1994 - Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac

The 1994 Lafite-Rothschild is served from a large format whisked straight from the château. Perhaps that goes some way to explain the impressive showing. Very youthful in hue, it has a captivating bouquet with black fruit infused with cedar and melted tar, kind of old school but in a positive way. The palate is medium-bodied and surprisingly muscular for a Lafite, with plenty of black fruit interwoven with graphite and a succulent finish. I've had this from bottle a few times, but this format is certainly better. Tasted from an ex-château double magnum at the Académie du Vin dinner in Bordeaux.

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. Made from nearly 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine is stubbornly backward, unappealing, and severe and astringent on the palate. There is plenty of weight, and the wine possesses admirable purity, with no suggestion of herbaceousness or underripe fruit, but the wine's personality refuses to be coaxed from the glass. The 1994 Lafite may turn out to be austere and disappointing flavor-wise, but possesses a fabulous set of aromatics (does that sound reminiscent of the 1961, another Lafite that was primarily Cabernet Sauvignon?). I am not giving up on this wine, but purchasers should be willing to wait 15-20 years before pulling a cork. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030.