1985 Château Lafite Rothschild***

The finest of tannins draws this out slowly and confidently, capturing scents of crushed roses, incense, tobacco leaf and white truffle alongside sage, salted cracker, mint, blackberry and raspberry fruits, everything so fully integrated that you can barely tell where one flavour ends and the next begins. Captures the finesse, subtlety and elegance that is such a signature of Lafite when it is fully mature and in an extended drinking window - and from experience I would say that it will stay in this moment for a good few decades more. Driest September on record at the time. Baron Eric de Rothschild heading up the estate at the time, Gilbert Rokvam technical director, Charles Chevallier had joined from Rieussec a few years before. The vineyard was 90ha in the mid 1980s, so around 20ha smaller than today.

Plenty of classic Pauillac markers here of a great vintage with a little age on it. Cedar and woodsmoke, fresh and mouthwatering, plenty of juice still running through raspberry and blackberry puree. Hawthorn notes, raspberry leaf and earth slide in to the finish, along with delicate salinity, making this overall mouthwatering and effortlessly drinkable. A little less powerful than the 1982, it comes to a slow slide through the finish but there is no dip in the mid palate even at 36 years old, and has a woodsmoke curl that rises out of the glass. A year that was extremely well received at the time, overshadowed a little since (although the Halley's Comet that was engraved on the bottle makes it a favourite in verticals). One to rediscover if you can find.

This is so beautiful now and exhibits real aged-Bordeaux character with currant-bush, tobacco and berry aromas that follow through to a medium body with firm tannins and a creamy finish. Still so together. The finish turns to cigar box, sandalwood and berry. Drink or hold.