Lafite You Can Afford

It dawned upon me during my recent visit to Shenzhen that no matter the actual wine itself, if it has any relation to Bordeaux’s famous Chateau Lafite, then it is being sold under the guise of ‘Lafite”. Although the wines in this article are ones made by some part of the company they are, at the end of the day, not Chateau Lafite – however he same meticulous winemaking skills and attention to detail when it comes to quality reign true.

Chateau Lafite is the most famous, and dare I say the most popular red wine brand in Hong Kong and mainland China. By popular I do not mean the most consumed, but the most aspired to as of course we all know, the price of Chateau Lafite makes the wine mostly unattainable to the average wine drinker.

Domaines Barons de Rothschild has been making wines at Chateau Lafite since Baron James de Rothschild purchased the estate of 74 hectares in 1868. The family now own several chateaux in Bordeaux (Duhart-Milon, Rieussec, L’Evangile, Paradis Casseuil, Peyre-Lebade and of course Lafite Rothschild) as well as owning Domaine d’Aussieres in Corbieres, Vina Los Vascos in Chile and Bodegas Caro in Argentina.

Of course the family connection to mainland China is well documented with the partnership together with Chinese group CITIC on the peninsula of Penglai in the province of Shandong. This partnership has further highlighted the brand in China, one that is arguably one of the wines most subject to counterfeiting in the country.

So what can lovers of wines from the Lafite Rothschild domain drink if it not the top wine, Chateau Lafite itself? There are a whole wealth of wines from the Rothschild family available here in Hong Kong from many different suppliers, but four that I tasted recently stood out to be some that are affordable and easily accessible.

Vina Los Vascos, the Rothschild’s Chilean winery, make some easy everyday drinking wines called Los Vascos and also make it in Reserve and Gran Reserve styles in both red and white. Their Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc are the most popular on the Hong Kong market and the wines can be found from Red Wine Cellar Limited (www.redwinehk.com) and also from Banny Wine Cellars (www.bannywines.com)

According to the family, the Los Vascos 2012 vintage (its most recent) was a late harvesting vintage with the ripening conditions perfect for the Cabernet giving the wine “great strength and balance”. The whites are set to be “fresh and agreeable”, but just remember it’s the 2010’s and 2011’s on the market right now.

If French wines are more your taste then the Domaines Barons de Rothschild Reserve Speciale collection, the affordable version of their Bordeaux wines, is available here from ASC Fine Wines (www.asc-wines.com) The Reserve Bordeaux Rouge and Reserve Bordeaux Blanc are made “from the best terroirs in Bordeaux” with grapes sourced from vineyards in the Entre Deux Mers region. 

The red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc while the white is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle (all typical Bordeaux varietals). The wines themselves have some sophistication and are designed for early drinking thus meaning there is no need to wait a decade for the wines to be at their best.

So, if you are looking for something affordable but made by a family steeped in a rich history and tradition of great winemaking this Chinese New Year (or any time for that matter), take a look around for some of the wines made in both France and around the world made by Domaines Barons de Rothschild – and if you are opening a Chateau Lafite or a Carruades de Lafite, you have my number and I’d happily join you for a glass or two)!