I was delighted to sell a half-bottle of 1960 Château Lafite Rothschild to a client recently, purchased as a 60th birthday gift.
1960 was the biggest crop in Bordeaux since the vineyards were decimated by the February 1956 frost.
It’s not as bad a vintage as might be thought, though a cold summer meant that the wines were much less potent than in ’59 and ’61.
It was regarded as a “useful stop-gap” vintage that allowed merchants to keep their cellars well-stocked, with the great 1959 wines in short supply.
How has 1960 Lafite aged compared to the human…?
Well, this light and charming wine has probably not lasted to its 60th birthday – unlike the fortunate recipient of this fine old bottle.