious choice. Despite growing up just an hour away, the 29-year-old had never worked in Bordeaux, let alone one of the region’s top estates – one that is sibling to First Growth Ch. Lafite Rothschild.  “At the beginning, it was pretty stressful for me,” she confesses, “because I’m pretty young in comparison to the rest of the team.” But it didn’t take long for them to realise why she’d been chosen. She’s not the sort to sit behind a desk. She was instantly out in the vineyards and winery talking to the team, digging into the DNA of the estate – and gently starting to question why they did things this way and that.  Baron Eric de Rothschild bought shares in Ch. l’Evangile in 1990, taking full ownership in 1998. Significant investment and change followed, with a new winery completed in 2004, extensive replanting and an additional seven hectares bought to complement the original 15. Bearing in mind the Rothschild family has owned Lafite since 1868, L’Evangile is just a baby – but that hasn’t held them back. Robert Parker gave the 2009 vintage 100 points – and the estate has been a cult address ever since.  L'Evangile is big by Pomerol standards, with 22 hectares spread over various sites. Between four and five hectares sit on the appellation’s famous blue clay (shared by Pétrus), with the rest on sandy clay and gravel soils. It’s the Merlot from that blue clay that contributes the creaminess that is key to the property’s fingerprint – along with soft yet dense tannins. Couderc is looking to make sure that that fingerprint shines through in the wines, even with climate change.  Her appointment is part of an ongoing shift at Domaines Barons de Rothschild. Since Saskia de Rothschild took over in 2018, she’s been pushing for a new vision, putting Jean-Sébastien Philippe in place as her right-hand man, and a flurry of fresh faces throughout the company, with the hope to move from “aristocratic” to “up-to-date” – and certainly more approachable, breaking the fourth wall to talk to consumers. This is the new generation taking over at the highest level. The broader vision is enormous, with the cornerstone establishing an agricultural ecosystem. They are reintroducing corridors of vegetation, establishing ponds and natural waterways, and planting cover crops to improve biodiversity and soil health. They’re re-structuring the vineyards, breaking up plots into smaller parcels, reducing vineyard density, re-orienting vines and adjusting the trellising, working on massal selections and trial plantings of different varieties, as well as moving towards biodynamics – all with extensive trials and studies to ensure changes are for the long-term. Indeed L’Evangile has become a “laboratory” of sorts for the family, with many of these changes introduced at the smaller estate before they are implemented at Lafite. At L’Evangile, the aim has been to pull back – unmasking the terroir. Couderc is experimenting with ways to manage extremes – both drought conditions (as experienced in 2022) and mildew (as in 2021). One key from her point of view is managing the vineyard to retain freshness in the wines – reducing the canopy size and using cover crops, as well as farming both organically (certified since 2016) and biodynamically (certified since 2018).   When she first arrived, she plotted areas to harvest based on how the fruit tasted, planting flags to mark off areas, often stopping partway along a row. Although having done it “blind”, the final map matched up with the different soil types almost exactly. The differences between these parcels are particularly accentuated in hot years, with as much as a week between harvest dates for plots. And, as Couderc tells me, while once they might have waited a little, with warmer September days, finding exactly the right moment to pick has never been so important.   With each parcel harvested separately, it can be treated differently, Couderc explains – pushing the extraction of Merlot on the blue clay, for example, but being more careful for gravel-dominant sections which can bring overly “straight” tannins.  She’s also planting more Cabernet Franc, having seen the success of the variety on sandy plots. Naturally more resistant to mildew and bringing welcome freshness, she feels it will be key for the future – and aims to have it represent around 30% of the vineyards eventually (up from around 20% currently).   In the winery, élevage has been the focus – tweaking to find the right balance. She’s worked closely with Trégoat, Saskia de Rothschild and the cooper Taransaud to find the right oak profile, which has then been translated across three additional coopers (including the Rothschilds’ in-house operation) for barriques, as well as starting to use both foudres and amphorae. For Couderc, amphorae are tricky – with a risk of crude tannins, but the ability to emphasise tension and freshness which she likes, anticipating they will represent a small but important 8-15% of the final blend each vintage. Foudres were trialled on the second wine (Blason de l’Evangile) first, but will now also be used for the Grand Vin. With the natural generosity of Merlot, Couderc sees her job as “to keep the austerity, the freshness” of the wine – while also preserving the innate density of their terroir.  Tasting through a flight of vintages, it’s easy to see the transformation that is underway here. The 2015, for example, is one of the last “old-style” vintages, only enhanced by the generosity of the year. The wine is exotic, rich and ripe – a voluptuous, decadent wine that envelops you. By contrast, the 2019 and 2020 display a crunch and vibrancy, while not losing any of the property’s signature density. The 2022, meanwhile, manages to take the generosity of the year and contain it – with restrained precision and perfume, smooth but gravelly tannins and a seductively lighweight feel.  It's clear already that Couderc is set to be a star – and L’Evangile will only rise higher with her.   Browse all Ch. l’Evangile listings or read more about Bordeaux 

 One of the newest members of the team is Juliette Couderc – who took over as Chief Operating Officer at Ch. l’Evangile in 2020, aged just 29. Sophie Thorpe sat down with the vigneron to talk about Lafite’s Pomerol sibling and the evolution at this prestigious stable of estates

Sitting down with star vigneron Juliette Couderc, the Chief Operating Officer at Pomerol’s Ch. l’Evangile – owned by First Growth Ch. Lafite Rothschild

Talking to Juliette Couderc of Ch. l’Evangile

All change: evolution at Evangile

It’s never easy to pick a favourite vintage for drinking now. But producers’ eyes light up when asked, as they think back to the best bottles – and moments. Of course, it’s all a matter of taste. There are collectors who love very mature wines, while others are much more taken by younger vintages, still with a bit of primary fruit. Winemaking has also changed and – while most top Bordeaux is made for the long run – more modern vintages, with more precise viticulture and vinification, are much more approachable in their youth. 
The youngest vintages to enjoy now: 2017, 2013, 2009 + 2003 
Like many Pomerols, with their opulent fruit profile and rounded tannins, Ch. Lafleur can be enjoyed young, admits Lafleur’s cellarmaster Omri Ram. “But it’s like going to a Pink Floyd concert and leaving after the first 10 minutes. It is brilliant – but you miss so much,” he explains. Lafleur’s other Pomerol wine, Les Pensées, comes from clay soils and it is this that makes the wine that much more accessible at a younger age compared to Lafleur, from gravel soils. Ram believes, however, that the 2013 Lafleur is drinking beautifully now, despite its youth. 
Similarly, on the Left Bank, Léoville Barton’s Damien Sartorius believes that while some vintages are better with 30 years of age (2010 or 2016, say), most, especially the in-between, “off” years are best enjoyed younger – and can offer great value. “I’m very happy drinking a Lynch Bages or Poyferré from 2013 today – they’re lovely wines and it’s a lot cheaper,” he says. 
For Ducru-Beaucaillou’s Bruno Borie, choosing what vintage to drink depends on many factors: “When it’s sunny, I like to drink younger vintages. When it is cold and wintry, I prefer mature vintages, but temperature, air pressure, food, and company all plays a part in identifying what vintage to drink.” He believes even a Ducru as young as 2017 is beautiful to drink now. While he thinks the vintage was written off by the press, it is an elegant vintage and already offers great pleasure with food. Bigger vintages, such as 2010, on the other hand, still require ageing. 
Ch. Margaux, while distinctly elegant, has always been a wine built to last and winemaker Philippe Bascaules wouldn’t touch anything younger than 2009 – even the lighter 2011, ’12 and ’13 vintages, he believes, are too young. But 2009 bucks the trend in terms of its approachability: for Bascaules, it has always been enjoyable. It’s “a great wine with exceptional, very creamy texture, opulence, so powerful but not at all aggressive”, he explains. Ch. Rauzan-Ségla’s Nicolas Audebert’s pick of the younger vintages is 2003. “If 2003s are well done – as in not too much – it is extremely nice to drink. Good terroir combined with slow evolution means after 15 years in bottle it is now showing beautifully. Taste it blind and you wouldn’t think it was a such a warm year,” he suggests.
 
Under-rated and excellent now: 2014, 2012, 2011, 2004, 2001 + 1999 
Most agree that the 2001 vintage was underrated on release, drowned out by the fanfare surrounding both 2000 and 2003. “The 2001 is a very nice vintage to rediscover,” explains Audebert. “It disappeared after the hype of 2000, but it certainly has stood up well to the more celebrated vintages.” Similarly, he believes the 2011 shared a similar fate. “After the release of 2010, 2011 suffered, but it is a very nice, interesting vintage. Not showing off, but is very elegant, a very smart vintage and developing slowly.” 
Like many of the top wines of Bordeaux, you have to be patient with Ch. Lafite-Rothschild. “We make wine for the long run,” says the property’s International Director Jean-Sébastien Philippe. For him, a good vintage is a wine that seems to appear younger, the older it gets. Despite the long-term ageing potential of Lafite, the 2004 is a moderately young wine that he believes is great to enjoy now.  “It has always been very classic, but very closed and therefore underrated. With maturity, it has become an amazing wine to rediscover now,” he says. Bascaules also believes 2004 to be one of the more underrated vintages at Ch. Margaux, again because its sits between the two revered years, 2005 and 2003.  “But it’s much better than people think,” he says. “The tannins are now starting to be soft. It is very concentrated, the nose is very open. It’s very complex.” For Bascaules, the 1999 is another wine that has flown under the radar but is at its best now. “It was a very hot vintage, but not very concentrated. Therefore, the tannins are very ripe and soft, the texture is very resolved, yet the nose is still young,” he explains. 
Ram echoes Bascaules in singing 1999’s praises, with the Grand Vin at Lafleur at its peak. “It is drinking beautifully now, if you can find it, and you will get more pleasure drinking ’99 than the 2000 today. It shows beautiful balance, power versus elegance. Density versus lift. All these contradictions of fine wine show really well in the 1999. The 2000 still behaves like a juvenile in comparison.” 
He also loves 2014: “It’s an underappreciated vintage, but it is the last classical vintage in Bordeaux – charming, elegant, sophisticated.” The 2014 Ch. Canon is a perfect example, drinking beautifully now. He also highlights how successful Saint-Estèphe was that year, with lots of great wines to choose from and well-priced for the quality. For Sartorius, there is a lot of value to be found in 2012: “Léoville Las Cases, Ducru-Beaucaillou, at a very good price – they’re so good and deliver so much,” he says. 

At their peak: 2000, 1996, 1995, 1989, 1986, 1985 + 1983 
For Bascaules, Margaux at 20-30 years old is perfect. “1989 is probably drinking at its optimum today,” he says, “as is 1990. The 1985’s nose is tertiary but there is still fruit too. I like a bit of fruit still in the wine. The 1983 is a great wine and great to drink today.”
The 1983 was a classic vintage throughout the Margaux appellation, and much better than the more revered 1982, believes Audebert: “The 1983 in Margaux is much more interesting, whereas the 1982 is in danger of being over ripe.”  He explains that a ripe vintage and high volumes – at that time – was uncommon, and therefore often not something the era’s winemakers were equipped to handle. He argues that this has resulted in some 1982s from Margaux being a bit tired, producing “tapenade, metallic flavours”, and lacking vibrancy. 
Ram’s favourite vintage ever of Les Pensées has to be the 2000 – he explains it was “the first real blueprint” for the modern Les Pensées, when it switched from being a second wine to being an expression of the clay soils at Lafleur. Combine this with the fact that 2000 was a great vintage and you have a superb wine that is symbolic too. 
The 1986 is Lafite’s pick for drinking now. For Philippe, it shows what the estate is capable of: “It is the vintage that can help you really understand Lafite – the emotion and the precision,” he says. 
Wines for the ages: 1955 + 1964 Ch. Canon, 1916 Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou 
While many Clarets will reach their 50th birthday, some vintages can last even longer. Nicolas Audebert recently tasted Ch. Canon from 1955 and ’64, two fantastic vintages for the château, which were both still drinking beautifully. Bruno Borie more recently enjoyed a 1916 Ducru-Beaucaillou that was still in form. It is a particularly interesting vintage since it was a wine made only by women, as the men were at war.  A lovely note from the cellar master of the time suggests that “the wine might be too powerful, rich and strong for the trade”. “I’m not sure if the trade would feel the same way these days,” laughs Borie. “At 104 years old, it proves it is important to make wines with sufficient structure to pass 100 years. Even today, the wine still has plenty of character.”


We spoke to some of the region’s leading names – from the likes of Chx Canon , Ducru-Beaucaillou , Lafite-Rothschild , Lafleur and Margaux – to find out which vintages they think are at their best right now.

Chx Canon, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Lafite-Rothschild, Lafleur and Margaux on which Bordeaux vintages are entering their drinking window

Bordeaux wine vintages ready to drink now

Bordeaux vintages to drink now

The 2020 vintage was challenging for most vignerons. But for the Durantou family, it was a year that demanded everything of them. Denis Durantou – patriarch and leading light of Pomerol – passed away on 12th May. For many people, their day-job would be the last thing on their minds. But for the Durantous, they threw themselves into work, into the vines.  “Dad passed away right in the middle of the pouring rain in spring," Noëmie Durantou 
Reilhac, Denis’s daughter – who has taken over running the estate – explains. “… Working is our way to deal with things.” With the rain, there was immense mildew pressure and risk to their crop – they had to go on, getting into the vineyard to spray and protect their fruit. Her voice unsurprisingly thick with emotion, she tells me how it was a way to be close to her father – in amongst the vines that he so loved.   Denis Durantou was first and foremost a vigneron – an increasingly rare breed in the polished world of Bordeaux. While Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet had been in the Durantou family for generations, it was leased out to Pierre Lasserre of neighbouring Clos René for over 40 years. Denis arrived in 1982, fully taking over the property a year later, and transforming the then rustic estate into one of the region’s most respected.   The 1998 vintage was pivotal – putting the property, and the talents of Denis Durantou, firmly on the map. While the wines earned high scores (and even higher prices), Denis remained grounded. He continued to run the show, staying just as involved in the day-to-day work; walking the vines and making the wine, getting dirt under his fingernails.  As the reputation of l’Eglise-Clinet soared, he became committed to producing more affordable, “everyday” wines. He acquired Ch. les Cruzelles (in Lalande-de-Pomerol in 2000) and Montlandrie (in the Côtes de Castillon in 2009), while also leasing vines in Saint-Emilion at Saintayme (from 2012). These “lesser” wines might not have been the reason for his fame, but they have long been an insider choice – offering stunning value. Each of his wines was made with precision, finesse and elegance – but he constantly questioned his decisions and sought to do better.  While Denis himself may have passed away, his passion and philosophy lives on. There was something very salt-of-the-earth about the way that Noëmie tells me: “When you have no choice, you have to take action.” The family – Denis’s widow and artist Marie Reilhac, and his three daughters, Alix, Constance and Noëmie – pulled together, dedicating themselves to crafting wines worthy of Denis’s legacy. Not – of course – that they’d take any of the credit.  “We can thank the vines,” Noëmie tells me. “They are living beings and we ask them to go through a lot.” Explaining the unusually extreme conditions of 2020, she says: “If you were drinking a gallon of water every hour for a month, and then no water for two months…”  The vintage kept them on their toes, but for Noëmie it was a fascinating and exciting year, one she saw as an opportunity to learn more than ever. While the property’s style is always elegant, with careful extraction and cool fermentations (never over 25 or 26˚C), this year that was particularly crucial because of the thick skins and ripeness of the fruit. “I like this idea that the vines had gone through so much, [we] had to treat [them] with delicacy,” Noëmie explains.  As for the wines, she’s pleased – and thinks they’ll be even better in six months’ time when they’ve finished élevage. She describes them as very fruity and juicy, but like “a flower garden in the rain”. For her, élevage was of particular importance this year – a risk that it could have been “very charming, very seductive, but not as deep as it could be”. Time in barrel, however, has brought depth to the year’s “flashy fruit”.   The emphasis chez Durantou is on purity of fruit, and expressing each property’s respective site. The barrels used are key: they have always been very loyal to Darnajou. Denis conducted many trials over the years, and the aim is to bring texture – rather than flavour – to the wine with oak. “We want the pure flavour of the bunches of the vines,” Noëmie says. This is why their barrels are double-toasted, to avoid a vanillin character. They find Darnajou lends “sucrosity” – but it’s not wooden or too smoky, something they want to avoid. They use a tiny percentage of Taransaud as well – barrels that are “much more exotic and vanilla-like” – but only want a touch, as this intensity can easily overpower the wine.   Our conversation drifts into white Bordeaux – prompting a twinkle in her eye. “I’m a huge admirer of white winemakers – it’s so technical, you have basically 48 hours. With red wine, you have this little margin to adjust…” So can we look forward to white wines joining the Durantou portfolio? “I would love to – but I have a lot on my plate right now,” she says, laughing. “It might not be for another decade, definitely. First, I want to make sure things go well here.”  Heading up the team, working with Olivier Gautrat (who worked with Denis for 20 years), there’s certainly a lot for Noëmie to tackle – including the current replanting of plots used for La Petite Eglise, l’Eglise-Clinet’s second wine. But she’s not doing it alone – along with her mother, sisters and the rest of the team (“I have an amazing team – I loved working with them,” Noëmie gushes to me).   If the 2020s are any indication, there are no concerns about Denis’s legacy. These are stunning wines, with an aromatic finesse that belies the warmth of the year. Delicate florals are complemented by a glorious weight of fruit, fine but structured tannins, and yet also great freshness.   Only in her 20s, Noëmie is clearly talented – and her love of the vine shines through. Talking to her is energising, her joy infectious – but what is apparent is how she empathises with her vines. She might look fashionable in a tan leather jacket on our call, but you can feel that she’d sooner throw it off to get her hands dirty. She’s not just a winemaker, but a sensitive farmer. While I never had the privilege of meeting her father, I can only imagine he’d be incredibly proud.  Find out more about Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet or read more Editorial

Having taken over from her late father, Denis Durantou, Noëmie Durantou Reilhac of Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet tells Sophie Thorpe how the vines were a constant in an emotionally wrought year – and what lies ahead for the vigneron family 

Noëmie Durantou Reilhac of Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet on how the vines were a constant in an emotionally wrought year – and what lies ahead for the vigneron family 

Ch.’Eglise Clinet's constant farmer

The constant farmer: Noëmie Durantou Reilhac

For many, the past 12 months meant working in isolation and big plans were shelved. At Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), it was an extremely proactive year of change. These changes have resulted in the strongest line up of wines from the Lafite stable we can remember. Ch. Duhart-Milon has seen a massive step up in quality with their 2020, and Lafite has reached new levels of ethereal finesse – while their Pomerol property, L’Evangile, has found fantastic freshness and clarity without losing any of its Pomerol opulence. They are a unique line-up of wines, each brimming with personality. As the demands for precision viticulture becomes more established in today’s top-flight Bordeaux, the leading First Growth estates know they must be at the forefront of these changes if they are to maintain their preeminent stature. Ch. Lafite Rothschild and its fellow Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) estates of L’Evangile, Duhart-Milon and Rieussec are no different. In this dynamic period for Bordeaux such changes and improvements have taken many forms. Perhaps the most visibly apparent development at DBR Lafite is the new winemaking facility for Ch. Duhart-Milon right in the centre of Pauillac’s town centre. It fortunately came into operation just in time for the 2020 vintage.  DBR Lafite’s International Director Jean-Sébastien Philippe believes the exceptional state-of-the-art facility has brought “a new level of precision to the wine”. The introduction of temperature-controlled, smaller vats allows for plot-by-plot fermentation, picking the grapes only at optimum ripeness, rather than lumped all together in one vat. On tasting, it has clearly made a huge impact on the wine, with better ripeness to the tannins. It has really captured the finesse so typical of its bigger sibling Lafite. The clarity of fruit is fantastic and is a big step up for the estate. Perhaps less visible but no less significant is the new team dynamic now operating at the properties, where a heightened level of collaboration has been instilled to better circumnavigate decisions made in the vineyard. Philippe is quick to point out that 2020 was what the French call “un millésime de vignerons”, in that the success or failure of the 2020 vintage lay firmly at the feet of those working in the vineyard. It was a growing season where many difficult decisions had to be made.  The 2020 vintage is in fact Lafite’s first full vintage working organically (and L’Evangile’s third) – no mean feat considering the outburst of mildew that threatened the vineyards in the wet spring. Never has collaboration and specialist know-how been more essential.  “We needed to question ourselves a lot,” admits Philippe, “and no one is right alone... It was a vintage where the vigneron was forced to question themselves every day. It was a vintage of contrast and team spirit. We had to think collectively across the team,” he adds.  It is the first year that the two flagship properties of L’Evangile and Lafite have had two separate dedicated Technical Directors with Eric Kohler remaining in charge of Lafite and Duhart-Milon, while Olivier Trégoat was able to focus on L’Evangile and Rieussec. Beyond the permanent staff at each château, the team was able to make use of a shared research and development team headed up by Manuela Brando. It was Brando’s crucial role to co-ordinate data, empirical research, and lead improvements while working collaboratively with the different teams in the vineyard. Something she has been doing with the Lafite team since 2015. This additional level of research has enabled the teams to make some bold decisions, resulting in some truly impressive wines in 2020. Although Lafite is consistently lower in alcohol than most other Pauillac properties, for the wine to come in at just 12.8% alcohol in what was a dry, hot vintage is staggering. Beyond that, the wine is no less detailed or impactful for it, bringing a level of the ethereal into the Pauillac structure. It is an extraordinary wine – so light on its feet, yet deceptively structured with fantastic depth. There are few estates with the confidence to produce a Pauillac of such finesse, but it remains Lafite’s signature. At L’Evangile, their courage was displayed at harvest. Philippe is proud to admit they were the first property out picking in the vineyards of Pomerol – determined to capture the freshness of the vintage. They had picked 80% of the entire crop prior to the heatwave that hit the Right Bank between 12th and 14th September.  “With the natural richness and maturity of the grapes, we are always looking for freshness and balance,” says Philippe, “always trying to make wines that seem younger the older the wines get.” At L’Evangile, they took another brave step and reduced the cuvaison period from 28 days' maceration on skins down to 21-23 days. This was another way to increase freshness in the wine. They also reduced the new oak to 50% (previously it made up 80%). But the key for Philippe was “to be very precise at assemblage”. “It is important to have as many lots of wines as possible to taste when blending,” he says. “2020 is a vintage which required tough decisions – there was no room for compromise.”  L’Evangile is undoubtedly very special this year. Perhaps even better than 2019, which was already very good. The wine has great generosity, so typical of Pomerol, but is more elegant in 2020. What is so impressive about the wine is its sustain on the palate: it has incredible length, and the clarity of fruit just stays with you right to the finish. Changes are far from over at Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), as plenty of further experimentation continues behind the scenes. But what is abundantly clear with the 2020 wines is their investment and commitment to collaborative viticulture is setting a precedent amongst the elite of Bordeaux – and the wines have never been more precise. Browse all Lafite listings or read more Editorial 

Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)’s Jean-Sébastien Philippe speaks to Gavin Smith about the benefits of collaboration amongst its châteaux – Lafite, L’Evangile, Rieussec and Duhart-Milon

Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)’s Jean-Sébastien Philippe on the benefits of collaboration amongst  Lafite, L’Evangile, Rieussec and Duhart-Milon

Domaines Barons de Rothschild year of innovation

Domaines Barons de Rothschild: a year of innovation

2020 Calon Ségur, Saint-Estèphe This Calon Ségur has a lovely interplay of earthy, mineral notes with a touch of smokiness, fresh leather and concentrated berry fruit aromas, all beautifully compacted on a focused nose. The wine starts surprisingly supple with the soft, ripe yet detailed tannins slowly building on the palate. This wine takes you by surprise, becoming more and more focused on the palate. There is a lovely pristine quality to the fruit, an equilibrium and tension to the wine. Alongside the fruit are sweeter dark chocolate notes and green herbal tones providing a complex flavour spectrum on the mid-palate. It finishes with great energy, verve and vibrant acidity. The more clay-like Saint Estèphe minerality really comes through on the finish. Excellent. 2020 Ch. Pichon Comtesse, Pauillac There are few wines in 2020 that have such a distinct Pauillac character than the Pichon Comtesse, bristling with pure pencil-lead graphite minerality, backed by earthy notes and toasted spices. There is a lovely suppleness to the wine – very juicy, fresh and ripe but with no hint of over-ripeness, and an underlying mouth-watering salinity. This is a complex palate with plenty going on – baked black fruit, redcurrant, liquorice and a greener, vinous element too. With over 72% Cabernet in the blend (65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc), it is no surprise the wine has amazing focus, freshness and direction on the palate. The fruit remains crisp and fresh throughout, the cassis beautifully entwined with the graphite notes, all focusing right to the back of the palate. The balance and poise is exceptional, giving real energy to the fantail finish. 2020 Ch. Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien The 2020 Ch. Léoville Barton takes a while to emerge from the glass, but when it does it is boysenberry bright, shifting to pure dark blackcurrant, cedar and soft spice, with an almost orange zest freshness and a scented, floral lift. On the palate, this is beautiful – powerful and fine textured. There’s a vibrancy to the acidity, bringing precision and clarity to the fruit expression, while the powdery tannins have an almost parma violet feel to them. Fresh and lush, there’s a brightness to the blackcurrant and redcurrant fruit that carries to the long finish. Elegant, pure, with much more to come. 2020 Ch. Margaux, Margaux While closed at first, the aromatics of the 2020 Ch. Margaux develops beautifully with air, releasing a complex array of peony, rose floral and menthol aromas with warmer toasted spice notes. There is a lovely concentration and density to the palate both in terms of fruit concentration and tannin detail. The pristine red and black fruit is so fresh and juicy but compacted by the tannins, focusing the wine right down the centre of the palate, providing extraordinary depth. High quality oak tones – cedar and spice – bite at the fruit, creating an
amazing layering effect of spice, fruit and tannin. The handling of the oak is excellent. While very present, it keeps the wine focused and manages the sheer abundance of tannins on the mid-palate. This is a wine built to last.  2020 Ch. les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan This 2020 Ch. les Carmes Haut-Brion starts a little reticent, a dark brooding nose that slowly opens to reveal a lovely balancing concoction of aromas across the fruit and floral spectrum. Fresh blackcurrant chimes with greener herbal notes giving lift to the nose and an overwhelming sense of freshness. The tannins are concentrated, detailed, fully resolved and – more than anything – they have an energy that excites the palate. The clarity of fruit is exceptional, it almost feels like you are
crunching on fresh berries – it is pristine. This is beautifully balanced, awash with freshness, while the lovely Cabernet Franc herbal notes add florality and lift to the palate. 2020 Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan The 2020 Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte is plump, dark and a little brooding on the nose, with a mineral note and something a little animal. On the palate, it’s similarly dark-fruited but with savoury depths to complement the quite plush blackberry and black plum fruit. It’s fulsome and round – but with a saline freshness. There is real purity and concentration to the waves of dark, fresh fruit – ripe and plump blackberries and dark plum. The tannins are really ripe and beautifully melded, yet present, providing the necessary structure. This is delicious, and quite moreish with that salinity complementing the otherwise dark-fruited profile. 2020 Ch. Angélus, Saint-Emilion Angélus has produced a profound wine in 2020, continuing a clear move that we’ve seen over the last four years or so – away from power and towards elegance. The team rightly says the 2020 has a “sublimity” to it. It also showcases the finer detail of the Right Bank wines this year – a beautiful, delicate, floral, peony scent, matched by wonderfully dark, smoky, toasted spice, fruitier baked berries and lighter, buttery, pastry notes. The wine has fantastic texture, with detailed but perfectly ripe tannins that ripple across the palate, coated in dense, concentrated forest fruit of fantastic purity. The Cabernet Franc brings mouth-watering freshness and a minerality too. The assemblage is 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc with part of the Cabernet aged in 30hl foudre (the latter to reduce the Cabernet Franc’s exposure to oxygen).This is plush but beautifully elegant Angélus. A magical wine. 2020 Ch. Canon, Saint-Emilion An abundance of fresh fruit aromas along with saline, mineral and dry spice notes fill the nose. The fruit is darker in character to its neighbouring Ch. Berliquet (tasted alongside), but still straddles the red and black fruit spectrum nicely. The fruit is fantastically fresh. There is a wonderful equilibrium to the wine – while the fruit is pristine, there is no shortage of concentration and mid-palate roundness. The tannins are unbelievably fine, bringing an effortless, structural detail and depth to the wine, firming up on the finish, indicating there’s plenty more to give. The finish is extraordinarily long. This is exceptional, even for Ch. Canon. 2020 Ch. Clinet, Pomerol  The 2020 Ch. Clinet is an immense and stunning wine. The nose is rich with milk chocolate and dried fruit – but also something fresh and crunchy about it. There’s an exoticism to the wine’s expressive perfume – almost shisha-like. On the palate, this is thick, full, round and intense – a weighty
wine with a cocoa richness to it, but an incredible purity of dark berry and plummy fruit. There’s plenty of juicy acidity to offset the wine’s richness and mass of super-ripe tannins. Tight, dense and intense, this is a wine that needs time to fully unfurl. 2020 Enclos Tourmaline, Pomerol The Enclos Tourmaline is opaque in colour with a brooding, compacted nose. It has lovely high-quality, toasted oak notes of dry spice interspersed with iron-esque mineral tones and subtle floral, violet aromas. Ripe, pristine plum and blueberry fruit dominate the palate. The tannins are very detailed and fine. The palate is dense, rich and layered, but not over the
top, with lovely restraint and a distinct textural finesse. What’s more, there’s a vibrant acidic energy running straight down the middle of the palate, adding real excitement. The wine is backed by touch of firmness and good mineral underpinning. This is very well-balanced. Excellent. Explore Bordeaux or read more Editorial

Bordeaux produced some stunning wines in 2020. While we haven’t yet tasted everything – notably Chx Mouton and Lafite Rothschild – here’s our pick of our 10 favourites so far, wines that have really shone in this remarkable vintage

Explore our 10 favourite Bordeaux 2020 wines we have tasted so far, featuring Calon Ségur, Ch. Margaux, Clinet and Canon 

Ch. Lafite Rothschild

More about Ch. Lafite Rothschild

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