Chateau Lafon Rochet Saint Estephe 2020

Château Lafon Rochet, 4eme Grand Cru Classe, Saint Estephe, Bordeaux, 2020

Grapes: 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 45ha vineyard on gravel and clay soil, 38 year average vine age, practising organic, hand picked, 12 months' ageing in French oak barrels

Château Lafon-Rochet is one of the oldest estates in Saint-Estèphe, with origins dating back to the 16th century.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"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."

91+/100 points, William Kelley, WINE ADVOCATE

"Flowers, cigar wrapper, wet earth, smoke, chocolate, blackberries and red pit fruits open the nose. But, it is on the palate, where the wine really shines with all of its layers of full-bodied, concentrated, long, dark, round, energetic, creamy, plush, ripe, fruits. The finish is long, clean and vibrant with a creamy textured endnote that will be even better once the minor amount of oak remaining has fully integrated. This is the final vintage from the Tesseron family who brought in the harvest and vinified the wine. The new owner, Jacky Lorenzetti, along with Emmanuel Cruse finished the wine. Starting with the 2021 vintage, the new owners were fully in charge." 

95/100 points, Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider, March 2023