Château Lafite Rothschild is probably the wine which does not require an introduction. Every person who knows at least a little bit about wine knows about Château Lafite. It seems that this particular wine holds a very special place in the hearts of those who are partial to Bordeaux. However, in order to try it you will have to pay quite a price for it. So, what exactly is Château Lafite Rothschild about?

Château Lafite comes from the Bordeaux region of France. When visiting France, Thomas Jefferson took a particular liking to the fine French wine, Château Lafite included. In fact, the bottle of this wine once owned by Jefferson was sold at the auction for the record amount of $160,000. Surprisingly enough, Château Lafite gained popularity in France much later than in rest of Europe. It became a source of much ado at Versailles later than it became appreciated in the UK, for instance.

One of the reasons why Chateau Lafite is knows as one of the finest wines is the fact that it has the status of premier cru, or first growth. At the Universal French Exposition among several thousand different Chateaux producing their own wines in Bordeaux only four received this highest classification and Chateau Lafite was one of them. This classification remained unchanged until 1973, when only one other wine was added. The name of Rothschild was added to the wine after the Exposition, when Château Lafite was bought by Baron James de Rothschild in 1868.

Yet every person who appreciates wine would agree that it is not status, but the taste which characterises Château Lafite Rothschild best. Except for the vintages of 1961 and 1994, it consists of four grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (80-90%), Merlot (5-20%) and Cabernet franc and Petit Verdot (0-5%). It is the wine which is characterised by intensity combined with light and velvety texture of the great French wine.

All in all there are very few wines which would always cost you quite a bit and Lafite is one of them. However, it also one of those wines which justifies the amount you might spend on it.