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Goedhuis, March 2018
After the primeur tastings in 2006 when considering my wine of the vintage I surmised of this extraordinary wine: “… certainly this Lafite would have to be right up there.” 12 years on and I am hard pushed to name a favourite amongst the amazing flight of First Growths. But if forced this was my wine of the night! It really does deserve a flawless score of 20/20. Typically Pauillac with hints of graphite and fresh tobacco leaf, this exceptional wine somehow balances refinement and grace with understated power. A wine so full of energy and yet beautifully subtle. It is almost fully aware of its greatness that it doesn’t have to shout from the roof tops. A wine of supreme balance which I dream to have the opportunity to drink when it reaches its absolute prime.
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Goedhuis, April 2006, Score: 95-100
One peek into Ch Lafite's cellar is like entering the 18th century. Its cobweb-dressed chandelierssubtly light shadowy corridors playing host to hundreds of ancient vintages. Nothing could be more representative of its philosophy - classic, stylish yet powerful characteristics that have made it one of the most collectable wines in the world. In 1985, a 1787 Jefferson bottling obtained £105,000 at auction. Twenty-one years later, it remains the most expensive bottle ever sold. In 2005, Lafite produced one of the top wines of the vintage. Full stop. It is full-bodied and fleshed out with lots of ripe bramble fruit and excellent almost granite-like - minerality. Silky yet with formidable presence, it is true to its soulful character and will long reward those who find it in their cellars. Drink 2015 - 2035+.
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Neal Martin, July 2016, Score: 96
Having tasted the 2005 Château Lafite-Rothschild several times both blind and non-blind, it comes across as a First Growth politely requesting more time to "settle". Here, from an ex-château bottle tasted in Bordeaux, it delivers that graphite, pencil-box bouquet that unfurls gradually in the glass, biding its time, graceful but not intense. Parallel to some of its fellow 2005s, it is developing a little more spice, namely thyme and sage, than I recall. The palate is medium-bodied and beautifully balanced, to wit, a sophisticated Pauillac that priorities elegance and poise over intensity of fruit—in keeping with Lafite Rothschild's style. You come away with the sense that it will take its time and decline, giving away a great deal in its primacy, even if it is still more approachable than the 2005 Latour for example. Therefore, I would be inclined to set this aside for several more years. Tasted November 2014.
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Antonio Galloni, April 2021, Score: 97
The 2005 Lafite-Rothschild is a gorgeous wine, but it is also very young. Readers lucky enough to own it will find a very classic, gracious Lafite-Rothschild that still needs a few years to be at its best. Bright red-toned fruit, crushed rocks, mint and licorice open first, followed by darker aromas and flavors that develop as the wine gains volume with air. Tasted next to its peers, Lafite is so typical of itself and less marked by the year. And that is one of the signs of a truly great terroir. Lafite-Rothschild is not as showy as many other wines in this vintage, but it is so true to its own identity, and that is the highest compliment I can pay it. The 2005 is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, done in 100% new oak, which is not at all noticeable. At the time, the Cabernet percentage was quite high, but that has now become the norm. Tasted two times. 2025-2055
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Robert Parker, June 2015, Score: 95
Beautiful, elegant red, blue and black fruits (89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot) as well as some graphite and spice notes jump from the glass of the 2005 Lafite Rothschild. Medium-bodied, with superb purity and texture, this is not a blockbuster by any means, but a meticulously made, lovely-textured Pauillac. Long and pure, this wine should drink well for 25-30 years. There is no danger in pulling the cork on it today.
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Robert Parker, April 2008, Score: 96+
While the 2005 is another brilliantly classic Lafite Rothschild, for my taste, it comes in slightly behind their extraordinarily opulent 2003 as well as the dramatically powerful 2000. A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot, the 2005 boasts a dark ruby/purple color in addition to that exceptional Lafite perfume of graphite, spring flowers, crushed rocks, and sweet black cherry and black currant fruit that exudes class and nobility. The wine is medium-bodied with extremely high levels of tannin in addition to sensational purity, length, and overall harmony. However, it is exceptionally backward, and even more tannic than either the 1995 or 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+
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Robert Parker, April 2007, Score: 94-98
Made in an ethereal style, the 2005 Lafite is composed of nearly 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, just under 11% Merlot, and a tiny fraction of Petit Verdot (representing only 40% of the total harvest). It is a deep, structured, linear style of Lafite Rothschild that is in total contrast to the opulence and extravagant richness of the 2003 and the bold, dramatic power of the 2000. The dense ruby/plum/purple-tinged 2005 offers up scents of graphite, flowers, crushed rocks, and loads of berry fruit. Medium-bodied and sweet with high tannin, it represents the quintessentially elegant style of Bordeaux. Another brilliant effort made under the auspices of administrator Charles Chevalier, it should be at its finest between 2015-2050+.
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Robert Parker, April 2006, Score: 93-96
The 2005 Lafite is a lighter-styled effort than I expected, but of course, this estate is renowned for its delicacy and finesse. After the world-beating, off-the-charts 2003, which is a modern-day clone of the 1959, the 2005 seems pretty and restrained, but very noble as one would expect. Remarkably, the alcohol is actually higher in 2005 than in 2003, topping out at 13+%. The final blend was 88.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10.7% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot. Production represented only 40% of the harvest. The wines dark plum/ruby/purple color is followed by Lafites tell-tale aromas of lead pencil shavings intermixed with flowers, minerals, sweet berries, and black currants. Medium-bodied, quintessentially elegant and finesse-styled with high but ripe tannin, it is an impeccably pure, exceptionally well-made effort. Despite its obvious charm, my instincts suggest it will shut down after bottling. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050+.
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Decanter, June 2021, Score: 99
A wine worthy of superlatives, the 2005 Lafite showed incredible concentration yet a superb balance. The lovely blackcurrant and plum fruit shows a fragrant floral edge, hints of oak spice, and a firm, earthy underpinning. The texture is superbly elegant, with a lovely freshness and a lilting, silky finish, yet it does not lack a tannic grip, and the finish is satisfyingly long. Near perfection. A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot with just a drop of Petit Verdot, aged in new casks. 100/100
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Jancis Robinson, April 2006, Score: 19
Extremely complex and intriguing on the nose. More lifted than Duhart Milon and Carruades. Very fine-boned and minerally - graphite sensation (although there is no Cabernet Franc in the final blend). Delicate - which is quite an achievement in 2005! Very subtle and very youthful. Wonderful opulence with a neat, dry finish. A gorgeous drink that may be overlooked in comparison with Latour's greater drama but a very fine representation of both château and vintage, with, I suspect, a very long window of drinkability. Drink 2018-40?
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Wine Spectator, April 2006, Score: 95-100
Fabulous aromas of currant, tobacco, mineral and cedar with licorice undertones. Muscular wine with firm yet velvety tannins. Full-bodied, with lots of fruit yet reserved and long. Wonderful balance yet plenty of strength. Extremely well-toned and long. 2000 again?
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Jane Anson, August 2022, Score: 98
Waves of saffron, truffle, black tea and earth set the pace for a remarkably balanced and aromatically-complex wine. This is still a baby at 17 years old, but has reached the level of Lafite character when all is elegance and finesse - the perfect example of how in Bordeaux they don't need excess to deliver something extraordinary. As things relax, you get a luscious, more concentrated core of cassis and bilberry fruit, with cedar, charcoal, violet, raspberry leaf and slate. Fine tannins hold it all in place, you could give this a long carafe to drink now, but the real magic needs another decade or so. Charles Chevallier technical director, and this was the last year with Emile Peynaud as consultant, before Jacques Boissenot took over in 2006. A pair of scales was chosen to decorate the bottle neck to reflect the balance of the vintage.
