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. RP
So much rich, sweet tobacco with currants and spices, as well as graphite. Full-bodied, tight and focused with oyster-shell and lead-pencil character on the palate. Tangy, spicy and peppery. Needs three to four years to soften, but already beautiful. JS
$ 2,820
Carruades de Lafite Pauillac 2nd Wine 2015
RP
91
WS
91
JS
94
Lead-pencil aromas with currants and plums, too. Full body, silky tannins and a focused and very refined finish. It's the tannins that drive things. An excellent second wine of Lafite. JS
$ 2,380
Carruades de Lafite Pauillac 2nd Wine 2014
WS
91
JS
94
Lots of blackberries, dried mushrooms and minerals. Blackcurrants too with some tar. Full-bodied, chewy and rich with an intensity and liveliness on the finish. Salty and minerally. JS
$ 2,590
Carruades de Lafite Pauillac 2nd Wine 2006
RP
90
WS
89
The second wine, which has soared in quality over the last decade, is an outstanding effort displaying a character similar to that of Lafite, without the size, depth, and aging potential of that wine. The 2006 Carruades de Lafite offers up aromas of graphite, cedar, black currants, sweet cherries, and smoky herbs. This complex, more evolved, medium-bodied, silky-textured, sexy offering will provide plenty of pleasure over the next 15+ years. RP