Carruades de Lafite 'Château Lafite Rothschild' 1981

The Carruades de Lafite 1981 is the second wine from the legendary Château Lafite Rothschild and a fascinating collector's item from a rather average vintage in Bordeaux. It offers a rare insight into the quality of the world's most famous premier cru estate in a less celebrated year.

🌿 General information about Carruades de Lafite

Carruades de Lafite, often referred to as the "little brother" of the great Lafite, is the second wine from Château Lafite Rothschild. Its name is derived from the "Carruades Plateau", a vineyard acquired by the Rothschild family in 1845. In the 20th century, the second wine was sometimes known as "Moulin des Carruades". This led to a curious situation in the 1980s in which bottles with both names were in circulation for the same vintage, making the 1981 particularly interesting for collectors.

The wine is produced according to the same strict criteria as the first wine, but with a higher proportion of Merlot and from younger vines, giving it a slightly softer, more accessible character.

🍇 1981 vintage in Bordeaux

In Bordeaux, 1981 is generally regarded as a vintage of "good" but not "excellent" quality. The weather conditions were difficult: cool and damp conditions in spring and early summer, followed by a period of fine weather in August and September. However, heavy rainfall fell shortly before the harvest, which affected the quality of the grapes. The best wines of the vintage, especially from the first-class sites, are characterised by a classic elegance and balance, but without reaching the greatness of truly great vintages.

🍷 Wine description and ratings

The Carruades de Lafite 1981 presents itself as an elegant, mature wine that combines the typical flavours of a classic Lafite with a slightly softer body.

• Appearance: Medium Ruby/Garnet colour.

• Nose: Classic bouquet of ripe red and black fruits, cedar wood, tobacco, fruit cake and leathery notes. With age, earthy and autumnal notes often become apparent.

• Palate: Medium-bodied with fine fruit and a sweetish attack, the tannins are well integrated and the flavours are subtle and precise, with notes of tobacco, cigar box, cedar and a hint of spice and earth.

• Finish: The finish is medium long, pleasant and soft.

Professional ratings (for the 1981):

• Robert Parker: 91 points. Parker described the wine as close to full maturity, but capable of ageing for another two decades.

• Wine Spectator: 88 points. The ripe berry flavours and notes of tobacco and chocolate were praised.

• Wein.plus Magazin: Reference to the challenges of the 1981 vintage, whereby Lafite can be a positive exception.

⏳ Drinking recommendation and storage

• Drinking maturity: The wine was originally estimated by experts to have a drinking window between 1985 and 2002. Robert Parker gave the Grand Vin 1981 an anticipated maturity until 2018. Today, in 2026, this wine is definitely at a late stage of maturity. It can still offer an interesting flavour experience for lovers of old Bordeaux, but has probably passed its peak.

• Drinking temperature: 16°C.

• Decanting: Due to its age, gentle decanting (e.g. 30-60 minutes before drinking) is recommended to separate the sediment and aerate the wine.

💰 Market prices and availability

The 1981 Carruades de Lafite is a rare collector's item that is no longer available in regular shops. It occasionally appears at auctions or at specialised dealers. Prices can vary greatly depending on the condition of the bottle:

• On iDealwine, the current price estimate (as of 2025/2026) for a standard bottle is around €198.

• At Lobenbergs, a bottle with a "top-shoulder" fill level was listed for €269.

• A dealer from Minneapolis (USA) offered a bottle for the equivalent of around $815, which is significantly higher than the European level.

• On the Sovy auction platform, a bottle with a slightly damaged label was offered for approx. 3500 HKD (approx. €415), but is marked as sold out.

The exact price is strongly influenced by the condition of the bottle (fill level, label, capsule) and prices can fluctuate greatly.

💎 Summary

The Carruades de Lafite 1981 is more than just a wine; it is a historical artefact from an interesting era of Bordeaux's most famous wine estate. Its speciality lies in the complicated label history of the second wine and the fact that it provides an insight into the quality of a premier cru in a mediocre vintage. Although it may have passed its peak, for lovers of old Bordeaux it offers a rare opportunity to experience the elegance and refinement of the House of Lafite Rothschild at a comparatively accessible price. For collectors, it is an essential piece for a vertical tasting or a collection of rare Bordeaux wines.