92/94

Stephen Tanzer

Vinous

Bright medium ruby. Floral, minerally aromas of blueberry and violet. Quite dense and intensely flavored; thick but shapely and delineated, thanks to a firm spine of acidity. Consistent from start to finish: no hole in the middle here! Finishes with dusty, even tannins (polyphenols are near the level of the '96, but the tannins are ripe) and excellent length. A superb performance for the year.

95

Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

The 1999 Lafite Rothschild sports an engraved "1999" on the bottle along with an eclipse to mark that significant historical event of August, 1999. It is a quintessential offering from Lafite Rothschild. This prodigious wine is both elegant and intensely flavored, and almost diaphanous in its layers that unfold with no heaviness. An opaque ruby/purple color is accompanied by a complex bouquet of lead pencil, graphite, cedar, creme de cassis, toast, and vanilla. It is medium-bodied, with extravagant layers of richness yet little weight, and a finish that is all sweetness, ripeness, and harmony. This extraordinary Lafite increasingly appears to be a modern day clone of the majestic 1953. A mere one-third of the crop made it into the grand vin! Anticipated maturity: 2007-2030.