2018 Carruades de Lafite, Pauillac 1x6L

Vinous 90

The 2018 Carruades de Lafite is silky, polished and very pretty. Silky tannins and bright, red-toned fruit give the Carruades a feel of total sophistication and polish. This is a very pretty second wine from Lafite-Rothschild. Even so, the four day-old sample almost certainly does not show the 2018 at its best. The blend is 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc. [Antonio Galloni, 05/02/2019]

Robert Parker 94

The 2018 Carruades de Lafite is a blend of 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheery scents of redcurrant jelly, blackcurrant pastilles and Morello cherries with hints of candied violets, pencil shavings, menthol and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied and elegantly styled, with layers of crunchy red and black fruits, it has a beautifully ripe, fine-grained texture and loads of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. [Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 03/12/2021]

Anticipated maturity: 2023-2039

JancisRobinson.com 18/20

56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc. They have made big improvements in the vineyard with soil and vigour analysis to improve selection. ‘Surgical precision’, says technical director Eric Kohler. They had done this in Lafite but not for Carruades and its vineyards are more heterogeneous so it has made even more difference. Carruades benefited therefore not just from this but also from the Merlot that would have been good enough for Lafite but was not needed. Barrel sample. Dark core with narrow dark rim. Very ripe but not overripe black fruit. Rich and savoury at the same time, a really dark, elegant wine with good acidity. The tannins here are notable for their extreme finesse, dry, wonderful texture, with a hint of clean dry dark chocolate on the finish. Fabulous tannins. Juicy and so elegant at the same time. Light on its feet even with this concentration. High score is especially for the tannins. [04/01/2019]

Anticipated maturity: 2024-2038