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 the 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, creme 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.

Quality 957 | Brand 999 | Economics 980 | buzz brand
Quality: Predicted life of 16 years, one of the longest drinking windows in its peer group, which averages 9 years Brand: #2 Most sought after wine globally, with 87,284 searches on Wine-Searcher per month Economics: #3 most active wine at auction, its top 5 vintages having seen 4,733 75cl equivalent bottles traded in the past year Production: Higher production than its peer group average of 151,058 bottles

- www.wine-lister.com June 2017

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.

The 2008 Lafite Rothschild put in a strange showing at the previous horizontal just a few weeks earlier. This bottle is much better. It has a deep color with little ageing on the rim. On the nose there is ample fruit, blackberry and bilberry with notes of pencil lead and sage, but overall there is just more intensity than the previous bottle. The palate is well balanced with fine grain tannin and good density, a facet occasionally lacking in Lafite-Rothschild. There is just a touch of brown sugar and sage towards the finish that fortunately does not attenuate like the previous bottle. This is much more representative and whilst not the best First Growth of the vintage, it certainly shows more sophistication and class even if it does not match its more stellar showings just after bottling.

Full ruby-red with a purple tinge. Crushed cassis, blackberry, violet, cedar and graphite on the very fresh, complex nose. Juicy, spicy and penetrating, with lovely harmonious acids providing great clarity and cut to the black fruit and graphite flavors. Still youthfully closed and very mineral. Finishes pure and extremely long, with very fine tannins. This may yet turn out to be the wine of the vintage, but it will require patience.

(a blend of 83% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot and 4% cabernet franc) Deep purple-ruby. Dense, rich, absolutely classic Lafite nose redolent of blackcurrant, cedar and graphite. Enters fat, with blackberry, licorice and underbrush flavors framed by strong but harmonious acids and youthful tannins that will need time to resolve. This is presently the most backward and closed of the Medoc first growths in '08, but should prove spectacular in time: insiders know that cooler vintages such as '08 are perfectly suited to Lafite's terroir, a case in point being the '88, an initially austere wine that has come around magnificently.

Tasted blind. Round, easy and charming on the nose. Dry end on the palate. Correct but not very fruity. Bit dry. Herbs, Chartreuse scents. (JR)

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)