Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 2008

Of an almost majestic firmness, with concentrated, firm tannins, yet perfectly wrapped and resting in a cloak of velvet and silk; magnificent, great. The second wine Les Carruades was rated: 15.5 points. Compact and dense, fresh.

Supple and harmonious already, with inviting, almost plush blackberry, plum and fig fruit notes carried by fine-grained, lightly cedary structure. Black tea and sandalwood flash on the finish. Poised now, but has the stuffing for more time in bottle. Drink now through 2020.

Elegance in a glass, this is very upright in structure with enticing acidity and black berry fruits. It has weight as well as richness. No question about the aging potential of this superb wine.

Commemorating the advent of Lafite's Shandong project, the 2008 vintage carries the symbolic Chinese character ‘八’ (eight) on the bottle. A pronounced nose of menthol and forest floor unveils dark cherry and blackcurrant, seasoned with thyme and savoury leather. The palate reveals tar, leather, and blackcurrant, presenting itself as comfortably drinkable yet still holding a hidden grip. Gentle and elegant, with a chocolatey texture that caresses the pure, intense cassis; it is complex and extremely long. This wine still has decades ahead. Tasted from magnum.

Minerals, tar and sous bois with dark fruit. Sweet tobacco. Black licorice. Full and chewy with lots of fruit but very reserved. So much mineral and sweet tobacco. It is all there. Give it four to five years of bottle age before beginning to explore the wine.

Definite stemmy notes on the nose – a consequence of the fairly low alcohol? Seems pretty lean on the palate too, with furry tannins and light body. Lacks the flesh and richness of many of its rivals. (RH)

Elegant, refined, pure, focused, vibrant, fresh and classic in its nature, it is easy to discern the cedar, tobacco leaf, lead pencil cassis and blackberry nuances, with just a little effort. On the palate, the wine offers refinement and purity, with a silky, yet energetic, bright edge. Give this 12-15 more years to develop. The wine was made from blending 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc.

Deep dark ruby, purple reflections. Nuances of cassis, fresh blackberries, a fine wood touch and a pleasant chocolate touch on the nose. Complex on the palate, fine blackberry fruit, ripe tannins, fresh structure, the minerality is in the foreground, a great food wine with ageing potential.

83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet with violet highlights at the rim. A concentrated, profound bouquet: Brazilian tobacco, currants, smoke and summer truffle, a touch of blueberry, a dried-fruit opening, with a delicate hint of After Eight. On the palate it is firm and muscular, with tight, almost green tannins—full of character, to be sure, but rarely angular and bourgeois—reminiscent of the ’88. In 20 years it may absorb this lack of finesse; that is the only reason we rate it 18/20. Nevertheless, this is surely the weakest Premier Grand Cru of the vintage!

83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet with lilac and violet highlights at the rim. A concentrated, profound bouquet of Brazilian tobacco, currants, smoke and summer truffle, a touch of blueberry, a dried-fruit opening, showing a delicate dark chocolate–mint note (After Eight). On the palate it is firm and muscular, with sturdy, almost green tannins; certainly full of character, but rarely have we experienced it so angular and bourgeois. It mirrors its own ’88 and will never truly gain finesse. Since we know there is patient ageing potential here and that in 20 years the wine can absorb this pronounced lack of finesse, we are willing to go to 18/20. But by far the weakest Premier Grand Cru of the year!

A deep, dense, fresh, complex, mineral bouquet: blackcurrant, currants, truffle, precious woods. A dense, multi-layered, elegant palate with a classic structure, refined fruit, a wide range of aromas, and a long, fresh finish. 19/20 drink through 2038.

Straight and strict, with a fine length, a very slight hollow mid-palate.

Logo on the cork: upside-down T (Trescases) Dark, intense, beautiful colour. The nose is intense, fine, subtle and noble, with notes of blackcurrant, liquorice and cream. A lovely smooth, supple attack on the palate, then the wine develops into something juicy, very, very fruity and flavoursome, with a touch of austerity, not from a lack of richness but from the smoky note of its oak. It then lifts again on the finish, long and fragrant.

A candidate for the “wine of the vintage,” the 2008 should have been purchased before it began to soar in value because of the significance of the number 8 in Chinese culture (denoting good luck). Representing 40% of the production, this blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc offers aromas of high-quality, unsmoked cigar tobacco, lead pencil shavings, crème de cassis, earth, cedar and asphalt. Full, rich and stunningly concentrated, I doubt it is inferior to the 2010—just more classic, as well as slightly more forward and a degree weaker in alcoholic potency (12.5% versus 13.5%). The 2008 should be relatively drinkable in 6–10 years as it is already showing remarkable complexity and breed, and will last for 30–35 years… at the minimum.