2024 Carruades de Lafite, Pauillac

A juicy and fruity Carruade that's driven by merlot this year. Fresh red berry and cherry fruit, with a medium body and a light, composed framework of tannins. Fresh, crunchy and elegant, with a delicate, nuanced finish. 47% merlot, 45% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot.

Gorgeous deep plum colour, very juicy, extremely well handled, savoury and mouthwatering, cassis bud, roses, crayon, shorter on the finish than a typical Carruades, but this has plenty of subtle pleasure and will be ready to drink sooner than usual. Harvest 23 September to 7 October, 32hl/h yield, 47% of the harvest is in this wine, 12% press.

The 2024 Carruades de Lafite is plush, sensual and inviting right out of the gate. Soft contours wrap around a core of plum, black cherry, gravel, incense, licorice and baking spice. This is a rare Carruades that is Merlot-driven. It's a balance that works quite well. This showy, inviting Carruades is quite the charmer

Licorice, black currants, plums, and leafy tobacco nuances create the perfume. The palate is even better with its vivid display of fresh, juicy, crisp red, with black fruits paired with a fine line of tannins down the middle giving you grace, character, and refined freshness. The finish displays the wine’s elegance, with a touch of chalk on the back end of the finish. Give this just a year, or two in the bottle and it will be quite charming in your glass. The wine is a blend of 47% Merlot, 45% Cabernet, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 13% ABV. 3.65 pH. Picking took place September 23 – October 7. Drink from 2028-2040.

The 2024 Carruades de Lafite is a blend of 47% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet France and 2% Petit Verdot. Unwinding in the glass to reveal aromas of dark berries, plums, lilac and tobacco leaf, it's medium-bodied, lively and open-knit, with a moderately persistent finish.

The 2024 Carruades de Lafite has more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon for the first time in many vintages (47% and 45% respectively). It has fine purity on the nose, black cherries mixed with cassis and pencil box aromas. Impressive delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh and focused entry. The 2024 is very well balanced with gentle grip, plenty of tension and a hint of black truffle on the finish. This is a commendable Deuxième Vin.

The 2024 Carruades De Lafite is a healthy ruby/purple hue and boasts a juicy, perfumed style in its darker berry, cassis, graphite, and sappy flower aromatics. This carries to a medium-bodied wine that's moderately concentrated, has good ripeness, and soft tannins. It's very much in the fresh, elegant, juicy, yet balanced style of this cuvée and the vintage. The blend is 47% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, with the harvest starting in late September and stretching to the 7th of October.

45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 32 hl/ha. First vintage certified organic. Cask sample.

Flattering fruit on the palate, the Merlot adding a little more weight. Acidity present all the same so there is freshness. Firm structure, the tannins punchy. Will benefit from élevage. (JL)

12.6% Drink 2030 – 2040