Carruades de Lafite 2019

Very floral nose with exceptional complexity. On the palate, fine balance on the attack continues with good flavor expression before a fairly long finish with lovely structure, still lively and with a hint of oak.

Blend: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc

Wine Advocate: 94
The 2019 Carruades de Lafite is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, harvested from the 19th of September to the 7th of October. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, fresh notions of wild blueberries, ripe plums and redcurrant jelly plus hints of cinnamon stick, cumin seed, oolong tea and violets with a waft of black olives. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers loads of rich, ripe, spicy flavors with a soft texture of nicely rounded tannins and with the freshness in the background, finishing on a lingering allspice note. In a word: Yum!

Wine Advocate: 94

The 2019 Carruades de Lafite is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, harvested from the 19th of September to the 7th of October. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, fresh notions of wild blueberries, ripe plums and redcurrant jelly plus hints of cinnamon stick, cumin seed, oolong tea and violets with a waft of black olives. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers loads of rich, ripe, spicy flavors with a soft texture of nicely rounded tannins and with the freshness in the background, finishing on a lingering allspice note. In a word: Yum!

Decanter: 93
As with the Duhart, this is very Pauillac, with pencil lead and cedar notes, and the highest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in Carruades to date. Subdued on the nose, but it opens up with a lovely floral character. It starts off with frank, autumnal fruit on the attack, majoring on brambly plum, with tannins that build up through the palate and do their job of tugging things back, putting on the brakes. A little more straight laced than the 2018, but one that you would be more than happy to own and to share. Has the drinkability that Lafite prides itself on.

Decanter: 93

As with the Duhart, this is very Pauillac, with pencil lead and cedar notes, and the highest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in Carruades to date. Subdued on the nose, but it opens up with a lovely floral character. It starts off with frank, autumnal fruit on the attack, majoring on brambly plum, with tannins that build up through the palate and do their job of tugging things back, putting on the brakes. A little more straight laced than the 2018, but one that you would be more than happy to own and to share. Has the drinkability that Lafite prides itself on.

James Suckling: 96
The purity of fruit is so enticing here with strawberries, flowers, lavender and currants. Black earth, too. Some stone and cement. It’s full-bodied with firm, fine tannins. It shows so much cabernet sauvignon character. It’s 68% cabernet sauvignon, 27% merlot and the rest cabernet franc.

Jeb Dunnuck: 94
The 2019 Carruades de Lafite tastes like a mini-Lafite, offering beautiful currant, tobacco, cedar pencil, and spicy nuances in a medium-bodied, pure, elegant package. Based on 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc (which is a very high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon), this seamless 2019 has remarkable purity and precision, as well as length. It tastes more like a Grand Vin than a second wine.

Jeb Dunnuck: 94

The 2019 Carruades de Lafite tastes like a mini-Lafite, offering beautiful currant, tobacco, cedar pencil, and spicy nuances in a medium-bodied, pure, elegant package. Based on 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc (which is a very high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon), this seamless 2019 has remarkable purity and precision, as well as length. It tastes more like a Grand Vin than a second wine.