Chateau Lafon Rochet - Saint Estephe 2020
Price: $49.96
Sale Price: $44.00
Producer | Chateau Lafon Rochet |
Country | France |
Region | Bordeaux |
Subregion | St. Estephe |
Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
Vintage | 2020 |
Sku | 794433 |
Size | 750ml |
Sure, we knew about the wines of Chateau Lafon-Rochet prior to our recent visit. After all this Chateau was rated as one of ten fourth growths in 1855 and was owned until 2021 by the Tesseron family. They don't settle for mediocre. Still, this visit gave us a deep, fresh new understanding of this Chateau under new ownership with lofty goals and a plan to improve what already were very good wines. This Chateau a must watch.
On our visit we met with one of Lafon-Rochet's new leaders, Christophe Congé. Christophe left his position as Oenologist and Wine Operations Manager of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and Duhart-Milon in 2022 for a the same role at Lafon-Rochet. Christophe's twenty-two years at those Chateau means that he knows intimately how special Lafon-Rochet's terroir is. Situated on the border of Saint-Estephe and Pauillac, Lafon-Rochet's vineyards are just a stone's throw away from Cos d'Estournel's and perhaps a hulk-like golf drive away from those of Lafite-Rothschild. Lafon-Rochet's vineyards are by Bordelaise standards elevated (20-25m) and feature soils rich in small stones, pebbles and blue clay. Christophe is pushing towards organics (certification will be official this year 2024) and in the winery they are investing into new fermentation vessels to allow for more precise parcel by parcel fermentation opposed to plot by plot.
Antonio Galloni: 96 Points
The 2020 Lafon-Rochet represents the essence of classicism in Bordeaux. Medium in body and finely-cut, Lafon-Rochet is one of the classiest, more refined Saint-Estèphes readers will come across. Dark fruit, earthiness, lavender, licorice, menthol and cloves add nuance, but it is the wine's balance and vibrancy that impress most. Give the tannins a few years to melt away. Superb.
James Suckling: 93-94 Points
Blackberry and spice with firm, chewy tannins that show polish and focus. It’s medium-to full-bodied with excellent energy. Blackberry and blackcurrant character on the finish with a touch of cedar and spice.
Neal Martin: 93 Points
The 2020 Lafon-Rochet was bottled at the end of June. It has quite an expressive bouquet, leaning more towards black fruit, touches of undergrowth and pencil box. This is very harmonious and actually quite similar in style to the Phélan-Ségur. The palate is mediumbodied with very pliant tannins, well judged acidity, fresh and displaying commendable depth. Hints of black pepper and cedar, a pleasing strictness on the finish, whereas I commented that it was quite Pomerol-like out of barrel, now it is much more Pauillac in style, with graphite lingering on the aftertaste. Excellent.
Wine Advocate: 91 Points
The 2020 Lafon-Rochet opens in the glass with aromas of cassis, plums and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep palate with good concentration, lively acids and plenty of powdery structuring tannin that asserts itself on the finish. This, too, is more structured than its 2019 counterpart and will require a bit of patience. (WK)