97
VINUM: "Was für ein Duft, man möchte eintauchen, ewig daran riechen, Veilchen, Williamsbirne, Kirschblüten, schwarze Johannisbeeren, kühler Rauch, ein Hauch von Mandeln; im Auftakt gradlinig, präzis, gewohnt distinguiert, dabei voller Spannung, voller Energie, jedoch mit einer inneren Ruhe, die ihresgleichen sucht. Hervorragende Balance, grosse Länge. Einer der besten Weine des Jahrgangs."
96-
97
JAMES SUCKLING: "A more Burgundian vintage for Lafite, with cedar, graphite, paprika, white pepper and fresh red fruit. Nuanced and refined, with a medium body and understated fruit. Intensity and concentration. It shows the Lafite hallmark of elegance, with more fluidity and crunch this year. Very long and delicate. 96% cabernet sauvignon, 3% merlot and 1% petit verdot."
95
ANSON: "Rich texture, this stands head and shoulders above many in the vintage, with graphite, crayon, cassis bud rather than exuberant black fruits, this is precise, savoury, delineated, floral, gunsmoke, juicy, captures the effortless elegance that Lafite does so so well, and it totally delivers. Harvest 23 September to 7 October, 32hl/h yield, above the Pauillac average, 16% press wine included in the blend. Director Eric Kohler's 33rd year in Pauillac. I am giving a slightly earlier begin drinking date, but I am certain this will age exceptionally well as Lafite always does. Slightly earlier starting date for drinking than usual, eight years following harvest."
95
FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, tiefer Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feine Kräuterwürze, rotbeeriger Touch, ein Hauch von Cassis, aber auch roten Herzkirschen. Ein Hauch von Edelholz. Straff, rotbeerig und frisch, seidige Tannine, lebendige Säurestruktur, Nuancen von Ribisel, mineralisch, delikat und leichtfüßig, ein finessenreicher Speisenbegleiter mit gutem Entwicklungspotenzial."
94-
96
LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "Deep garnet-purple colored. Has a very perfumed nose of violets, red cherries, and iris, leading to a core of cassis, pencil lead, wild sage, and iron ore with a touch of fertile loam. The light-bodied palate is very light on its feet, issuing a lacy network of elegant red berry and mineral flavors, framed by ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and perfumed."
94-
96
THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Indian spices, flowers, Cuban cigars, cedar, crème de cassis, and blackberries are just the start of what you find in the perfume. One of the more elegantly styled wines of the vintage, it is marked by its cut and freshness. The wine is refined and expressive, with a silkiness to the fruits, paired with length and purity. The graceful finish lingers with its natural lift and vibrancy. The wine blends 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, along with 16% press wine. It has 13% ABV and a pH of 3.8. Harvesting started on September 27 for the young Merlot vines and finished on October 7. Yields were 32 hectoliters per hectare, and 45% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin. It's interesting to note that 2024 is the first vintage that's certified organic. Drink from 2030-2055."
93-
95
JEB DUNNUCK: "As to the Grand Vin, the 2024 Château Lafite-Rothschild is based on 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, resting in 90% new oak. It has classic Lafite aromatics of cassis, lead pencil shavings, and scorched earth, all leading to a beautifully textured, medium-bodied Pauillac with solid ripeness, a pure, layered mouthfeel, ripe yet present tannins, and outstanding length. It holds plenty of Lafite character while staying in the elegant, balanced, and moderately concentrated style of the vintage. I suspect it will be brilliant with just short-term cellaring, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it evolve gracefully over a broad drinking window."
91-
94
THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2024 Lafite Rothschild offers up aromas of minty blackcurrants, violets, incense, loamy soil and cigar box, followed by a medium-bodied, pillowy and open-knit palate built around tangy acids and powdery tannins, concluding with a discreetly herbal finish. Harvest began on September 24 and concluded on October 4, delivering a Lafite in something of a throwback style, nodding to the wines made here in the 1970s."
17+
JANCIS ROBINSON: "Discreet nose with a dark-fruit nuance and typical Lafite elegance. Suave attack, the tannins smooth and refined. Lots of freshness. Very digeste with innate drinkability but clearly well within itself as well. Touch of oak on the finish. Early days."
