2005 Château Lafite Rothschild – Pauillac
A wine of extraordinary finesse and quiet authority, the 2005 Lafite is a masterclass in restraint, precision and longevity. The bouquet is hauntingly pure, unfolding slowly with blackcurrant, graphite, crushed violets and warm gravel, accented by cedar, cigar wrapper and faint notes of pencil lead—an aromatic fingerprint only Lafite seems to possess. The palate is seamless and aristocratic, built not on power but perfect proportion: velvety tannins, luminous acidity and a core of refined Cabernet fruit that glides rather than pushes. Still youthful, still reserved, it is a wine that speaks in measured tones yet leaves a profound impression. Architectural in structure and timeless in style, this is first-growth classicism at its most dignified. Corked Points: 98
Sommeliers dairy #43 09. October 2025
