Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 2022

100 points James Suckling: "A benchmark modern Lafite showing tobacco, orange peel, cedar, pencil shavings, violets and cigar box—so perfumed. Medium-bodied with lots of graphite, stone and hints of redcurrants on the palate. It goes on for minutes. Reminds me of Lafites that I love made decades ago. Could be the great 1986. A blend of 94% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Best after 2030 but already fascinating. (1/13/25)"

100 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "13.6% alcohol. Deep dark ruby in colour with an opaque core, purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the rim. On the nose, fine oak aromas are underpinned by delicate tobacco notes, black forest berries, cassis, and dark cherry, with hints of orange zest and liquorice. The palate is full-bodied and richly structured with silky tannins, notes of blackberry, fresh cherry, and currants, with a notable saline minerality on the enormously long finish. Terrific ageing potential. (Jan 2023)"

98-100 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent): "Composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Lafite Rothschild is deep garnet-purple in color. The nose is almost impenetrable to start, needing a lot of shaking to wake up delicate scents of crushed red and black currants, raspberry leaves, warm plums, and boysenberries, followed by hints of crushed rocks, damp earth, lilacs, and Jasmine tea, with just a hint of orange peel. The palate is classic great Lafite, featuring incredibly tightly knit layers of black fruits, minerals, and floral notes bound with a rock-solid structure of exquisitely fine, very firm tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. This is an intellectual triumph, but don't think about touching it for 10-15 years. pH 3.85. Alcohol 13.6%. Drink: 2024-2074. (5/14/23)"

98-100 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "Garnet in color, a single swirl brings out its cornucopia of scents: flowers, currants, cherries, smoke, leather, lead pencil, Cuban cigar wrapper, orange rind and smoke. The wine is pure silky, elegance in texture. This is perhaps the most sensuous vintage of Lafite ever produced with its dream texture on the palate. In the mid-palate, the wine shifts from black to red to black fruits before moving to its wave of orange citrus, ending with refreshing mint notes. The purity in the fruits is striking. The over 60-second finish is seamless, which is a good thing, because this wine is so good, you never want it to end. The wine is complete from start to finish. The wine blends 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. It is interesting to note that the wine includes 17.5 % press wine in the blend, which sets a record for Lafite. 13.6% ABV, 3.85 pH. Harvesting starting August 31 for the young Merlot vines, for the grapes used in the Grand Vin, September 5, - September 23. Yields were 35 hectoliters per hectare. 40% of the harvest went into the Grand Vin. This is an earth-shattering vintage of Lafite that buyers with the disposabile income should add to their cellar. Drink from 2030-2065. (May 2023)"

97-99 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2022 Château Lafite-Rothschild is based on 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot that was harvested between the 31st of August and the 24th of September. It's a richer, more opulent wine compared to the more classic 2020 (although the pH is higher in the 2020) and has a deep, full-bodied, concentrated profile as well as classic Lafite aromatics of spicy red and black fruits, freshly sharpened pencils, graphite, and tobacco. Deep, rich, and concentrated, it nevertheless stays pure and flawlessly balanced, with ample, ripe tannins and a great finish. It's going to have some up-front appeal by Lafite standards but should still require a decade of bottle age. Director Eric Koher compares this to the 2005, but this modern-day clone of the 1959 is one of the most powerful, concentrated Lafites I've tasted. (5/10/23)"

97 points Georgina Hindle (Decanter): "A wonderful example of restraint and delicacy in a year where it was easy to overdo. Sharp and straight, you feel the acidity as soon as this enters the mouth, alive, pulsing, bright and shining. Aromatically so expressive after a few minutes. Delicate almost, such a fine tapestry of tannins, present and at the fore but like taffeta or finely woven silk. It has power but you don't feel it, not instantly anyway, the focus is on the beautiful texture with edges of cool red and blue fruits, flint, graphite, liquorice and tobacco nuances with high acidity that all help build a layered and well constructed mid palate. The structure then focuses and narrows to a mineral, fresh finish. Has bite and succulence, gently muscular with tons of vibrancy. This is definitely one of the less showy wines that really grows on you. A delicious, defined, poised, refined and finessed Lafite. Calm, collected and incredibly charming already. Earliest harvest in over a century, 31 August to 24 September. 17.5% press wine. 3.8pH. 64IPT. 41% grand vin production. Drinking Window: 2033-2050. (4/21/23)"

98 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "TThe 2022 Lafite-Rothschild is a magnificent, thrilling wine. A Lafite for the ages, the 2022 possesses off-the-charts richness and yet never loses its unique Lafiteness. It's as if all the elements are dialed up to the maximum, but without sacrificing clarity. That's quite an achievement in my book. Inky red fruit, blood orange, spice and incense are some of the many notes that build in the glass. The 2022 is a Lafite of nearly indescribable beauty, driven by a high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and spellbinding overall balance. Vinification was carried out over 22 days, after which the wine was racked into French oak, 100% new, for an élevage of 15 months. Drink: 2030-2062. (Jan 2025)"

97 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "(94% Cabernet Sauvingon, 5% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot) Saturated inky colour, with intense ruby reflections. This is a classically constructed Lafite, with clear power to the tannins and intense spice, a little more upfront and concentrated than you find in many En Primeur vintages at this property but it exemplifies balance and confidence. Fully in control, delivering estate signature with finesse and understatement, with pulses of graphite, slate, bitter almond and cocoa bean. Takes its time to uncurl in the glass, leaving you plenty of time to admire its architecture. Give it a good decade at least. 17.5% of press wine, 3.85ph, 41% Lafite of overall production. Harvest August 31 to September 24, earliest since 1893. 100% new oak, Eric Kohler techincal director. Potential upscore in bottle. Alcohol 13.7%. Drink: 2032-2052. (4/17/23)"

97 points Tim Atkin, MW (Apr 2023).