The 1996 Lafite Rothschild was spectacularly powerful and rich, somewhat atypically intense and concentrated for Lafite. It is a gorgeous expression of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon from this great terroir. Remarkably, only 38% of the production made it into the 1996 Lafite, and it is a wine for the ages. Still an infant, it is capable of lasting another 50 or more years. 100 points.

Tasted three times since bottling, the 1996 Lafite is unquestionably this renowned estate’s greatest wine since the 1986 and the 1982. As I indicated last year, only 38% of the crop was deemed grand enough to be put into the final blend, which is atypically high in Cabernet Sauvignon (83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot). This massive wine may be the biggest, largest-scaled Lafite I have ever tasted. It will require many years to come around, so I suspect a lot of us past the age of fifty might want to give serious consideration as to whether we should be laying away multiple cases of this wine. It is also the first Lafite to be put into a new engraved bottle (designed to prevent fraudulent imitations). The wine exhibits a thick-looking, ruby/purple colour, and a knock-out nose of lead pencil, minerals, flowers, and black currant scents. Extremely powerful and full-bodied, with remarkable complexity and for such a young wine, this huge Lafite is oozing with extract and richness, yet has managed to preserve its quintessentially elegant personality. This wine is even richer than it was prior to bottling. It should unquestionably last for 40-50 years. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2050. The wine of the vintage?

This is an extraordinary Lafite, possibly the finest since 1986 and 1982.The wine boasts an opaque purple color, as well as a fabulous nose of tobacco, lead pencil, minerals, and red and black currant fruit. On the palate, this is powerful, yet it has not lost any of its quintessential elegant personality. Medium to full bodied, with outstanding ripeness, layers of fruit, high tannin, sweet rather than astringent, and an exceptionally long, well-balanced finish, this wine will require a minimum of 10-15 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2014

The 1996 Lafite-Rothschild was remarkably deep in color considering that it is now 20 years in age. The bouquet is classic Pauillac with pencil shavings and sous-bois infusing the black fruit, masculine and a little aloof, yet focused and very well delineated. The palate is very well balanced with crisp blackberry and boysenberry fruit, spicier than I recollect, a crescendo of flavors so that it seems understated at first but fans out with a sense of confidence towards the finish. I think this still has more to give so cellar it away for another 5-8 years if you can, but otherwise this is an exemplary Lafite-Rothschild that I can envisage getting better and better in bottle, if not quite as enthralling as either Mouton-Rothschild or Château Margaux. Tasted July 2016. Drink 2020-2050

Very intense nose and very obviously intense, ripe Cabernet. Essence of 1996 though not yet comfortable to drink. Very rich and intense and focussed. Long and reverberating. Drink 2010-25

I expected the 2000 Lafite Rothschild to be much too young, but I was blown away by how it performed at this meal. A classic Lafite with notes of lead pencil shavings and black currants as well as a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, it possessed striking intensity as well as aromatics. The wine seemed more evolved than I remember, but it is still an adolescent in terms of maturity. This beautiful, rich, full offering is a stunning achievement.

Since I gave this wine a perfect score, I suppose some could see this as a downgrade. I found everything still there for a perfect rating, but I was just struck by how tight and backward the wine was. A blend of 93.3% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, the wine still has a dark ruby/purple color and an extraordinarily youthful nose of graphite, black currants, sweet, unsmoked cigar tobacco, and flowers. The wine is rich, medium to full-bodied, but has that ethereal elegance and purity that is always Lafite. I originally predicted that it would first reach maturity in 2011, but I would push that back by 5-7 years now, although it has 50-60 years of life in front of it. Owners of this beauty are probably best advised to forget it for 5 years. Tasted next to a 1996 several days after the 2000 tasting, the 1996, which is a perfect wine, was far closer to full maturity than the 2000.

The opaque purple-colored 2000 Lafite Rothschild has put on weight during its élevage. Despite the fact the fact that it is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and only 7% Merlot, it is the essence of Lafite, a fuller, riper, more concentrated, and muscular version of the 1999 and 1998. While the 2000 does not yet reveal the aromatic complexity of the 1999, it boasts layers of concentration as well as phenomenal purity and personality. The finish lasts more than a minute. It is a compelling effort (only 46% of the crop made it into Lafite) from what is undoubtedly the greatest vintage Bordeaux has enjoyed from a perspective of the number of prodigous wines produced. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2050.

Well, well, well - Lafite Rothschild does it again. Ever since manager Charles Chevalier was transferred from his beloved Sauternes property of Rieussec (also owned by the Rothschilds) to Lafite in 1994, there has been a succession of profound wines to emerge from this noble estate. The 2000 Lafite Rothschild, a blend of 93.3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.7% Merlot (only 36% of the crop made the grade) has an opaque ruby/purple color, followed by an extraordinary aromatic expression of liquid minerals/stones interwoven with the tell-tale graphite notes, mulberry, black currants, caramel, and tobacco. In the mouth, it is remarkably light on its feet, but somehow seems to pack intense flavors into layer upon layer of fruit and richness that cascade over the palate. A compelling wine, with extraordinary precision, great intensity, and a seamlessness in spite of what are obviously elevated levels of tannin, this wine was provocatively open and beautiful when tasted in January and February, but I am sure it will soon close down. The finish lasted a whopping 72 seconds! This is utterly fascinating stuff. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2050.

The opaque purple-colored 2000 Lafite-Rothschild has put on weight. Despite the fact that it is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and only 7% Merlot, it is the essence of Lafite, a full, ripe, concentrated and muscular wine. The wine boasts layers of concentration as well as phenomenal purity and personality. The finish lasts over a minute. It is a compelling effort (only 36% of the crop made it into Lafite) from what is undoubtedly the greatest vintage Bordeaux has enjoyed from a perspective of the number of prodigious wines produced. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2050.

The 2000 Lafite Rothschild contains an extremely high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (93.3%), with the balance 6.7% Merlot. A mere 36% of the crop made it into the grand vin. This is a noble, elegant Lafite. It reveals a transparency, and might be considered the archetype Lafite that was made during several of the estate's finest vintages of the fifties.

Light in style, and elegant, its compelling aromatics (black fruits, minerals, lead pencil as well as cedar) draw the taster's attention. In the mouth, this medium-bodied wine exhibits excellent concentration, a certain lightness, and beautifully pure, well-delineated, laser-like clarity to its component parts. It is a monument to finesse and elegance, a style that Lafite-Rothschild can do better than any other Bordeaux chateau. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2050.

The 2000 Lafite is darker in colour and appears less mature than the 2003. It has a glorious bouquet with very good fruit intensity: blackberry, small dark cherries, crushed stone and a touch of cedar, a quintessential Cabernet Sauvignon nose. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins: broody dark fruit, a touch of sandalwood, graphite and a hint of balsamic. It is very nicely balanced although not as powerful as expected, a wine that is perhaps gone into its shell. The finish is well defined, the graphite element coming through strongly, with a long tail of supple, primal dark fruit lingering in the mouth. Graceful and refined, this is a very assured expression of its terroir.

The 2000 Lafite-Rothschild is utterly sublime. Delicate, sensual and wonderfully nuanced, the 2000 is majestic. The purity of the fruit is simply striking.

The 2001 Lafite Rothschild’s deep, saturated plum/purple color is accompanied by lead pencil liqueur-like notes intermixed with sweet red and black currants, plums, and cedar. This blend of 86.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13.5% Merlot is a classic example of Lafite. Extremely elegant, medium-bodied, with intense concentration, richness, and sweet tannin, it appears to be on a rapid evolutionary track, at least in comparison to recent Lafite vintages that have been far more backward and powerful. The classy 2001 should be at its finest between 2007-2020.

A classic Lafite Rothschild, with a good 40 years of potential aging ahead of it, this wine tastes like a juiced-up 1999. A blend of 86.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13.5% Merlot (only 43% of the crop was deemed worthy enough for this wine), the 2001 shows the classic Lafite nose of lead pencil shavings (graphite), plum, cherry, and black currant, with a hint of tobacco leaf, cedar, and spice box. Medium-bodied, with loads of tannin, this intensely concentrated Lafite is somehow restrained, with extraordinary precision and purity. It is a beauty and seems to be putting on a bit of weight. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040.

The 2001 Lafite Rothschild is a wine of concentrated elegance, finesse, and delicacy. This blend of 86.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13.5% Merlot (only 43% of the crop was acceptable) is reminiscent of the 1999, but it reveals additional tannin as well as a more austere finish. An impressive deep ruby/purple color is followed by sweet aromas of cedar, black currants, lead pencil shavings, and subtle toasty oak. It is medium-bodied, with a nicely-layered mid-palate (something many 2001s are not yet revealing), admirable delicacy and precision, and a long finish. It will be drinkable at an early age, yet will last two decades. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2022.

The 2001 Lafite Rothschild has a quintessential bouquet for Lafite: very pure, almost understated at first. It then begins to open with briary, blackberry leaf, cedar and freshly rolled tobacco with subtle floral notes emerging after three of four minutes in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and it certainly shows more vitality than the 1985 served alongside. Slightly grainy tannins, more feminine than previous bottles with dark plum, blackberry, citrus fruit, a touch of dried apricot and a very precise finish. Superb.

Looks pretty evolved at the rim. Surprisingly evolved but it suggests it can last too. Excitingly nervy in Haut-Brion style. Not forced. Lovely lusciousness and readability. Could drink this already. Great finesse.