2008 Château Lafite-Rothschild Pauillac 750 ml

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2008
• France
• Pauillac

• The Story

  The historic estate’s 2008 is “a candidate for the ‘wine of the vintage’” wrote Robert Parker.

  Read the full story

• Wine Facts
  • Fruit Intensity
  • Oak Intensity
  • Body
  • Acidity
  • Tannin

  • ABV 12.50%
  • 1 hour
  • Now - 2055
  • 84% Cabernet Sauvignon
    15% Merlot
    1% Petit Verdot
  • Serving temperature - 60°
  • Cork
• Wine Access Tasting Note

  Dark garnet ruby in hue, the expressive tertiary notes of saddle leather, Cameroon tobacco, truffle, and dried violets emphasize a core of fresh cassis and black cherry fruit as well as spiced clove, vanilla, and pencil lead aromas. Medium bodied, understated, yet incredibly deep and complex, there is a polish to the tannins from bottle age but still plenty of grip. Layers of black currant, plum, cedar, clove, exotic spice, and tilled earth weave together seamlessly on the palate, evolving with every sip towards a seemingly endless finish. Approachable now, but this multi-dimensional beauty of a Pauillac will continue to unfurl its banner slowly as it matures. Drink now - 2055.

• Food Pairings
  • Red Meat
  • Hard Cheese
  • Cured Meat
• Critic Reviews

  98 pts

  Wine Advocate

  A candidate for the -wine of the vintage,- the 2008 should have been purchased before it began to soar in value because of the significance of the number 8 in the Chinese culture (denoting good luck). Representing 40% of the production, this blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc offers aromas of high quality unsmoked cigar tobacco, lead pencil shavings, creme de cassis, earth, cedar and asphalt. Full, rich and stunningly concentrated, I doubt it is inferior to the 2010, just more classic as well as slightly more forward and a degree weaker in alcoholic potency (12.5% versus 13.5%). The 2008 should be relatively drinkable in 6-10 years as it is already showing remarkable complexity and breed, and will last for 30-35 years...at the minimum.

  97 pts

  Decanter

  This vintage had the bottle engraved with the Chinese symbol for 8, to commemorate the planting of the Penglai vineyards in China. Just starting to really open up, it has the sappy, lean and savoury character of Cabernet Sauvignon from classical years where terroir speaks so strongly. I like this hugely – subtle, beautiful. A smoky edge, cold ash or gun smoke rather than cigar, flint, a menthol finish. Still just settling in, this is starting to offer up its more subtle aromatics, and the pencil lead, cedar edge against spicy cassis notes delivers the refined classified Médoc character that makes these wines so sought after year in year out. 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc.