Lafite Rothschild : The Most Outstanding Wine In The World?

The renowned estate of Chateau Lafite located in Bordeaux France is owned by members of the Rothschild family who are well-known as bankers. The name Lafite originates from the Gascon term 'la hite' which means small hill.

Lafite's vineyard is one of the greatest in the M?doc producing around 35,000 cases of wine annually. Of this around 15,000 to 20,000 are for the acclaimed first growth. Chateau Lafite also produces a second wine of less significant quality called Carruades de Lafite.

At first, only four wine estates from Bordeaux were granted First Growth status in the 1855 classification of Bordeaux wines, Lafite was one of them. Chateau Lafite Rothschild was and still is a persistent maker of the world's most desirable and most expensive wines.

Chateau Lafite is positioned in Pauillac which is in the Medoc area of Bordeaux. The estate has existed since the thirteenth century and was purchased in the seventeenth century by the Segur family. It is probable that vines already existed however in 1680 Jacques de Segur planted the majority of the vineyard which still exists .

The Segur family refined the wine making techniques of the estate and actively promoted Lafite Rothschild to the most affluent families of Europe. Chateau Lafite Rothschild went on to be recognized as the King's wine, thanks to the endorsement of royal families. Thomas Jefferson was a notable fan and client.

After the French revolution (known as the Reign of Terror), Nicolas Pierre de Pichard was executed and this ended the Segur family's ownership of Lafite as in 1794, the residence became the property of the public . The vineyards were sold to a group of Dutch merchants in 1797.
It wasn't until 1868 that the property was sold to Baron James Mayer Rothschild for a price of 4.4 million francs. It was then that the estate became Lafite Rothschild . Unfortunately Baron James passed away just three months after acquiring the well-known vineyard and Lafite was passed to his three sons Gustave, Edmond and Alphonse. Throughout the 20th century there were ups and downs for Chateau Lafite. The property was occupied by the German army during the Second World War who stole wines from the cellars of the vineyards .

More recently Chateau Lafite has been less hindered , cementing its authority as one of the world's finest wines. To date the record price paid for a single bottle of wine was a 1787 bottle of Lafite which was believed to be owned by Thomas Jefferson. It sold for $156,000 at Sotheby's auction house in London.
Chateau Lafite is also a firm favourite in the Far East where the new found wealth has seen a tremendous surge in demand both for drinking and investment.

If you can afford to drink it Chateau Lafite Rothschild can be purchased at specialist wine merchants near you . Alternatively, why not hold on to it , Lafite can be a fantastic wine investment!

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Lafite Rothschild and other superior wines of Bordeaux can be bought from classic Bordeaux vintners and auction houses. Classic Bordeaux Vintners, can be found throughout the world with the United States, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong being the largest and most active fine wine markets.