Carruades de Lafite 2020

The 2020 blend is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. An intense, brilliant crimson colour sets the tone. The nose may begin discreetly, then opens quickly toward redcurrants and raspberries, supported by subtle mint and liquorice. On the palate, the attack is silky and notably fine. Freshness is one of the vintage’s most striking features, especially given the warmth of the year. A dense tannic structure persists through the tasting, giving the wine shape and direction without taking away from its poised texture. Cabernet Sauvignon supplies the Pauillac line, while the unusually substantial Merlot component brings generosity and gloss. Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot provide further aromatic and structural detail. The finish remains reserved but full of promise, suggesting a wine whose complexity will deepen with patience. Carruades 2020 is therefore both immediately recognisable and forward-looking: elegant, finely textured, fresh, and grounded in the disciplined architecture of Lafite.

Carruades de Lafite 2020 is an elegant partner for roast lamb, beef tenderloin, duck breast, or veal, especially with a simple jus and herbs rather than a sweet glaze. Redcurrant and raspberry notes favour dishes with clean savoury flavours, while mint and liquorice can be echoed by rosemary, thyme, fennel, or gently caramelised root vegetables. Mushrooms, lentils, and celeriac offer earthy depth without obscuring the wine’s finesse. Serve slightly below room temperature in a Bordeaux glass and allow time for the initially discreet nose to open. Decanting is useful when the bottle is young, but a long, gradual evolution at the table can be equally rewarding. Choose firm, nutty cheeses if serving a final course. Avoid highly pungent cheese, excessive chilli, or sugary sauces, which can flatten the wine’s freshness and refined tannic line.

The name Carruades comes from the plateau adjoining Château Lafite Rothschild’s ridge. Once vinified as a separate wine, fruit from these parcels later contributed to the Grand Vin before the name returned for Lafite’s distinctive companion cuvée. The 2020 relied substantially on younger vines intended one day for Lafite, including important Merlot parcels such as Grande Horte, Barat, and Gandeau. Storms after véraison relieved the vines and helped avoid the water-stress symptoms seen in some previous years. Carruades is made through traditional Bordeaux methods: fermentation in wooden, concrete, and stainless-steel vats, gentle pumping over, approximately 20 days of maceration, and around 16 months in French oak barrels made in Pauillac. Its 42% Merlot marks a return to a generous proportion of the variety, shaping a wine that feels both grounded in Lafite’s precision and confidently itself.

Store unopened in a cool, dark, stable environment away from heat, vibration, and direct light. Keep the bottle horizontal. Once opened, recork and refrigerate; bring it gradually back toward serving temperature before enjoying the remainder.