Lafite Rothschild 1951 Magnum

The history of the vineyards of Lafite is quite old. In a field that was already planted with vines, Jacques de Ségur structured the vineyards in the late seventeenth century and the reputation of this wine was already well established. His son Alexandre expanded the field in 1695 by marrying the heiress of Latour. Nicolas-Alexander was born from this union. He is the one who built in the early eighteenth century the prestige and reputation of Lafite, the wine is already acclaimed in Versailles and also in the British Kingdom.

Upon the death of the latter, Lafite knows a succession of owners, it will be auctioned after the Revolution, but the quality will be maintained at the highest level thanks to the care of its commissioners, the family of Joseph Goudal. Chateau Lafite will be classified 1er Grand Cru Classé in 1855.

In 1868, Baron James de Rothschild purchased it, by auction again, and since then the estate has remained the property of his family. Apart from its exceptional terroir (deep gravel, resting on marl and limestone basement), the quality can be explained by the average age of the vineyard (40 years), low yield per hectare and a rigorous selection. In the years 1960-1970 the wines were of lesser quality, due to less stringent management of the vineyards and the vinification process.