Some wine names come with a bit of cachet, and Barons de Rothschild Lafite is one of those names. This is thanks to the fact that they have consistently been the producer of one of the world’s most expensive red wines. A bottle of 1787 Chateau Lafite that was thought to have been owned by Thomas Jefferson once sold for $156,000 at auction.
Now, I don’t believe in paying that much for wine. And fortunately I can still enjoy wine from Barons de Rothschild Lafite without paying an arm and a leg. Although they are best known for their high-end wines, they also produce plenty of wine for commoners like me. This white from Bordeaux has an average retail price of about $14 and can be found for as little as $11, possibly less.
Of course, this lower-priced wine doesn’t come from the same top-tier vineyards as their high-end wines. This is part of their DBR Collection and the grapes are sourced from different parts of Bordeaux. The blend of this white is 60 % Sémillon and 40 % Sauvignon.
But, is it any good?
The nose is soft and well balanced offering aromas of lemon, melon, flowers and mineral. The floral aspect on the nose gives this wine a wow factor. It’s quite dry on the palate and the flavors are all lemon and mineral. The fruit is restrained, in other words this isn’t an in-your-face, tropical-fruit-laden wine. It has nice acidity and a tart mineral finish.
Wine: Barons de Rothschild Lafite Reserve Speciale Blanc
Variety: White Blend
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 12%
Rating: 87
Price: $14.00
Find Barons de Rothschild Lafite Reserve Speciale Blanc with Snooth
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.