94

Antonio Galloni

Vinous

The 2023 Carruades de Lafite is a rare Carruades that is just Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as the team felt Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot were not as successful. Silky, aromatic and finessed, the Carruades captures all the elegance of its big sibling, but in a more accessible package. Dried rose petal, orange peel, mint, cinnamon and red-toned fruit soar across the palate. Brisk acids pull it all together on the long, sustained finish lifted by expressive floral overtones. 03/2026

92

Neal Martin

Vinous

The 2023 Carruades de Lafite, which has Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot this year, has a delightful bouquet with lifted black cherries, blueberry and violet scents that blossom in the glass. Touches of vanilla pod emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins. Quite tensile, fresh, sapid with a bright finish, this is a clean and precise Carruades that lingers in the mouth. One of the best Carruades that I have tasted. 02/2026

91

William Kelley

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

The 2023 Carruades de Lafite offers up aromas of cassis bud, cedar box, spices and orange zest, followed by a medium- to full-bodied, ample and charming palate animated by a lively spine of acidity. It's a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, without any Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot this year. 04/2026

92-94

Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck

The second wine of this reference point château, the 2023 Carruades De Lafite is based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, resting in 50% new French oak. Crème de cassis, graphite, wildflowers, spicy wood, and lead pencil notes all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, with a focused, classic Lafite elegance, ample mid-palate depth, and ripe tannins. I love its overall purity, balance, and length. 05/2024

94

Jean-Marc Quarin

Jean-Marc Quarin

Couleur sombre et pourpre. Nez aromatique et fruité. Moelleux en entrée de bouche, avec de la présence, le vin glisse, parfume et fond au palais. Il avance en gagnant beaucoup de saveurs dans la persistance. Cette puissance aromatique dominée par le fruit noir, sans aucun angle tannique, fait toute son identité. Il y a un aspect château Le Pin dans le Carruades, plusieurs fois mentionné dans mes notes privées. Assemblage : 60 % cabernet sauvignon, 40 % merlot. Degré d'alcool : 13°2 - pH : 3,8 - IPT : 70. 04/2024

95-96

James Suckling

James Suckling

A savory and juicy Carruades with softness and notes of ripe berry, cedar and dried tobacco. Like Lafite from the 1980s but more precise. Round and pretty. It really grows on the finish with such sweetness of fruit and length. Pointed, fine tannins at the end. Very long. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot 04/2024