CHATEAU CARRUADES DE LAFITE - 2002

From Chateau Lafite Rothschild, this second growth Pauillac Bordeaux has an alcohol content of 12.5%.

TASTING NOTES:

Medium-red color. Closed and muted nose with unexciting flavors of dull red fruit with traces of cedar and herb. Concentrated flavors of disappointment, discontent, disillusionment, and dissatisfaction with disenchantment on the somewhat sour finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

83 PTS

I'm sure some will say this wine is in a dumb phase or it has closed down and will later blossom into something much better but I'm not buying it. This is just a very blah tasting Bordeaux right now and I'm not bullish on its future life. The 2002 vintage was not a great one although there are some great wines from that vintage. I actually tasted the cousin of this wine, the 2002 Duhart-Milon, which I will be reviewing shortly and it blew away the Carruades. The Duhart-Milon is showing really nicely. I purchased the Carruades in the $20 range years ago. It now sells for a ton more money. It is not even worth what I paid for it. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but this is an average to below average tasting wine that is comparable to a generic $8 bottle of Bordeaux.