“A Coca Cola bottle with a Lafite Rothschild label, could be snatched up for $$$$ in China!” Chandrajeet.
Wine sales are booming in the Far East. The Chinese and the Indians are buying up every case of vintage wine they can lay their hands on from all of the great producers. Of course the removal of the totally really unfair tax on the imports of wine in to Hong Kong has helped, but that is not the full story.
The label does make a lot of difference to the “rapidly rich” in Asia.
You can be almost sure that Carruades de Lafite, the second wine, would be as popular and priced almost at the level of the first growth, Chateau Lafite Rothschild, in some of the “specialist” wine shops in Shanghai or Mumbai .
The increasing demand from the super rich of China and India is of course a Divine gift from the Gods of wine to the growers, who are all rushing to have a presence in the major cities in Asia. For the rest of us mare mortals in Europe, I guess that we have to look for some great but still comparatively unknown wine producers!
In the mean time…..
If there is still any of it left, the 2009 Chateau Lafite Rothschild could well be a great one for the cellar, to be brought out at a very important occasion later in life.
Traditionally, the Lafites are delicately elegant with a light almond aroma and flowery under tones as opposed to the much more powerful Latours or the spicy and mind grabbing flavours of the Moutans.
This one is another triumph for Charles Cuvelier, who has been in charge of the Chateau since 1994, and had been responsible for many of the great vintages since then. The Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2009 seems to have great expectations for the best qualities that the Chateau is known for.
The thicker than average skinned grapes along with just the right amount of rain, at just the right times could well have produced as good a vintage as the 1982 or the 2000 vintage Lafites.
Wine Speak.
The Violet, currant, raspberry and lilac aroma unfolds slowly on the palate to a more muscular cedar and tobacco. Full-bodied with very well-balanced tannins the 2009 Lafite has the traditional elegance with a surprising amount of muscle.
The first growth is aged only in new oak barrels, for approximately 18 to 20 months.
Composition
82% Cabernet Sauvignon.
17% Merlot 17%
0.5% Petit Verdot
Price Range
(these are the sample prices taken from sources around the world and may be subject to change)
| Price: | $1299.00 (USD) per Bottle – minimum 12 bottles (Hong Kong) |
Price: $1395.00 (USD) per bottle (San Fransisco)
Price $ 1,499.00 (USD) per bottle (New York)
Price £12,999.96 (per case) London
There are apparently no more than around 25,000 cases of this great vintage out there, so if all goes with the wine as expected, then it could be a really great wine to buy and put away in the cellar!
