New Arrivals
Advanced Search
wine regions
quick links

Lafite Rothschild 1993

Pauillac, First Growth

Excel download

View All Vintages of this Wine

Units Size Case size GBP Price: Quantities Buy
Tasting Notes

Because Lafite-Rothschild (1) tends to lack the weight of many wines of the northern Medoc, and (2) is never a flashy, ostentatious style of wine, it is often more difficult to evaluate when young than some of its neighbors. A successful wine for Lafite, this dark ruby/purple-colored 1993 is tightly-wound, medium-bodied, with a closed set of aromatics that reluctantly reveal hints of sweet blackcurrant fruit, weedy tobacco, and lead pencil scents. Polished and elegant, with Lafite's noble restraint, this is an excellent, classy, slightly austere wine. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2020.

Score: 88

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2004-2020 01 February 1997

Sixty-four percent of Lafite's 1993 crop was eliminated from the final blend. The 1993 Lafite contains an atypically high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (92%, plus 8% Merlot). Unlike in Graves, St.-Emilion, and Pomerol, the Merlot harvest was considered disappointing at Lafite. This wine reveals none of the hardness, or tough-textured personality of the 1993 vintage. It offers Lafite's classic, intense, subtle perfume, great intensity and purity in the mouth, medium body, and a sweet, generous, authoritative yet elegant personality. The wine exhibits fine ripeness, wonderful richness, and a layered personality. It is a terrific success for the vintage. It will undoubtedly firm up after bottling, but it was showing spectacularly when I tasted it in November.

Score: 90 - 93

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 February 1995

Very polished and well-crafted black cherry, toast, earth and mineral flavors, all in nice proportions. Medium body, supple tannins. Slightly disappointing for Lafite. Best after 1997.

Score: 86

James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 1997+ 31 January 1996