2016 Carruades de Lafite

The second wine of the legendary Chateau Lafite, Carruades traditionally provides the style and character of the Grand Vin in a more approachable build. Tight, backward style - not giving much up - palate is round and generous, sweetly fruited, clean, pure and harmonious. Perfumed and appealing. Best Carruades for years. - April 2017

The 2016 Carruades de Lafite is a blend of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot this year that matured in around 20-25% new oak. Eric Kohler told me that they now practice more selection for the Carruades and in this respect, the great fruit concentration means that he has just tweaked the level of new oak upwards. It has an attractive bouquet with smoke and tobacco infused black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin. This is a linear and conservative Carruades, one without the frills, almost economical but that is not necessarily a bad thing. It is fresh and focused, demonstrating more ripeness than previous vintages, and has a little more length. Drink it over the next decade.
- Wine Advocate #230, April 2017

The most tannic and textured Carruades ever. Full-bodied, big and powerful. Very, very long. New style?

There's a putty note on the nose. Neat, restrained, rather tight nose and a tad mean on the end. Just as there's a big gap between Petit Mouton and the grand vin, so there seems to be between Carruades and Lafite. Drying tannins on the end. Seems to be a lack of phenolic ripeness towards the end of the palate experience even though it starts out pretty ripe and round. Drink 2024-2038. - jancisrobinson.com, April 2017

The 2016 Carruades de Lafite is a sexy wine. Inviting scents of ripe black cherry, plum, smoke, torrefaction and mocha set the stage nicely. Deep and textured on the palate, yet also light on its feet, the 2016 exhibits terrific balance and striking purity in its fruit. I especially like the way the fruit fans out to cover every inch of the palate on the finish. This is impressive stuff. - vinous.com, April 2017

A little reserved - surprisingly so for Carruades at this stage - but then 2016 is an architectural vintage that's not overly generous when young. This is clearly built to last, with excellent quality, tight, well-polished tannins. It makes an impression and again shows what a successful vintage this is for second wines in Pauillac. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. - decanter.com, Jane Anson, October 2018