CorkonomicsThe economics of wine production, collection, and vineyards
The numbers
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 2025

2025 was an excellent year in Bordeaux, just a step below the very best.

Save · All vintages of Château Lafite Rothschild · Compare

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

What to expect

A wet winter, a very dry spring and a very hot summer, with two 'saviour rains' for Pauillac on 24 June and 20 July and 60 mm on the last weekend of August. The earliest harvest in memory, a small crop at 27 hl/ha, and the last vintage made in the estate's wooden vats. Expect a ripe, well-balanced wine with a long life ahead of it.

6 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
Excellent
Price when new
≈$376+16.7% on the 2024
How hard to find
Still around1 years old
Picked
Sep 2025 – Sep 2025

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.

ExceptionalExcellentVery goodGoodMixedDifficult

2025 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
2 September 2025 – 20 September 2025
Yield
3,600 bottles from each hectare of vines27 hl/ha
The blend
94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot; 12.5% alcohol
Release date
20 May 2026
Price when new
≈$376'released its 2025 vintage this morning at €336 per bottle ex-negociant, up from €288 last year'. Wine Spectator's 2025 campaign article printed €405; the Drinks Business figure matches the +20% move in the US retail priceThe Drinks Business, 2026-05-20
First US shop price
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. 2025, the lucky hand, Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  2. Lafite Rothschild 2025 — release note, Fine Wine Library, 2026. 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