Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac

From 1234 to the present day – The enduring legacy of Château Lafite Rothschild

Château Lafite Rothschild, located in Pauillac in the Médoc region near Bordeaux, is not only one of the most famous wineries in the world, but also one of the oldest wine brands in existence . The first written mention of the name Lafite dates back as far as the year 1234, when a certain Gombaud de Lafite was mentioned in a document. However, the foundations for its present-day fame were actually laid in the 17th century, when the Ségur family reorganised the vineyard around 1670 and promoted the wines at the court of Versailles and abroad .

The decisive milestone in the estate’s history came in 1855. On the occasion of the World Exhibition in Paris, Lafite was classifiedas one of just four estates – alongside Château Latour, Haut-Brion and Margaux – in the highest category of the Premiers Grands Crus Classés. Just a few years later, in 1868, Baron James de Rothschild, head of the French branch of the famous banking family, acquired the estate at auction. It has remained in the Rothschild family’s possession ever since. Since March 2018 , the estate has been managed by Saskia de Rothschild, who carries on the family legacy as the sixth generation.

The estate’s unique terroir spans approximately 112 hectares of vineyards. The vineyards are situated on deep gravelly soils over limestone, which provide excellent drainage and optimal sunlight. The plots are predominantly planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (around 70 per cent), supplemented by Merlot (approx. 25 per cent) and small proportions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The average age of the vines is around 39 years.

In the cellar, the estate prioritises the utmost precision: depending on their origin, the grapes are fermented in wooden, stainless steel or concrete tanks and macerated for around 22 days. The Grand Vin is then aged for around 18 to 20 months exclusively in new French oak barriques. A particular gem is the famous circular wine cellar (Chai), which was designed by architect Ricardo Bofill and inaugurated in 1987. The wines of Château Lafite Rothschild are legendary for their exceptional elegance, finesse and ageing potential – a legacy that continues to make the estate one of the world’s most sought-after wines to this day.