Lafite Rothschild owner reveals Chinese winery name

Around 2,500 cases of Long Dai have been made from the 2017 vintage and the first wines will be released on 19 September this year, initially in China, said Lafite owner Domaines Barons de Rothschild (DBR).

It has named its Chinese estate Domaine de Long Dai.

Long Dai 2017 is blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Marselan and Cabernet Franc, although the group also has Syrah planted in its vineyards.

DBR has taken a decade to get to this point, having bought land in 2009 and planted vines in 2011. There are now 25 hectares in full production, with another five hectares planted, it said.

‘Our family have been winemakers at Lafite for 150 years so it is in our culture to be patient and take our time to make sure we release a wine we are proud of.’ said Saskia de Rothschild, chairwoman of DBR and who recently succeeded her father, Baron Eric de Rothschild, at the head of the family’s wine estates.

‘This vintage of Long Dai is the first chapter of a very long story as winemakers in China.’

The wine will be initially released exclusively in China, via distribution partner Pernod Ricard. A release to export markets ‘will be addressed at a later stage early in 2020’, said DBR’s CEO, Jean-Guillaume Prats.

While China’s Ningxia region has been gaining plaudits for its wines, DBR chose to base its estate in Shandong Province on the country’s northeast coast, south of Beijing. Domaine de Long Dai lies in the Qiu Shan Valley, where the group says a hot climate is tempered by the Yellow Sea, 20km away.

Decanter’s Bordeaux expert, Jane Anson, attended the launch of Domaine de Long Dai and Premium subscribers can read her full report, including a tasting note on the wine, next week.