TN: 75 Lafite
Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:35 am
1975 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
Good level into neck and cork still holding together on removal (50% soaked). Red with obvious bricking. Good clarity and appears in good condition. Nose blooms with blackberries, coffee, and some residual oak. Not very developed, almost monolithic. Still youthful. Palate on day one upon opening was terrible - all tannin and oak. Where's the fruit? After 4 hours, a slight improvement but still unbalanced. Almost threw out rest of bottle. On day 2, took out the filled 250ml bottle from the fridge and aired it for another 2 hours. A night in the chiller appears to have worked wonders. Now lovely integration, with rich lashings of fruit and excellent length and concentration. Tannins are still firm. Became quite lovely . Given its chameleon-like qualities, almost impossible to rate. Still, no beauty and remains firm. The elements are there, they are just not in synch. At its best perhaps 90, at its worst 84. Overall then I would rate it:
86 / 100
Good level into neck and cork still holding together on removal (50% soaked). Red with obvious bricking. Good clarity and appears in good condition. Nose blooms with blackberries, coffee, and some residual oak. Not very developed, almost monolithic. Still youthful. Palate on day one upon opening was terrible - all tannin and oak. Where's the fruit? After 4 hours, a slight improvement but still unbalanced. Almost threw out rest of bottle. On day 2, took out the filled 250ml bottle from the fridge and aired it for another 2 hours. A night in the chiller appears to have worked wonders. Now lovely integration, with rich lashings of fruit and excellent length and concentration. Tannins are still firm. Became quite lovely . Given its chameleon-like qualities, almost impossible to rate. Still, no beauty and remains firm. The elements are there, they are just not in synch. At its best perhaps 90, at its worst 84. Overall then I would rate it:
86 / 100
