Carruades de Lafite 2010
Carruades de Lafite, adopted as the name of Château Lafite Rothschild’s second wine, was initially called “Moulin des Carruades” before the 1980’s. The origin of the name comes from the Carruades plateau, a group of plots adjacent to the chateau’s best vineyards, purchased in 1845 by Château Lafite. Carruades de Lafite is made according to the traditional Bordeaux method. Alcoholic fermentation is conducted in wooden, concrete and stainless steel vats. Gentle pumping-over helps to ensure a soft extraction and is carried out according to the specific characteristics of each tank. Total maceration time lasts for about 20 days. After malolactic fermentation, the wines are transferred into French oak barrels made by the Tonnelleries des Domaines in Pauillac for a period of 18 months approximately. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (51%), Merlot (42%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Petit Verdot (2%) grapes the Carruades de Lafite opens with a wonderful floral bouquet alongside notes of ripe fruit, blackcurrants, cedar, and spices. This is a dense, rich wine with very refined, well-integrated tannins and excellent length.
