2003 Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux

The 2003 Lafite Rothschild comes as close to perfection as any of the great Lafites made over the past three decades 1982, 1986, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010). This sensational effort came in at 12.7% natural alcohol; it is made in the style of one of this estate’s great classics, the 1959. 

Composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it exhibits a dense ruby/purple colour to the rim and a luxurious bouquet of cedarwood, lead pencil shaving, white chocolate, cocoa and cassis. This noble wine has a bountiful, generous, heady style: fat, rich, opulent and full-bodied with low acidity and stunning seductiveness and complexity. 

It is just coming into its plateau of maturity, where it should hold for 20-25 years. This is one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage – make no mistake about that. These are two great successes in this vintage that have aged well and surprised me with their intensity and overall complexity.

Drink 2014 - 2039

Dark crimson. Quite severe and obviously left bank. Strong cassis aromas. A sweet start on the palate. Fine, polished, very classy wine. Obviously elegant and very fresh on the finish. Excellent lift with very finely etched flavours. A prime example of how, unlike the great majority of 2003 red Bordeaux, the best of those grown in Pauillac and St-Estèphe are.

Drink from 2012 onward

The 2003 Lafite-Rothschild famously shrugged off the merciless heat of that infamous summer when the temperature at the estate nudged 42° Celsius. It has a lovely bouquet of black plum, pressed iris, a touch of glycerin and for Lafite) exotic scents of blood orange. 

The palate is powerful and intense, as you would expect. There is great depth and volume with glossy black fruit laced with orange zest, smoke and melted tar. You can almost feel the summer in this Lafite-Rothschild, but unlike many of its peers, it has requisite acidity to maintain freshness and avoid cloyingness on the finish. 

Whilst not my pick of modern-day Lafites, I have to doff my cap because it was and still is one of the finest Left Banks of the vintage. Tasted at the Lafite-Rothschild 150th anniversary dinner at the estate.

Drink 2020 - 2050

I love the nose and spicy and rich, with a tobacco and berry character on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, with soft velvety tannins that give you so much. This goes on and on. Sexy and exciting right now, but leave this for five or six years.

Drink now