A single 6-litre Impériale of Château Lafite Rothschild 1982, still banded in its original wooden case. 1982 is the vintage that changed how the world viewed Bordeaux, and a large format like this is rare.
About This Wine
The 1982 summer was warm and settled, and Lafite began picking on 16 September. The final blend was 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, at 12.5% alcohol, aged mainly in new oak. The ripe, generous wines of that year made the reputation of the vintage. In a 6L bottle it has aged more slowly than in 750mL, so it may still show surprising freshness. This one has never left its banded case.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Cassis, blackberry, cedar, lead pencil and cigar box, with dried herbs and a wisp of smoke
- Palate: Medium to full-bodied and silky, with pure black fruit, graphite and fine, resolved tannins
- Finish: Elegant and lingering, with cedar, tobacco and gentle sweetness
Serving & Food
Stand the bottle upright for two to three days, open with care, and decant slowly into several decanters about two hours before serving at 17°C. A 6L serves about 40 glasses. Drink now to 2035. Serve with roast rib of beef, saddle of lamb or truffle dishes.
How to Enjoy
Big celebrations, 1982 birthdays and landmark events, or a trophy bottle for a serious Bordeaux cellar.
Product Details
Producer: Château Lafite Rothschild
Country: France
Appellation: Pauillac, Bordeaux
Classification: Premier Grand Cru Classé (First Growth), 1855
Vintage: 1982
Grape Variety: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc
Volume: 6L (Impériale)
Presentation: Single bottle in banded original wooden case (OWC)
About the Château
Lafite was ranked first among the four First Growths in 1855 and has been owned by the Rothschild family since Baron James de Rothschild bought it in 1868. Its vineyard in the north of Pauillac covers a little over 100 hectares, on deep, fine gravel over limestone, across the slopes near the château, the Carruades plateau and a small plot in Saint-Estèphe.
Cabernet Sauvignon dominates, supported by Merlot and small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Lafite is known for perfume and finesse rather than sheer power, and it tends to age slowly.