Château Lafite Rothschild Anseillan Pauillac 2019
Anseillan has always been an integral part of Lafite, yet is a completely separate wine in its own right. Not a Château, Anseillan is a wine, named for a 'Lieu-Dit' - a named locality - within the Château Lafite Rothschild Estate and was first released in 2021 with the 2018 vintage. The village of Anseillan lies to the east of Lafite Rothschild, between the Château and the Gironde. This area presents a wide variety of terroirs which are the subject of much thought and research. Anseillan is a blend of meticulously selected vineyard plots, born of many years of intense scrutiny, research, and trials at the hands of Château Lafite’s technical teams. Located at the very heart of the hamlet, they have been defined precisely within the AOC Pauillac. Cooler and later because of their northern exposure, they are also more clayey than Lafite’s classic terroirs. This terroir and the teams’ work give Anseillan’s wine a unique style and excellent complexity. The 2019 Anseillan is a blend of Merlot (85%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) matured in barrel for 16 to 18 months. Beautiful colour, rich, intense and an expressive nose, very characteristic of the vintage with its ripe and fresh notes. Its attack is dense, yet lively and powerful. The already melted tannins extend the length on the palate.
