Winery	Chateau Lafite Rothschild
Region	Paulliac, Bordeaux, France
Vintage	2006
Type	Red
Grape Varietals	Carbernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Retail Price	$47.00
Rating	3/10

DFS Gallery Changi Airport: I was scouring for a bottle of perfect red wine to complement the most finely planned, spectacular honeymoon trip with my wife to a tropical paradise resort. 

Criteria: The wine must be smooth, sexy and palatable for my wife to enjoy. Big wine is only for me...

Outcome: I was deliberating over an expensive california merlot , a safe australian shiraz bet and a risky french cabernet sauvignon merlot, having known that french wine need some aging to be reveal its finese. Comes DFS sales lady - "Sir, the Baron De Rothschild (Lafite) Reserve Speciale 2006 is the best selling red wine in our store. You should try it, we have very good feedback." Having thought that $47 price tag for a french wine sounds reasonable and coupled by more persuasive sales pitch, my defensive wall faltered to reveal a gullible chap who now lest hesistantly believe what she said.     

Aftermath: In the most perfect night at the attics of our resort villa, soaked under streams of silver moonlight, pops open Baron Rothschild Reserve Speciale Pauillac 2006. Cheers! 2 sips, face distorted, and I offically declared that the this wine is CRAP, not 'speciale' at all and had decently spoilt the rest of our night!

I would hate to belittle the wine. But it seriously lack the class,style and esteem of a french wine. To think that they manages other well-know estates such as Château Duhart-Milon, Château Rieussec, and Château L'Évangile... Yes, I am fully aware that I had only paid  $47, not $470 or $2470.  But I am very sure that for $26, PH Bouchard & Cie Cotes Du Rhone 2006 could beat it hands (and feets) down.    

Trying not to be overly critical, yet my wife and myself mutually agreed that the wine lacks body, taste and depth. On the whole, there were some noses of berries and light vanilla straw scent. The wine has medium-light purplish birght hue (for Cabernet Sauvignon??), but the taste is flat, one dimensional, short of some bland lifeless remanent of fruits that douse off rapidly in the mouth. Put it in layman. The wine seem to have been mixed 30% with water. Nothing like Ribena, yet nothing like a Cabernet Saugvinon. Try that, you'll know what I mean. 

Sad to say, there's little I could think of to praise the wine. For this price and quality, better look elsewhere unless you want to experiment my findings.

If anyone have tried this wine and finds it different. Please leave me a comment.    

Tasting Notes:

• Lacks body, taste and depth. On the whole there were some noses of berries and light vanilla straw scent. The wine has medium-light purplish birght hue (for Cabernet Sauvignon??), but the taste is flat, one dimensional, short of some bland lifeless remanent of fruits that sizzle off n the mouth. Put it in layman. The wine seem to have been mixed 30% with water. Nothing like Ribena, yet nothing like a Cabernet Saugvinon. 

Food Pairings:

• White meat, light snacks and nuts.

Drinkability:

• Ready to drink (or not?)

Available At:

• DFS Changi Airport