Wine Advisor
Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1985
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Description
Within the five rarefied first growths, Lafite is perhaps the wine with the best reputation for quality and longevity, commanding correspondingly high prices. It is considered by some to be the best wine to come out of Bordeaux. In 1815, Guillaume Lawton said of Château Lafite, “I consider it to be the the most elegant and delicate, with the finest substance of the three (Premier Crus). The location of its vines is one of the finest in the Médoc”. In 1855 the Château was ranked as a Premier Grand Cru in the famous classification that was prepared for the Universal Exhibition of that year. Lafite is also known as the ‘King’s wine’, after being introduced to the Court at Versailles by Maréchal Richelieu.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1985 Lafite is revealing more class and complexity than I predicted. A moderately intense, cedary, woody, herb and berry-scented bouquet is attractive. The wine is open-knit and ripe, with fine tannins, sweet, medium-bodied, mineral, and cassis-scented flavors, fine depth, and a graceful, harmonious feel. It is beginning to blossom and appears to possess more depth and character than I had thought. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2010. Last tasted, 6/93.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
This is a better showing than previous bottles I have had. A lifted nose of cedar, graphite, singed leather, comparatively austere to other Pauillac ‘85s that I have encountered. The palate is medium-bodied with good acidity, unashamedly austere, a sense that this Lafite is holding something back, something that it will never relinquish and turn into a great wine. Dry on the finish, lacking the depth of Haut-Brion ’85 tasted alongside. A First Growth in second gear. Drink now-2015 Tasted November 2006.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at "The Sampler's" icon tasting in London. As always, the Lafite Rothschild 1985 is a little taciturn at first, with notes of blackberry, undergrowth, tobacco and tar, this bottle perhaps more like akin to a 1986 than an 1985. The palate is very elegant with a supple entry. Touches of cranberry, boysenberry, cedar and a strong citric thread that is a little more pronounced than other bottles I have encountered. As ever, there is a slight a little 'slackness' to this Lafite. Fine, but not the finest First in this year. Tasted December 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted from magnum at the Claret Club -85 Dinner at -The Square-. This has a classic Lafite nose, much more austere than Chateau Margaux, black fruit, tobacco, cedar and graphite, more backward, perhaps because of its larger format. Good definition though. The palate is medium-bodied and takes 30-40 minutes to open up in the glass, yet it never really thrills the senses compared to say, Mouton -85. Black berries, a touch of truffle, rather austere, masculine but lacking the persistency of its -cousin-. Too serious for its own good-c-mon-you're an -85 not a -86! Drink now-2020. Tasted December 2009.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
This has a delectable Pauillac nose, great lift with scents of pencil box, marjoram, sous-bois and blackberry. Very refined and elegant. The palate is medium-bodied, still youthful and vibrant with racier acidity than I have encountered on other bottles. Very harmonious, surfeit with elegance and poise with a very long red cherry and tobacco laced finish. It is certainly the best Lafite ’85 I have encountered although it does not have the structure or complexity to rank alongside the great Lafite’s and it was certainly not as fine as the Mouton ’85 tasted a month earlier. Drink now-2025+ Tasted July 2008.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Roberson’s in London. I have never regarded this as the best Pauillac 1985 and it lacks a little “muster” here, juxtaposed against the other Firsts. The nose is certain attractive with black fruits, sous-bois and a touch of spice and yet there is more austerity compared to say, Mouton ’85, quite foursquare in fact. With 30-minutes aeration there is hints of cold Chinese tea and dried leaves. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine structure but a notch drier than the Mouton with a little tartness towards the red cherry and bay leaf finish. Not bad, but not a top tier Lafite. Drink now-2018. Tasted April 2009.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A backward dense woody nose. Tannic structure. I'm with Parker on this one - lacks the fleshy quality which makes so many 1985`s attractive . Well-made but too tannic and austere to really to enjoy. It would benefit from more extraction and depth. Both this and Latour seem to miss a certain je ne sais quoi. Tasted February 2001.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1985 Lafite should be better, but for followers of fashion, its star-studded price will fetch you a moderately intense, cedary, woody, herb-and-leather-scented bouquet, and attractive, very forward and developed flavors displayed in a medium-bodied format. The finish is softly tannic and after a pensive sip, one is likely to ask, Is this all there is? Anticipated maturity: Now-2008. Last tasted, 3/91.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the château, the 1985 Lafite-Rothschild was the best example of this wine that I have tasted a dozen or so times. It has a beautiful nose that is just classic Lafite. It is still fresh yet understated, stately even, with tobacco and cedar-tinged red berry fruit. It is not a powerful bouquet, but there is something...magnetic about it. The palate is still youthful with fine tannin, like the nose, understated yet very well balanced. The acidity here is perfectly judged with an almost nonchalant finish. You almost miss its virtues - it is just so self-effacing and insouciant. Just a really lovely Lafite-Rothschild at the peak of its powers. Tasted March 2016.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 1985 Lafite-Rothschild is only a modest success in the context of the vintage. Here, it is totally outclassed by the 1985 Las Cases. Light, slightly loose-knit red berry fruit on the nose is complemented by warm gravel and smoky aromas, though it lacks a bit of energy. The palate is nicely balanced, not powerful but focused, with adequate freshness. As mentioned in my previous tasting note, this has dispensed with some density in recent years, and if your expectations are modest, it remains enjoyable. Tasted at Hameau de Barbaron in Burgundy.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 1985 Lafite-Rothschild has long been one of my favorite wines from the vintage and certainly it is streets ahead of Latour. Beginning to show its age with modest bricking on the rim, the bouquet takes time to unfold in the glass, revealing scents of black fruit, briary, smoke and Italian delicatessen. The aromas are not powerful, but refined. That can also be said of the palate: beautifully balanced with a fine bead of acidity, it opens gently in the glass to reveal pretty cedar-infused red fruit, walnut and a hint of sandalwood. Perhaps in recent years it has lost some of its density but it does remain a delightful Lafite-Rothschild that is probably best enjoyed sooner rather than later. Tasted at Lafite-Rothschild.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Medium red. Rather unforthcoming nose hints at redcurrant and cedar, along with a faint herbaceousness. Strong in extract and high in acidity, but today the wine flesh and fruit are dominated by its structure and grip. A marginally disappointing showing for Lafite, in which herbaceous hints and lack of flesh give the wine a slightly disjointed character. I would like to have found greater mid-palate verve. Drink now through 2012.
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