Lafite Rothschild 1978 (1.5L)

94 WS / 93 WA / 93 JA

Beautiful deep-garnet color, with classic Médoc flavors of plum, spice, earth and mineral. Tannic, well-balanced, mouth-filling, chewy in its intensity but needs time. - Wine Spectator

This has a warmer, more inviting nose than the previous wine, with perhaps a little more Merlot evident? There are scents of decayed red-berried fruits with cedar and a touch of hot bricks and together they make a compelling bouquet. Certainly this has impressive definition and clarity. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy entry, well-judged acidity and very natural in style. Elegant and feminine with supple, red-berried fruits, cranberry and a touch of bitter chocolate towards the finish. This has matured very well and is a beautiful, classic Lafite. - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate

The 1978 gathers force over the palate, and this is a gorgeous Lafite that is still full of pleasure. Showcases elegant, finessed tannins, with fragrant tobacco leaf, tumeric, smoke, black tea, wild strawberry and raspberry - basically a window into why this wine manages to hold such a grip on the imagination through its mix of concentration and elegance. Salivating, a wine to stretch out with over a long conversation, taking your time, enjoying the subtley and the freshness. Fully in its tertiary window, but it will stay on this easy-going plateau for another few decades. Low yields of 22.85hl/h, after a mixed summer but excellent late harvest, with the grapes coming in from October 2. New oak was inching upwards at this point from the 30% earlier in the 1970s, probably at this point somewhere around 50%. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux