Château Lafite Rothschild 1970

The 1970 vintage of Château Lafite Rothschild presents itself as a fascinating and multi-layered chapter in the history of this famous Premier Cru Classé. In contrast to the difficult and historically rather curious 1973 vintage, the 1970 represents a classic, traditional Bordeaux, which has, however, received remarkably divided criticism over the decades. It is a wine of contrasts: sometimes celebrated as the "first growth de choix", sometimes criticised for its high acidity . This report examines the various facets of this wine using the available sources.

Overview and characteristics

Château Lafite Rothschild 1970 is a red wine from the Pauillac appellation , the famous wine region in the Médoc, Bordeaux. As a Premier Grand Cru Classé of the 1855 classification, it represents the highest level of winemaking in the region . The exact grape composition can vary depending on the source, but typically consists of the classic grape varieties of the region. Historically, the wine was often made with a very high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, sometimes over 90% . The current composition of the vineyard is around 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, as well as smaller proportions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot .

The ratings for this wine are exceptionally wide-ranging and reflect both the different expectations of a wine of this age and the problems of ageing and bottle variation, ranging from 80 points in a disappointed community tasting to 85 points from Robert Parker in the 1990s and an outstanding 94 points from Vinous in 2023 . The aggregator Tastingbook also records a good average of 92 points . The wine trade lists the 1970 Lafite as a coveted collector's item; prices for a single bottle start in the lower three-digit range, while magnum bottles or those with excellent provenance are traded significantly higher .

Flavour profiles: A monument of contrasts

The flavour descriptions of Château Lafite Rothschild 1970 could not be more different and depend crucially on the condition of the individual bottle and the time of tasting.

• The positive perspective: The elegant classic
  Numerous tasters paint a picture of an ageing but still enchantingly elegant wine. Neal Martin from Vinous raved about a wine with "lovely delineation and vitality" at a tasting in September 2023. He found notes of candied orange peel, pure red fruit and graphite. On the palate, the wine was delicate for him with "panache and verve" and he concluded that this could be his "first growth de choix" in the 1970 vintage . Jane Anson also described the 2021 wine as "moreish" with flavours of bonfire, brushed leather, wild strawberries and a salty oyster shell note . The wine merchant Comptoir des Millesimes summarises the style as concentrated with aromatic notes of cassis and tea, emphasising the elegance and richness of flavours that is typical of Lafite . A tasting note on Tastingbook even awarded 96 points and emphasised the "fantastic nose" with figs, plums, tobacco and leather as well as a "breathtaking elegance" on the palate . Jancis Robinson described a moment when the wine became "absolutely glorious" after half an hour in the glass, after initially appearing harsh .

• The critical perspective: marked by acidity
  The opposite position is impressively represented by Robert Parker, who repeatedly labelled the wine a disappointment. In his 1996 tasting, he criticised the "annoyingly high acidity", which was problematic as the wine did not have enough "fruit, fat and extract" to conceal this acid structure. His damning judgement: "This is a wine that is worth far more on the auction market than on the dinner table" . Other tasters also share this experience. The Wine Cellar Insiderdescribed the wine in February 2024 as "sharp, bright and crisp, with more acidity than fruit" and saw "not much left for pleasure" . A user on CellarTracker also found the wine to be past its zenith, with a "mildly unpleasant tannin residue" and a short finish .

• The reality of old bottles: A lottery
  The wide discrepancy between the ratings shows that enjoying a bottle of Lafite 1970 is akin to gambling. Many sources confirm that the wine is in a phase of gentle decline ("gentle fade") . The descriptions range from a "perfect example of classic Bordeaux" with cedar wood, tobacco, lead pencil and damp earth (2018) to a "mellow, green wine" with flavours of tomatoes and herbs (2024) . The condition of the bottle (fill level, cork, storage history) is the decisive factor for a positive or negative experience.

Historical context and significance

The 1970 vintage is considered a classic, traditional vintagein Bordeaux , often overshadowed by 1961 or 1982, which are considered great vintages. In the context of the Château Lafite Rothschild estate, the 1970 vintage is a testament to the era before the great technological modernisation that took place in the 1980s and 1990s. Vinification was more traditional back then, with longer barrel ageing (around 30% new barriques) and shorter maceration periods . It is thus a representative of a winemaking style that favoured extracts and power to allow decades of ageing- a style that still works gloriously for some bottles today and has led to an unsatisfactory dominance of acidity in others.

Summary of the ratings

The following table compares the different ratings and impressions to illustrate the divided response to this wine:

Conclusion

Château Lafite Rothschild 1970is undoubtedly a great wine in the history of Bordeaux, but there are considerable risks involved in drinking it today. It symbolises the challenges posed by very old wines: Even with a Premier Cru Classé, the individual storage history of a bottle determines whether you have the experience of an elegant, multi-layered classic or are faced with an acid-accentuated, already fading relic.

If you own a bottle or want to buy one, you should check the fill level and provenance carefully. A bottle with excellent provenance may well offer a breathtaking flavour experience that demonstrates the elegance and unique character of Lafite . In many other cases, however, the wine will no longer have the power to mask its structural acidity, leaving a rather sour and disappointing impression. The 1970 Lafite is therefore less of a reliable "dinner guest" and more of an exciting but speculative collector's item for connoisseurs and enthusiasts who are fully aware of the vagaries of a wine that is almost 55 years old.