Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2010

100 THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "2010 Lafite Rothschild – Produced from a blend of 87.2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12.8% Merlot, (which is close to what the estate used in 2005,) the wine opened with cedar, earth, minerality, cassis and forest floor aromatics. In the mouth, the wine is suave, polished and fresh, with layers of pure blackberry and spicy cassis. This is pure refined elegance. While not the most powerful First Growth, it’s the most regal in bearing. According to the Director, Charles Chevalier, part of the reason for the success in 2010 was due to less pumping over than usual. Chevalier added, with the high 13.5% alcohol level, his team spent more time watching over each individual vat during fermentation." 100 JAMES SUCKLING: "Believe the hype. Lafite is perfect in 2010. The nose is amazing with sweet tobacco, dark chocolate and currants. It is amazing. It’s like gazing into the blue sky in wonder after tasting this young wine. Full and powerful with amazing minerals, currants and bitter chocolate. It starts off slowly and then finishes with a bang. This is really layered and wonderful. It goes on and on. Stunning." 98 THE WINEADVOCATE: "The 2010 Lafite Rothschild, a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot (a 3% difference from the barrel sample shown two years ago), achieved relatively high alcohol of 13.32%, according to administrator Charles Chevalier. The wine is very impressive, not as fleshy, flamboyant and massive as the 2009, but nevertheless, a big, rich, full-throttle Lafite-Rothschild meant to age a half century or more. Deep purple, with notes of white chocolate, mocha, cedar and charcoal as well as hints of vanillin and creme de cassis, the wine is full-bodied yet has that ethereal lightness that makes it a Lafite. Rich, with good acidity, precision and freshness, this is a slightly zestier version of the 2009 as well as more restrained and structured than that particular vintage. It will need at least 10-12 years of cellaring and keep for 50+ years." Drink: 2023 - 2073. 98 DECANTER: "The youngest wine we had in the vertical, and clear evidence of how the 10 year rule for classified Bordeaux is far too soon for first growths in great vintages. For Lafite, this was the last great vintage before 2016 came around, and it probably needs another decade to really get into its stride - although five should do it to kick things off. The year began with a wet spring during flowering, so produced lower quantities than 2009. July, August and September were extremely dry with cool nights, perfect for the grapes, with a few touches of rain before harvest. The black fruit notes (cassis barely begins to cover it) have deepened and softened just the merest whisper since its first few years, and it´s still extremely young and concentrated. The tannins are starting to take on a truly silky, elevated quality, where the bilberry and blueberry fruit starts to melt right into them, finessed with touches of liquorice and slate. This is hugely complex, and it´s very hard to say when this will stop evolving." 97 WINESPECTATOR: "Rather tight, with an alluring whiff of cocoa that lures you in before disappearing into the core of steeped plum, roasted fig and blackberry coulis notes. Sandalwood, black tea and loam elements fill in on the long and expansive finish. This seems to be lying in wait for what could be a very long time in the cellar before unfurling fully. Best from 2018 through 2045. 15,833 cases made." 96+ ANTONIO GALLONI: "Deep ruby-purple. Closed but extremely pure and penetrating on the nose, offering delicate aromas of crushed blackcurrant, flint and graphite lifted by a perfumed violet topnote. Very refined and clean on the palate, with concentrated cassis, violet, ink and cedar flavors that are archetypal Lafite. Finishes with the hint of astringency that I find in a lot of 2010 Bordeaux. This is an extremely impressive Lafite but it needs at least a decade of cellaring."