CHATEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD

Chateau Lafite Rothschild is a wine estate in France, owned by members of the Rothschild family since the 19th century. The name Lafite comes from the surname of the La Fite family.Lafite was one of four wine-producing châteaux of Bordeaux originally awarded First Growth status in the 1855 Classification.

Situated in the Pauillac region of the Médoc, Chateau Lafite Rothschild produces one of the most sought-after and expensive red wines in the world. Lafite Rothschild is known for its perfume, elegance, finesse and harmony, in contrast to the more powerful Latour and Mouton Rothschild. Nevertheless, great vintages can age for 50 years or more.

In addition to the first growth, around a third of the wine is released as a second wine under the label Carruades de Lafite.

 The vineyard is one of the largest in the Médoc, covering around 112 hectares on sunny, well-drained sites made up of fine gravel and sand over limestone subsoil. The vines on the hillsides around the château provide the core material for the grand vin, while the adjacent Carruades plateau to the west is more responsible for the second wine that bears its name. Additionally a 4.5ha (11 acre) plot in Saint-Estèphe also belongs to the estate; unusually it has permission to include the fruit in its Pauillac-classified wines.

Around 70 percent of the vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, with 25 percent to Merlot, 3 percent to Cabernet Franc and 2 percent to Petit Verdot. The average age of the vines is 40 years old.

The neighboring property Duhart-Milon is under the same ownership and managed by the same team as Lafite. Domaines Barons de Rothschild also owns the Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Rieussec in Sauternes, Château L'Évangile in Pomerol, and three Bordeaux brands, Légende, Saga and Résérve Spéciale. Properties further afield include Domaine d'Aussières in Languedoc, Los Vascos in Chile and Bodegas Caro in Mendoza, Argentina.