CorkonomicsThe economics of wine production, collection, and vineyards
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Vineyard land · Pauillac≈$2,798,250 a hectare▼ down 17% on 20232024Opening price · Château Lafite Rothschild 2025≈$376 a bottle▲ up 17% on the year beforeSold at auction · Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, DRC 2019$22,917 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Burgundy grand cru (Pinot Noir)$48–283US duty on wine from · Canada+50%since Aug 2026Everyday bottle in a US shop$13.77 a litre▼ down 1.3% in a yearSep 2026Vineyard land · Margaux≈$1,567,020 a hectare▼ down 7% on 20232024Opening price · Château Cheval Blanc 2025≈$376 a bottle▲ up 22% on the year beforeSold at auction · La Tâche Grand Cru, DRC 2018$5,417 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Champagne prestige cuvée$26–89US duty on wine from · Australia+12.5%since Jul 2026Vineyard land · Côte-Rôtie≈$1,511,055 a hectare▲ up 8% on 20232024Opening price · Château Mouton Rothschild 2025≈$336 a bottle▲ up 19% on the year beforeSold at auction · Richebourg Grand Cru, DRC 2012$3,542 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Bordeaux classified growth (2nd–5th)$17–61US duty on wine from · New Zealand+12.5%since Jul 2026Vineyard land · Côte de Nuits grand cru≈$7,275,450 a hectare2019Opening price · Château Palmer 2025≈$268 a bottle▼ down 19% on the year beforeVineyard land · Pomerol≈$2,238,600 a hectare2023
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Château Lafite Rothschild 2023

2023 was a very good year in Bordeaux: reliable and well liked.

Save · All vintages of Château Lafite Rothschild · Compare

Château Lafite Rothschild, Bordeaux
Jordi Muray · Adobe Stock · Adobe Stock Standard License

What to expect

Rain through the spring — the estate sprayed against mildew every week in May — then two heatwaves in late August and the first days of September brought the gravel plots in early. A large crop: 45 hl/ha, the highest since 2015. Expect a good, dependable wine, often ready a little sooner than the greatest years.

13 of the 32 years we cover for this wine were rated higher.

A decanter and a glass of red wine on a white tablecloth in a panelled dining room
The year
Very Good
Price when new
≈$443−31.7% on the 2022
How hard to find
Still around3 years old
Picked
Sep 2023 – Sep 2023

Other vintages of this wine

One square for each year. The darker the square, the better the weather was for the grapes. Tap a year to read about it.

202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996
ExceptionalExcellentVery goodGoodMixedDifficult

2023 at the neighbours

What similar wines nearby asked for the same year. Tap one to read about it.

Compare side by side

More about the yearThe harvest, the blend and the first price
Harvest dates
7 September 2023 – 29 September 2023
Yield
6,000 bottles from each hectare of vines45 hl/ha
Share of the crop kept for this wine
38% of the harvest went into the grand vin; 15% press wine in the blend
The blend
93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot
Release date
2 May 2024
Price when new
≈$443€396 per bottle ex-négociant, 31.7% below the 2022 opening price; also Decanter (6 June 2024) and Wine Spectator ('releasing its 2023 at €396 per bottle ex-négociant')The Drinks Business, 2024-05-02
First US shop price
$531 in 2024Wine Spectator, 2024-06-12
Average US shop price
$577 in 2026Wine Spectator, 2026-06-12
What does this wine cost to make?Our estimate: $28–$95 a bottle

We estimate it costs about $28 to $95 to make one bottle of a wine like this. The price in the shop is far higher because the land is scarce, the name is famous, and many hands take a share on the way to you.

Low estimateImputed land cost: $11.34Vineyard operations: $3.31Oak barrels: $0.56Winemaking labour and cellar work: $2.50Cellar aging: $1.20Bottle, closure, label, case and bottling: $4.90Winery overhead: $3.00Financing over the aging period: $1.61$28 per bottleHigh estimateImputed land cost: $43.88Vineyard operations: $10.24Oak barrels: $1.61Winemaking labour and cellar work: $5.00Cellar aging: $2.96Bottle, closure, label, case and bottling: $13.40Winery overhead: $7.00Financing over the aging period: $10.89$95 per bottleImputed land costVineyard operationsOak barrelsWinemaking labour and cellar workCellar agingBottle, closure, label, case and bottlingWinery overheadFinancing over the aging periodUS$ per 75 cl bottle at the winery, before any margin, tax or transport · Corkonomics cost model

See the full breakdown

Sources

  1. 2023: Taking the bull by the horns, Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  2. Château Lafite-Rothschild 2023, Millesima, 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  3. Château Lafite Rothschild — producer profile, The Wine Cellar Insider, 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2026. typical annual production
Last reviewed: September 2026Report an error on this page