Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 1996

100 points Robert Parker: "Tasted three times since bottling, the 1996 Lafite-Rothschild is unquestionably this renowned estate's greatest wine. As I indicated last year, only 38% of the crop was deemed grand enough to be put into the final blend, which is atypically high in Cabernet Sauvignon (83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot). This massive wine may be the biggest, largest-scaled Lafite I have ever tasted. It will require many years to come around, so I suspect all of us past the age of fifty might want to give serious consideration as to whether we should be laying away multiple cases of this wine. It is also the first Lafite-Rothschild to be put into a new engraved bottle (designed to prevent fraudulent imitations). The wine exhibits a thick-looking, ruby/purple color, and a knock-out nose of lead pencil, minerals, flowers, and black currant scents. Extremely powerful and full-bodied, with remarkable complexity for such a young wine, this huge Lafite is oozing with extract and richness, yet has managed to preserve its quintessentially elegant personality. This wine is even richer than it was prior to bottling. It should unquestionably last for 40-50 years. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2050. The wine of the vintage? (Apr 1999)"

100 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): " (85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc). TTasted first at the château in July, then again at a Berry Bros supper in late November, and both time it effortlessly showcased why Lafite is one of the most sought-after estates in the world. Takes its time to open, even at 25 years old, but a bit of patience and you are rewarded with rosebud, tuffle, ash, pencil lead and crushed mint, all gently playing around the cassis, bilberry and blackberry fruits. There is huge concentration here, but everything is in balance, and you rejoice in the tertiary notes that give gentleness and juice to the overall feel. Charles Chevallier estate director at the time, Jacques Boissenot consultant. Harvest began September 24, 58hl/h yield. The first Lafite to be put in an anti-fraud engraved bottle. Alcohol 13%. Drink: 2021-2038. (11/19/21)"

100 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Strong ruby, purple reflections, somewhat feint water edge. Strong smoky-spicy underlay of blackberry jelly, prune, a touch of bouillon, needs a lot of air. Dark berry, taut, sustainable tannins, which still need to soften, a really multilayered wine, peppery notes on the finish, sloe and sour cherry, a touch of noble chocolate in the aftertaste. (5/25/18)"

100 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "Stunning in every sense of the word, this wine has it all from start to finish. It is elegant, pure, complex, regal, energetic, and seamless, with a vibrant finish that once it gets started, keeps right on going as it builds and expands. Drink from 2024-2060. (Apr 2024)"

100 points La Revue du Vin de France (Jan 2006).

99 points Charles Curtis, MW (Decanter): "This is compelling, with a bright, forward currant fruit that is opening well now to show the nuance of game, earth, and gunflint to the ripe, dark fruit. The texture is tannic and fresh, with tannins starting to loosen but still in evidence. A luminous, radiant wine that will doubtless improve for another half-century. The vintage saw a solid flowering and fruit set and a warm July, but cool, rainy weather in August slowed ripening. The sun returned for most of September, but there was a bit of rain in the last week, although fine weather returned in October. At Lafite, 38% of the grapes went into the grand vin, a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot – more of this last and less Merlot than customary. From 1996 forward, the percentage of Cabernet was higher than it had been hitherto. Drinking Window: 2022-2082. (Mar 2022)"

98 points Neal Martin (Wine Advocate): "The 1996 Lafite-Rothschild was remarkably deep in color considering that it is now 20 years in age. The bouquet is classic Pauillac with pencil shavings and sous-bois infusing the black fruit, masculine and a little aloof, yet focused and very well delineated. The palate is very well balanced with crisp blackberry and boysenberry fruit, spicier than I recollect, a crescendo of flavors so that it seems understated at first but fans out with a sense of confidence towards the finish. I think this still has more to give so cellar it away for another 5-8 years if you can, but otherwise this is an exemplary Lafite-Rothschild that I can envisage getting better and better in bottle, if not quite as enthralling as either Mouton-Rothschild or Château Margaux. Tasted July 2016. Drink: 2020-2050. (10/28/16)"

97 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 1996 Lafite-Rothschild is the strongest wine from the First Growth in that decade. This bottle, served blind and ex-château in Bordeaux, is so precociously backward that I estimate it to be half its age. Blackberry, cedar and graphite are here as usual, though this bottle has even more intensity than the one served at the estate in 2018. The palate is brilliantly balanced with fine tannins and very intense graphite-infused fruit; there's just a touch more fruité on the finish. Superb. Drink: 2025-2065. (Jan 2023)"

97 points James Suckling: "The beauty and balance of this are phenomenal. Seamless tannins and fruit. Full body yet so balanced and refined. Sweet tobacco and berries. Minerals and cedar. A beautiful wine. The depth is superb. Drink now. (1/4/17)"

96+ points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "Full, deep ruby, by far the darkest of these vintages. Knockout nose of great precision: cassis, black cherry, lead pencil, licorice, dried herbs and mint. Densely packed and extremely unevolved; a powerfully structured wine with uncanny precision and penetration. Finishes with powerful, firm tannins and exceptional mounting persistence. An infant, but a great Northern Medoc '96 in the making. Drink 2015 to 2040. (Jul/Aug 2002)"

19.5/20 points Michael Schuster (The World of Fine Wine): "Youthfully dark, narrow bricking rim; just a touch of Cabernet herbaceousness in the nicest way, and really only by comparison with the previous wines. Beautifully balanced with fine, firm tannins, freshness, and considerable fruit concentration; a vital, complete, racy, and fragrant wine, with a lovely sweetness of fruit, if also a hint of austerity from the slightly cooler year, but tannins of great class and polish, and a great tenacity and complexity; intense and delicate at once, effortlessly long to taste and also to finish. A great Lafite in the classical style, exciting but still youthful. Needs at least ten years more before it really flourishes. Drink 2024-50+. (Issue #44; 2014)"