Château Lafite Rothschild 2018 Coffret Almanach 150 ans (Magnum)

Wineadvocate

The 2018 Lafite Rothschild is blended of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot and has 13.3% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it needs a fair bit of swirling to unlock intoxicating scents of blackcurrant cordial, baked plums and black cherry compote with an undercurrent of dark chocolate, licorice, cast-iron pan, cedar chest and fertile loam, plus a waft of pencil lead. The delicately crafted, medium-bodied palate is dripping with class, featuring layers of mineral-laced black fruits and exquisitely ripe, singularly Lafite tannins, finishing with epic length and depth. This simply stunning, delicately crafted expression of 2018 with its singularly evocative imprint of Lafite will require a good 7-8 years in bottle, then should continue to inspire awe over the following 40+ years. - LP 03/2021

Vinous

The 2018 Lafite-Rothschild is a stunning wine. Silky and floral, the 2018 offers all the signatures of the Grand Vin, but amplified by the radiance of the year. In the glass, Lafite is rich and exotic, yet it also retains tremendous vibrancy. The interplay of Merlot picked early and Cabernet Sauvignon harvested late makes for wine of extraordinary dimension, complexity and class. Graphite, dark red fruit, spice and leather linger on the huge finish. Magnificent! - AG 03/2021

Beck

Bouquet subtil, complexe. Il se révèle très lentement et laisse apparaitre de classiques nuances fruitées. Il est plutôt marqué par des notes de baies rouges, respectivement de framboises puis par des nuances de mures et, finalement, par des notes de réglisse et de pivoines. En bouche le vin est fin, subtilement élancé et crémeux. Il est doté d'une trame tannique exceptionnelle et parvient à briller par sa finesse, tout en soulignant sa puissance ! J'ai d'ailleurs rarement dégusté Lafite Rothschild avec autant de race et de caractère. Les tannins sont serrés et sont en phase avec le tempérament et la tension de l'acidité. Tout est dans la précision, dans la race, dans la finesse de grain et dans l'aptitude des tannins à se révéler lentement avec pertinence et précision. Un vin qui met en avant sa puissance sans être massif et, surtout, qui ne titre que 13.3% d'alcool, ce qui est très rare pour 2018 ! C'est un très grand Lafite. 2026-2060 - YB 2020

Suckling

20 Jan, 2021 – Wow. The aromas are so intense and refined at the same time, offering gorgeous blackcurrant, lead-pencil and orchid character. Such purity of fruit. Sleek and finely polished with a fine cut to the tannins that provide such grace and glamor. Yet, it’s got the power and structure to age for decades. On and on. Try after 2029.

Dunnuck

Checking in as a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot, the 2018 Château Lafite-Rothschild is one of those magical Lafites that offers an already up-front, complex, nuanced style yet has the class and balance to evolve for 40-50 years. As always, this wine is never about sheer power, and the 2018 offers a full-bodied, incredibly elegant and weightless style that carries textbook blackcurrant fruits, lead pencil shavings, green tobacco, cedarwood, and camphor aromas and flavors. I compared this wine to a more elegant version of the 2016 from barrel and I think that comparison still holds. Incredibly up-front and charming, and already drinkable with sweet tannins, it will unquestionably pick up more complexity and nuance over the coming 4-6 years. It should hit maturity around age 10 and evolve for 75 years or more given its perfect balance. This is a beautiful, quintessential Lafite that exudes elegance and charm. - JD 11/2021