The Legendary 2016 Vintage

Four Extraordinary Wines. One Legendary Family. One Exceptional Vintage.

There are five First Growths in Bordeaux, but there is only one Lafite. For more than 150 years, the Rothschild family has presided over one of the world's most celebrated wine estates, building a legacy defined by extraordinary vineyards, uncompromising craftsmanship, and wines capable of evolving for generations. Yet the story of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) extends far beyond the legendary gravel terraces of Pauillac. From the neighboring vineyards that produce Carruades de Lafite to the prestigious clay-rich soils of Pomerol and the noble-rot vineyards of Sauternes, the family's influence reaches across some of Bordeaux's most distinguished terroirs. Each estate possesses its own history, character, and identity, united by a shared pursuit of exceptional wine.

The 2016 vintage provides an extraordinary opportunity to experience that legacy through four remarkable bottles. Widely regarded as one of Bordeaux's greatest modern vintages, 2016 combined a warm, dry summer with timely September rainfall and favorable autumn conditions, producing red wines of exceptional concentration, freshness, and aging potential. In Sauternes, the season's distinctive conditions yielded richly textured, beautifully balanced sweet wines. For this collection, our SommSelect team has brought together four outstanding expressions of that singular year: the legendary Château Lafite Rothschild, its celebrated second wine Carruades de Lafite, the family's prestigious Pomerol estate Château L'Évangile, and the magnificent Sauternes First Growth Château Rieussec. Four wines, four distinct expressions of Bordeaux, and one extraordinary opportunity to explore the House of Lafite through the lens of a truly historic vintage

2016 Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac

The First Growth

Few names in the world of fine wine command the reverence of Château Lafite Rothschild. Classified as a First Growth in 1855 and acquired by Baron James de Rothschild in 1868, the estate has become a benchmark for the extraordinary elegance, precision, and longevity of great Pauillac. Its vineyards occupy some of the appellation's most prized gravel soils, where Cabernet Sauvignon achieves a remarkable combination of concentration and finesse. The 2016 Château Lafite Rothschild is a monumental expression of that terroir, offering layers of cassis, blackberry, violet, cedar, graphite, and tobacco, supported by exceptionally refined tannins and an almost endless finish. Awarded 100 points by both Decanter and James Suckling, it stands among the defining wines of an already legendary vintage. The crown jewel of the collection, and one of the most compelling expressions of First Growth Bordeaux produced in the modern era.

2016 Carruades de Lafite, Pauillac

The Second Wine

Named for the historic Carruades plateau adjoining Château Lafite Rothschild's vineyards, Carruades de Lafite offers a fascinating second perspective on one of Bordeaux's most celebrated estates. Although it shares the same winemaking heritage and meticulous standards as the Grand Vin, Carruades possesses a distinctive identity shaped by its vineyard selection and greater emphasis on Merlot. That difference is especially revealing in 2016. While Lafite Rothschild's Grand Vin is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2016 Carruades blends 49% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, creating a more generous, immediately expressive interpretation of the vintage. Black cherry, ripe plum, cassis, tobacco, graphite, and delicate spice unfold across a beautifully textured palate with silky tannins and a persistent mineral finish. An exceptional opportunity to experience the character of Lafite through two distinct wines from the same extraordinary harvest.

2016 Château L'Évangile, Pomerol

The Right Bank

Across the Gironde, on the celebrated plateau of Pomerol, the Rothschild family's vision takes an entirely different form. Acquired by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) in 1990, Château L'Évangile occupies some of the Right Bank's most coveted vineyard land, where clay and gravel soils produce Merlot of extraordinary depth, richness, and elegance. Unlike the Cabernet Sauvignon-driven wines of Pauillac, the 2016 L'Évangile is composed of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, revealing the remarkable versatility of Bordeaux's great terroirs. Concentrated aromas of ripe plum, black cherry, dark chocolate, truffle, and exotic spice lead into a sumptuous palate of velvety tannins, layered complexity, and remarkable freshness. The exceptional 2016 growing season brought both power and precision to Pomerol, producing wines with the structure to evolve beautifully for decades. A magnificent expression of Right Bank Bordeaux, and a compelling reminder that the House of Lafite's legacy extends well beyond Pauillac.

2016 Château Rieussec, Sauternes

The Sauternes First Growth

The journey concludes in Sauternes, where the Rothschild family's dedication to exceptional terroir produces something entirely different. Acquired in 1984, Château Rieussec is a Premier Cru Classé of the 1855 classification, renowned for producing some of Bordeaux's most complex and ageworthy sweet wines. Here, the convergence of the Ciron and Garonne rivers creates the distinctive autumn conditions that encourage Botrytis cinerea, or noble rot, to concentrate the grapes while preserving their remarkable aromatic character. The 2016 Rieussec, composed of 83% Sémillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc, and 5% Muscadelle, offers an extraordinary balance of richness and freshness. Orange blossom, candied citrus, apricot, honeycomb, and delicate spice emerge from a beautifully textured palate, lifted by vibrant acidity and a long, fragrant finish. Awarded 96 points by both Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast, this remarkable Sauternes demonstrates why the world's greatest sweet wines deserve a place alongside its most celebrated reds. A fitting conclusion to the collection, showcasing another extraordinary dimension of the House of Lafite.

Impeccable Provenance

Exceptional wines deserve an equally exceptional history. These bottles were acquired Ex-Château En Primeur in 2017 through an approved Bordeaux négociant, securing them directly through Bordeaux's established distribution system before their official release. Following release from the châteaux between June 2018 and March 2019, the wines were professionally stored at Dartess in Bordeaux before being transferred to London City Bond in February 2020.