Dinner at Lafite

Name dropping? Moi ? Perish the thought!

Thanks to my recent friendship with a Chinese importer, I was invited along with him to dinner at Château Lafite Rothschild last night, one of the events they put on during Vinexpo week. Can’t actually say that this is a common occurrence for me…

There were about 50 of us from any number of countries: obviously, many people from the wine trade, as well as the beautiful Jeannie Cho Lee MW. No members of the Rothschild family attended.

Things started off with an impressive range of appetizers served on the lawn outside the château with three white wines: 1997 Les Carmes de Rieussec (the 2nd wine), Aussières blanc (Vin de Pays d’Oc), and Rothschild Champagne. As for the bubbles, there was a longstanding legal battle between the Rothschilds of Bordeaux and the people who owned the brand. This was settled out of court and, if I understand correctly, the wine is now marketed by both Mouton and Lafite. It’s a good enough tipple.

Dinner consisted of lamb and veg with the following red wines (I don’t take notes at table, think it’s rude):
- 2008 Ch. d’Aussières, Corbières (maybe a little rougher than I remember, but nevertheless a good wine)
- 2007 Caro from Argentina (1/2 Merlot, 1/2 Malbec) – seemed a little too simplistic, hot, and dumb to me
- 2007 “Le Dix” Cabernet Sauvignon from Los Vascos (Chile) – fine blackcurrant and graphite nose, not quite as subtle on the palate. The prestige cuvee is named after the winery’s tenth anniversary.
- 1983 Lafite (from double magnums) – Deep, vibrant color and a very cabernet in character (prompting some people around me to speak, wrongly I felt, of “greenness”). A sleek, medium-bodied wine with a delicate aftertaste showing good tannin. Still needs some time to reach its peak – large size bottles in pristine condition, in any event. Not fabulous, but very good indeed.
- 1986 Rieussec – This wine is just starting to “eat its sugar”. It had a lovely subtle nose with plenty of gooseberry. There was the touch of bitterness and minerality on the finish that balances the sweetness in fine Sauternes, but I honestly felt as though I would have enjoyed this wine more a few years ago, with fresher fruit.

I was seated at a table with Kazaks, Uzbeks, and Eric Getten, in charge of sales and marketing of all the Rothschild estates around the world. Fortunately, everyone’s level of English made interesting conversation possible.

Bottom line: if they ask me back at Lafite, I might just accept…

Best regards,
Alex R.

Was Dirk Chan from Edmonton there?

Quite the evening, Alex. 83 Lafite is one of the few vintages of that wine I've been fortunate to try, and it really is a gem. Shocked people would find it green - a herbal character in a Cabernet (Sauvignon or Franc) is certainly not a flaw. But maybe that's why superripe bombs like Lascombes are selling these days.

Quite the evening, Alex. 83 Lafite is one of the few vintages of that wine I've been fortunate to try, and it really is a gem. Shocked people would find it green - a herbal character in a Cabernet (Sauvignon or Franc) is certainly not a flaw. But maybe that's why superripe bombs like Lascombes are selling these days.

I fully agree that the herbal character in Cabernet is not a flaw; indeed I think that it is an essential and attractive part of the wines' balance. I know that there is a trend towards Californication, which seeks to eliminate this trait . I hope that it doesn't become the norm.