The colour is deep garnet. Still very lively. On the nose forest floor, cigar box, fireplace, caramel, spices. In the mouth well balanced, with a good structure. Bright acidity and tannins that are well integrated, but still showing off. The aftertaste is savoury and medium long.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild is located in the Pauillac denomination of the Médoc and produces one of the most sought after and expensive red wines in the world. The property achieved its top-tier rank in 1855 and has been in the Rothschild family since 1868. The vineyards are planted mostly with Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), along with Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (2%).
The 1986 Lafite Rothschild is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot.
For Bordeaux in general, the 1986 vintage was a relatively difficult one. The resulting wines were mixed in quality. It was a good Cabernet vintage though, particularly in St Julien, Pauillac and St Estephe, but the crop was very generous, which didn’t help the overall quality of the wines produced. Still, for Chateau Lafite Rothschild it has been a remarkably good vintage.
In 1986 I was 13 years old, my son’s current age. The two biggest events of 1986 were two explosions. The one of the Soviet nuclear reactor at Chernobyl, that caused the release of radioactive material across much of Europe, and the one of the Space Shuttle Challenger that disintegrated shortly after liftoff, killing all seven astronauts on board. 1986 was also the year of the release of the movies Top Gun and Platoon, of Microsoft’s IPO, and of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb treasurer.
I received this bottle as a present from a Chinese friend that came for dinner at my home. I drunk it on June 22nd for my 49th birthday.
This bottle sold at ARVI for 1’453.95 CHF (200 CHF a glass).
I used to wonder if tasting a very expensive wine is worth the price. This is the most expensive bottle I ever tasted and can confirm that there is not a direct relation between price and enjoyment. At the end of the day, any bottle of wine is 1 kg of fermented grapes, the rest is scarcity and prestige. On the other hand, tasting an iconic wine like this it is certainly a unique experience and wine is not just what is in the glass…
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Type: Red
Vintage: 1986
Producer: Chateau Lafite Rothschild
Price range: Luxury (>100 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 4/5