Owned by members of the Rothschild banking family of France, Chateau Lafite Rothschild is situated in the great wine-producing village of Pauillac in the Medoc Region. The Gascon term "la hite", meaning "small hill" is behind the name of the estate. Originally the property of Gombaud de Lafite, the estate, including the existing 16th century manor house, was acquired by the Segur family in the 17th century who planted the majority of the vineyard.

In the early 18th century, Nicolas-Alexandre, marquis de Segur refined the wine-making techniques of the estate, and introduced his wines to the European elite. He became known as the "Wine Prince", and, with the influential support of the Marechal de Richelieu, the wine of Château Lafite was dubbed "the King's Wine". Towards the end of the 18th century, Lafite's reputation was assured and even Thomas Jefferson visited the estate and became a lifelong customer.

The French Revolution led, eventually, to the execution of Nicolas Pierre de Pichard during the period known as the Reign of Terror and the Segur family's ownership of the estate came to an end. In 1797 the vineyards were sold to a group of Dutch merchants.

Under the stewardship of the Vanlerberghe during the first half of the 19th century, the wine of Chateaue Lafite improved yet further, seeing great vintages in 1795, 1798 and 1818. In 1868 the Chateau was bought by Baron James Mayer Rothschild and the estate became Chateau Lafite Rothschild. The untimely death of Baron James, only three months after purchasing the estate, led to it becoming the joint property of his three sons, Alphonse, Gustave and Edmond.

Mixed fortunes during the Second World War saw the Château being occupied by the German army who heavily plundered its cellars. Succeeding his uncle Élie de Rothschild, Lafite has been under the direction of Eric de Rothschild since 1974.

Appellation: Pauillac
Areas under Vine: 222 acres
Average Annual Production: 15,000 cases per annum
Soil: Soils with deep fine gravel mixed with aeolien sands on a bedrock of tertiary limestone. They are well drained and well exposed to the sun.
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (20%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Petit Verdot (5%)
Ageing: 18 to 20 months, including 100% new barrels
Top Vintages: 1953, 1959, 1982, 1986, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009