1953 Château Lafite Rothschild***

Opened 10 minutes before .  Mid to light ruby with a hint of brown. Light but certainly refined on the nose with strong lead pencils. Even rather Cabernet Franc-like in its aromatic nature. Sweet start then rather firm and even slightly metallic on the palate. Great energy there. Flattering and ethereal. I could imagine some people finding it too light. Super refreshing. Difficult to imagine this sort of wine being made today. More transparent. Then it opens out in the glass and seems to gain depth. Only very, very slightly dry finish. But it blossoms beautifully in the glass. Putty, fragrance, sweet juiciness. So fluid. Freshness. Ethereal and the nose grew and grew – such fabulous lift... The most elegant wine by far here. (JR)

This wine still seemed to be far from over. Pale orangeish. Rich and balanced and lively. Really fresh and very, very energetic. Aerienne. Very, very Lafite with all of its soaring lift. I heard a story that Eric de Rothschild was entertaining Serena Sutcliffe MW and my fellow British wine writers Jane MacQuitty and Alice King at Lafite and offered to open a bottle of each of their vintages. They were, respectively, 1945, 1953 and 1961. (JR)