Dark bramble fruit with some herbal and soft floral scents. Instantly so captivating, bright and intensional, almost understated really, hands off, which the best ones are in 2023. Really lets the grapes and the terroir speak with a backbone of gravel and stoniness but not chalky. This stays on the acidity and the tension all the way through. Utterly brilliant. Very transparent. Clean, precise, nothing too much. Length is so persistent. It’s a serious wine but with so much life and juiciness and freshness. Neither cool nor warm either it’s just so well balanced. 15% press. (Drink between 2033-2060)

An architectural Lafite that stretches out endlessly, crafted, delineated, powerful, sappy, with waves of salted cracked, graphite, crushed tobacco, mint leaf, cassis, squid ink, cocoa bean, campfire. Not the concentration of 2022, but in many ways showcasing the essence of Lafite more squarely, and this will delight anyone lucky enough to own it in future years. These Pauillac Firsts are all a little more closed down than I expected after experiencing them En Primeur - more like 2000 than 2001, and are seriously going to age well. 45hl/h yield, harvest September 7 to 29. 100% new oak. Eric Kohler director.

(TWI 97-99 points) The 2023 Lafite Rothschild is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little swirling, wonderfully pure notes of boysenberries, wild blueberries, and blackcurrants emerge from the glass, followed by hints of violets, dark chocolate, licorice, and fertile loam with a hint of black truffle. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers electric sparks of vibrant black berry and mineral flavors framed by super-ripe, fine-grained tannins and great tension, finishing long and shimmery. A wine that is so, so cerebral, this is a vintage well played by Lafite. The blend is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, with pH 3.76, and an alcohol of just 12.9%. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Very perfumed, with currants, orange peel, strawberries, cedar and lead pencil. Medium-bodied, with ultrafine tannins that are completely integrated into the wine, giving a graceful and seductive finish. Weightless. It's so long and caressing, making you smile with each sip. A joyful young Lafite. 93% cabernet sauvignon, 6% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Best after 2028 but so beautiful now. James Suckling Senior Editor

Flowers, black cherries, red and black currants, Cuban cigars, cedar, lead pencil, spice, and creme de cassis, fill the perfume. On the palate, the wine is elegant, refined, vibrant, and energetic. While the wine on your palate starts off slow, don't be fooled, because, while it might start off slow, it builds in intensity and depth as it lingers on your palate. Purity and elegance are perfectly balanced here from start to finish. The endnote goes on long after you've finished your glass. The wine blends 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2032-2070. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=2023&wine=Chateau%20Lafite%20Rothschild

The 2023 Lafite Rothschild is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs considerable coaxing to reveal notes of crushed blackcurrants, fresh blackberries, and raspberries, opening out to hints of violets, iron ore, mint tea, and clove oil. The light- to medium-bodied palate is so, so elegant and intense, slowly growing in the mouth to reveal layers of black fruit, minerals, and floral notes, framed by exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. The blend is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, with a pH of 3.76 and an alcohol of just 12.9%.

The 2023 Lafite-Rothschild is a rich, heady wine. A rush of dark-toned fruit, cedar, leather, incense, grilled herbs, tobacco, and chocolate makes a strong opening statement. Powerful and quite tannic, the 2023 is going to need a few years to come into its own. Today, the Grand Vin is decidedly somber and brooding. - Antonio Galloni

Reminding me of the 2019 with its modern yet ultra-classic style, the 2023 Château Lafite-Rothschild sports a gorgeous perfume of cassis, freshly sharpened lead pencil, tobacco, and loamy earth that gives it an utterly classic Pauillac profile and style. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has good concentration, ripe, polished tannins, flawless balance, and so much charm and accessibility. Based on 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, drink this gorgeous Lafite over the coming 40-50 years. Drink 2026-2076.

Bottled a touch earlier than usual due to the extensive construction work that is ongoing at the estate, the 2023 Lafite Rothschild offers up notes of cassis and plums mingled with pencil shavings, spices and a subtle touch of fresh leather. Medium- to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's rich and youthfully structured, with supple, powdery tannins, lively acids and a sapid finish.