Chateau Lafite-Rothschild (Futures Pre-sale) 2011

"A powerful wine with dark and dry tannins. It has a great depth of fruit flavor, with immense and concentrated weight, and a structure that is for long-term aging.
Barrel Sample: 95-97 Points"

97 Points

Wine Enthusiast

"Still tightly wound and very restrained, but there's a serious well of black plum and macerated currant fruit in reserve, held behind substantial but well-ripened tannins and a strong chalk and iron note. There's a nice austerity to the very driven mineral finish.
Barrel Sample: 93-96 Points"

96 Points

Wine Spectator

"A bit chewy but shows an impressive intensity of spice, sweet tobacco, and currant character. Full, dense and structured. Muscular for the vintage for Lafite. Tobacco box aftertaste. Some wet earth too.
Barrel Sample: 94-95 Points"

95 Points

James Suckling

"A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot (harvested between September 3-21), the 2011 Lafite Rothschild came in at 12.6% natural alcohol (considerably lower than in 2010 and 2009). Exhibiting a deep ruby/purple color, lots of crushed rock, red and black currant, forest floor and underbrush characteristics, moderate tannin and medium body, it is built somewhat along the lines of the 1999 and 2001. It should be a 20- to 25-year wine, but it is not at the level of the 2008, 2009 and 2010. Fresh acids give the wine a somewhat more clipped feeling than most great Lafites have exhibited. Nevertheless, there is a lot of freshness and vibrancy to this vintage.
Barrel Sample: 90-93 Points"

93 Points

The Wine Advocate

"Good dark red. Very closed nose hints at blackcurrant, licorice, mocha, graphite and spices. Slightly hard-edged in the mouth, with a peppery element to the dark fruit, mineral and spice flavors. Finishes a tad pinched, with palate-saturating tannins verging on dry. This will obviously need time in bottle to smooth out, but I fear that the tannins will always maintain at least a light green streak. Of course I hope I'm wrong, but this doesn't strike me as one of the most successful Lafites of the last ten years.
Barrel Sample: 89-92 Points"

92 Points

International Wine Cellar