In the oenological world, the importance of terroir is usually the determining factor in the making of wine legends. Such is the case of Château Lafite Rothschild, located in Pauillac on the left bank of the Gironde estuary. Here, the 50ha Plateau des Carruades provides the highest point of elevation in the Pauillac appellation, blessing the vines with optimal sunshine. The variety of soils from the Massif Central and the Pyrenees then contribute to excellent irrigation and water regulation, enabling ideal ripening conditions for cabernet sauvignon. Meanwhile, the estuary moderates the microclimate, preventing extreme temperature fluctuations and protecting vines from frost, allowing for an even ripening of the grapes.
In Kuala Lumpur, premier wine distributor Bordeaux Liquid Gold recently brought Les Domaines Barons de Rothschild and its director of business development, Olivier Gailly, to town, with a wine dinner taking place at EQ Kuala Lumpur’s soaring fine-dining venue, Sabayon. Here, a select group of guests savoured a selection of wines from Domaines Barons de Rothschild, starting with the Champagne Barons de Rothschild Blanc de Blancs, a 2011 Château Duhart-Milon, 2011 Château L’Evangile, and a trio of vintages from Château Lafite Rothschild spaced a decade apart: 2016, 2006 and 1996. To end, the 2019 Château Rieussec—a Sauternes—was paired with Sabayon’s dessert composed of dark chocolate, caramel cremeux, and mascarpone ice cream.
In his speech, Gailly transported the dinner crowd back to the seminal year of 1868, when Baron James de Rothschild acquired Château Lafite—already a very famous wine, having ranked as one of the four original First Growths in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Today, Saskia de Rothschild runs the business as the sixth generation of the family since its acquisition, and Domaines Barons de Rothschild continues to spread its wings beyond France, to wineries and regions such as Argentina and China.
At Château Lafite Rothschild, the winery that has inspired countless references as a top wine, the real-life location is just as historic, having had vines in the ground since the 13th century. Gailly points to the fortunate confluence of elements in its terroir, from its elevation to its nearly 2m deep gravel, mixed with thin clay and some limestone, all of which combine to regulate the soil temperature. “And that regulation helps to maintain the quality of fruit through periods of rain and drought.”
Recent developments have also been aimed at preserving the magical terroir that has produced such sought-after wines. “What we have been doing at Lafite over the years, under the direction of Saskia, is to try to be greener and greener, trying to regenerate as much as we can from the soil to the biodiversity,” Gailly says. “Even restoring the 100ha of forests around the vineyard to maintain the microclimate—all of this is great in connecting the ecosystem to the vines’ long-term future.”
In the tasting of the three vintages for the evening, one finds the 2016’s aromatic potential from its integration in the oak barrel, promising a great future while remaining softly silky on the palate and with a whisper of its classic violet notes. The 2006 then steps up with a bouquet that amply develops into a powerful palatal presence of tannic finish and woody, oaky tones. As for the 1996, its aroma of cedar and dark fruits, cassis, and hints of cedar segues into a silky, delicate palate before the finesse, elegance, and power of the cabernet swoop in from the wings.
As dessert arrived, Gailly turned the crowd’s attention to the 2019 Château Rieussec, in particular its unique bottle—first launched for the 2019 vintage—to be more ecologically sustainable. “We wanted to have a bit of disruption of the category with this sustainability effort and, secondly, to encourage people to drink Sauternes as an aperitif with its cool, nice acidity,” he says. “It also works great as a pairing to spicy food—foie gras, of course—and, as the wine gets a bit older, it also goes very well with a cigar.”
Photography courtesy of Bordeaux Liquid Gold
Lead image: Olivier Gailly addressing the wine cognoscenti gathered for the evening, by premier wine distributor Bordeaux Liquid Gold.
