A look back at three unforgettable dinners held in May 2018 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Château Lafite Rothschild — an event attended by distinguished guests from all walks of life.
Three joyful tastings of selected vintages from Château Lafite Rothschild’s 150-year history. We share the experience through the beautifully crafted tasting books filled with notes by our illustrious guests.
It’s 2017. Saskia de Rothschild and her father, Baron Eric, are discussing the upcoming anniversary: one hundred and fifty years since their ancestor James acquired Château Lafite Rothschild.
How to celebrate such an occasion? Although tempting, a vertical tasting of one hundred and fifty vintages in a small gathering, between father and daughter, is swiftly ruled out. (For obvious reasons of moderation, and because good wine is best enjoyed in good company.) Saskia and her father eventually decide to organise three dinners in the spring of 2018. They are determined to mix genres: artists, writers, athletes, leading critics. The idea is that each dinner should bring together a diverse group of guests, with their differences inspiring fertile conversations and unexpected tasting notes.
Not every invitation is accepted, of course. Barack Obama and Lebron James aren’t available. Neither is Michel Gondry. But Francis Ford Coppola responds to the call with his son Roman, as does tennis player Amélie Mauresmo, and English actor Dominic West. Less surprisingly, Jay McInerney, the prolific American novelist and fine wine enthusiast, joins in. As do eminent critics Jancis Robinson, James Suckling and Neal Martin; artist Serena Carone and former French Minister of Culture, Frédéric Mitterrand.
What remains of these dinners? A handful of rare photographs and a collection of tasting notebooks with entries by each guest. Alongside the vintages—sometimes tasted blind—their tasting notes are poetic, precise, and often brilliantly illustrated. Together, they capture the pleasures of a tasting, escaping the usual format to become a true exercise in creative freedom.
Before letting you judge for yourself, here’s an example of an invitation sent by Saskia de Rothschild to Francis Ford Coppola.
“Dear Mr Coppola,
It has come to our knowledge that you love delicious red wine and we wanted to ask for your help on a particular matter, regarding a secret mission that involves drinking…”
And here they are, the stars of the show: selected excerpts from the tasting notebooks left by our guests.
The tasting book, crafted by French artist Serena Carone, takes the form of a pop-up storybook.
Dominic West, English actor about the 1868 vintage:
‘Like watching an oak bonfire, I am watching the sun’s energy being released after 150 years. An astonishing time capsule – a 19th century sun shining across the years.’
Éric de Rothschild on the 1881 vintage:
‘A miracle! Charm, intelligence, discretion, sheer deliciousness — a lullaby that carries you off into the sweetest dreams.’
Yuko Kayabashi on the 1955 vintage:
‘A gentle Lafite, like a couple quietly cuddling.’
Frédéric Mitterrand, former French Minister of Culture, on the 1999 vintage:
‘The silent, solitary visitor who takes us with him the moment we taste it. But beware—he vanishes as suddenly as he appeared…the famous grapes.’
Francis Ford Coppola, American filmmaker, on the 1982 vintage (inspired drawings below)
Julia Oudil, sommelier, on the 1953 vintage:
‘Feels 30 years younger. Incredible. Burlat cherry. A hint of milk caramel. A sense of youth, with a melted tannic structure—perfectly integrated, yet still present. Plum in eau-de-vie, fresh herbs. Youthful and vibrant.’
Saskia de Rothschild on the 1945 vintage:
‘A bombshell, texture, pure tasting joy. A rich, almost leafy, chewiness, ash, and pencil lead—but with such freshness!’
How did a Louis XV privateer come to give his name to one of Pauillac's greatest wines? Historian Laurent Chavier discovers an answer in the Lafite archives.
A FICTION OF THE FIRST DAY OF BARON JAMES DE ROTHSCHILD IN PAUILLAC
On September 7, 1868, Le Constitutionnel wrote: “Baron James de Rothschild has left Paris for Château Laffitte, Médoc, which he has just acquired.” After that? We asked the novelist and poet Bernard Chambaz to slip into the shoes – and mind – of the Baron.