2016 Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux

On another level and one of the greatest young Bordeaux I’ve ever tasted, the 2016 Lafite-Rothschild comprises 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot raised in new oak. It takes the classic elegance and class of Lafite and turns the dial up to 11, offering a massive, heavenly array of blackcurrants, cedar pencil, graphite, tobacco, and incense aromas and flavours that soar from the glass. Deep, full-bodied, and flawlessly constructed, with perfectly integrated fruit, acidity, and tannins, this is legendary stuff all the way. It will be drinkable in 7-8 years and keep for 50-75 years or more. It’s the wine of the vintage from the Médoc along with Mouton. Hats off to director Eric Kohler.Drink 2026 - 2101jeb_dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (February 2019)

Tasted blind. First bottle: Big, burly, mulberry nose. Then a little tart on the end. Big and bold. More concentrated than the … Second bottle: Similar rather glorious but possibly OTT nose and then polished tannins and less tart on the end. Very voluptuous. I’m sure no one else in the world would demand a second bottle of this; it’s just that the Southwold crew are subjecting all these 2016s to such scrutiny. Slightly salty.Drink 2026 - 2045jancis_robinson_mw MW, JancisRobinson.com (February 2020)

The 2016 Lafite-Rothschild is a total stunner. Seamless, racy and voluptuous in the glass, the 2016 is even better from bottle than it was from barrel. Once again, I am blown away by the inner sweetness and purity of the fruit. The 2016 is, rich, concentrated and yet also light on its feet, in the way only Lafite can be. Dramatic and ample the 2016 Lafite is a beautifully resonant, super-expressive wine endowed with regal beauty and tremendous overall balance. It will drink well for many years and decades.Drink 2026 - 2066antonio_galloni, Vinous.com.com (January 2019)

The 2016 Lafite Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, with 15% of the press wine contributing to the blend this year. Deep purple-black in color, it slowly reveals the most gorgeous perfume of kirsch, lilacs, black raspberries and warm blackcurrants with underlying nuances of cigar box, rose hip tea, cloves, licorice and pencil lead plus a waft of garrigue. Medium-bodied and built like a brick house with a firm yet beautifully ripe, finely pixelated tannic backbone and seamless freshness supporting the amazing intensity of black fruits and floral layers, it finishes very long and provocatively perfumed.Lisa Perrotti-Brown - 30/11/2018

Even stronger and more toned than the excellent 2015, this Lafite shows incredible power yet also finesse. Full-bodied, superfine and chewy wine. Muscular yet agile. Goes on for minutes. Stunning. Perhaps the greatest Lafite since the legendary 1959? james_suckling - April 2017