Being able to call yourself one of the oldest wine houses in Bordeaux is certainly a honor that many wineries can dream of, but Château Lafon-Rochet can call that dream reality, being one of the oldest estates in Saint-Estèphe that date back to the 16th century.

Originally named "Domaine de Rochet," the estate was renamed "Château Lafon-Rochet" in 1650 after its owner, Antoinette de Guillemotes married Étienne de Lafon. 

In 1960, Guy Tesseron acquired the estate and initiated a comprehensive restructuring of the vineyard. He also oversaw the construction of a new château, replacing the one previously destroyed by a fire. This re-construction also marked it the first Médoc chateau to be rebuilt in the 20th century.

In 1999, his son Michel assumed the reins and proceeded to embark on significant upgrades to both the winemaking facilities and the château itself.

This period saw the house adopt its iconic golden-yellow hue, which would later adorn the château and its wine labels. In 2007, Basile Tesseron, the third generation, assumed control and installed two new cellars – one crafted from stainless steel and the other from concrete.

In 2021, the Lorenzetti family acquired Château Lafon-Rochet, catalysing the birth of the Vignobles Cruse-Lorenzetti producer name. The property is currently managed by Christophe Congé with third-generation vigneron Emmanuel Cruse.

The wines produced from the house's vineyards are classified as a Quatrième Cru (Fourth Growth) in the esteemed 1855 Bordeaux Wine Official Classification.

The 1855 Bordeaux Wine Official Classification was borne from Emperor Napoleon III's request for a showcase of France's finest Bordeaux wines at the 1855 Paris Exposition Universelle. Wines were ranked based on a château's reputation and market price, then considered a direct reflection of quality. This system categorized wines into five tiers, from First Growths to Fifth Growths.

The Chateau Lafon Rochet. 

Chateau Lafon-Rochet's 45 hectares of vineyards are spread across two distinct hillsides in Saint-Estèphe. One side, characterized by gravel, provides excellent drainage and makes the terroir ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon.

The other, with its clay-rich soil, regulates water retention, offering a more balanced environment for the vines. Cabernet Sauvignon (48%) and Merlot (45%) dominate the plantings, complemented by smaller plots of Petit Verdot (3.5%) and Cabernet Franc (3.5%).

The average vine age is approximately 38 years, with some plots boasting vines 80 years old and older.

Even the Chateaux is yellow! 

The house also puts a large focus on conservation. It employs large amounts of plant cover to preserve the quality and fertility of its soils, as well as preventing degradation and erosion. In addition, more than 4km of hedges are spread throughout the vineyard, representing around 4,500 plants. This, along with several intra-plot trees greatly encourage the vineyard's biodiversity.

All this effort must surely pay off, so how does the house's wines taste?

Let's get stuck in!

Château Lafon-Rochet 2016, Saint-Estèphe – Review

Vintage Notes

This vintage is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The vines have an average of 30 years and are planted on a terroir of gravel and clay, with the harvest having taken place between September 29 and October 20. The wine is aged in oak barrels for a duration of 14-16 months, with half of the barrels being brand new.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Very captivating bouquet that brims with generous, almost-jammy red fruits interwoven with mature tertiary notes. Opens with luscious strawberry jam, blackcurrants and cherries, eventually giving way to a subtle herbaceous potpourri. Underlying this fruitiness are some tertiary notes of liquorice, graphite, cedar and a hint of musty truffles. A really complex one.

Palate: Medium-bodied and remarkably fresh. The attack is a lively acidity carrying a core of cassis and plums, complemented by austere notes of minerality, chalkiness, and a persistent thread of liquorice. Fairly straightforward I should add.

Finish: Long and persistent, driven by lingering minerality and chalkiness accented by vanilla and evolving hints of cedar and baking spices, before revealing more dark cacao powder. All this happens over a layer of smooth, fine-grained tannins.

My Thoughts

Very polished and balanced. I love how the evocative nose leads to a polished and fresh palate of ripe fruits, minerality and chalkiness. The finish is also really memorable with its minerality and robust depth of oak.

While Saint-Estèphe wines often exhibit a rustic character, this particular bottle showcases a more refined expression of the appellation, as Château Lafon-Rochet intends to. The palate is much more moderate and polished, tempering the power typical of Saint-Estèphe with an elegance unique to the Château.

I’m seeing tons of tertiary notes on the nose and finish already, but perhaps with the vibrant acidity of the wine this should see more positive development in the palate over the next five years.

*Suspiciously racoon-like noises*

Contributed by @Definitelynotthreeracoons