Château Lafon-Rochet 2021

What a bouquet—plenty of cassis, floral notes, cedarwood, mint. Taut palate, powerful yet elegant, fine-grained tannins, saline finish. A robust, elegant wine.

The 2021 Lafon-Rochet opens with aromas of cassis, licorice and pencil shavings, followed by a medium-bodied, supple and charming palate that is seamless and harmonious, framed by soft, powdery tannins and concluding with a minty finish.

Super ripe and perfumed on the nose. Bright, almost searing on the palate, then chalky with a crystalline, mineral-edged finish. Clean and precise, it lacks a touch more density on the mid-palate, but this is well worked with balance and a long, salty finish. Cool blue fruits are lovely, as are the licks of menthol, eucalyptus and flint.

This red has a very pretty focus and transparency, with plums, redcurrants and just a hint of chocolate and hazelnuts. Medium-bodied. Impressive, integrated tannins fold beautifully into the wine. Drink in two or three years.

Tasted blind. Light crimson. Stony cassis. Not the fruitiest, but at least it tastes like St‑Estèphe. Brisk, clean finish. (JR)

The 2021 Lafon-Rochet bears all the traits of Pauillac on the nose, displaying potent graphite scents that would draw you “south of the border” from Saint-Estèphe. There’s mainly black fruit here, slightly earthy and maybe missing the vivacity of top recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. It has gained a little more weight and cohesion since I tasted it from barrel, showing ample freshness with a tang of seaweed toward the finish. It is not a long-term Lafon-Rochet but it will give 15 years of pleasure, possibly more.

Flowers, mint, espresso, tobacco leaf, herbs, currants, and black raspberries form the core of this medium-bodied, soft, energetic wine. The palate is lively, with a leafy, herbal, peppery red currant endnote. This is the final vintage for the Tesseron family. Subsequent vintages will be produced by Jackie Lorenzetti, along with the team of Emmanuel Cruse, the new owner of the property. You can expect big things from this wine in the future. Drink from 2025–2040.

Deep ruby garnet colour with purple reflections, delicate ochre rim. Inviting notes of wild berries, a delicate hint of nougat, a touch of heart cherries. Medium complexity, red berries, fresh acidity, savoury tannins, a hint of sweetness on the finish, firm mineral aftertaste, juicy finish, has certain ageing potential.

The last vintage made by Basile Tesseron and 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2021 Château Lafon-Rochet is outstanding stuff that clearly does well in the vintage. Cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and ripe tobacco notes all give way to a medium-bodied Saint-Estèphe with fine tannins, solid concentration (especially for the vintage), and a balanced, layered, seamless profile that will evolve nicely for two decades. The tannin quality here is terrific.

Delightful bouquet, fresh blueberry, light graphite, delicate lilac note, and lingonberry juice. On the juicy palate, a supple texture, finely grained extract, turning subtly austere, a tight-knit tannic frame, and a sinewy body. In the focused finish, the St. Estèphe streamlines, with deep-seated terroir spice and finely sandy astringency.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 12.9% alc./vol.) Fragrant, fruity bouquet with cassis, cherries, fine woods. Medium-bodied, balanced palate with good fruit, finely sandy tannins, velvety texture, dark aromatics, long finish.

(69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 12.9% alc./vol.) Fragrant, fruity bouquet with cassis, cherries, and fine woods. Medium-bodied, balanced palate with good fruit, fine-grained tannins, velvety texture, dark aromatics, and a long finish. 17/20 2028 - 2048

Raspberry leaf and greengage on the opening beats, followed by slate and saffron, with plenty of linear blueberry and raspberry fruit. A transition vintage in terms of ownership at Lafon, in a challenging year anyway, and with the best will in the world this sits on the austere side of the vintage. 32 hl/ha yield, 70% first wine. Second year in official conversion to organic, to be certified with the 2023 vintage. Harvest from September 27 to October 8. 30 hl/ha yield, 50% new oak. Christophe Congé appointed technical director, arriving early 2022 just a few months after the Lorenzetti purchase, thus overseeing the ageing.

The 2021 Lafon-Rochet has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. After a fair bit of swirling, notes of fresh red and black currants jump from the glass, giving way to hints of bay leaves, crushed rocks, and black pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate is bright and energetic, with lightly chewy tannins and a lively line, finishing on a mineral note.

The 2021 was blended by the new team. The wine offers good balance, depth, and a rather classic shape. A wine with a fairly approachable, silky profile. It is already very enjoyable. It will be interesting to see how the next vintages turn out.

A slight reduction on the nose that opens onto the sapidity of a floral bouquet, beautifully limpid. Fresh and dancing on the palate, playful, it unfolds a dynamic yet focused energy that lingers through to the savory finish.

Lafon-Rochet unfolds in a crescendo, choosing the fresh side of Cabernet complemented by nuances of licorice wood and elderberry. The wine has good density, supported by velvety tannins, while a fine austerity upholds and lengthens the finish. A wine of character where one might wish for a touch more finesse, yet it clearly underscores its ability to stand the test of time—and thus to mellow!

Dark, deep color. Intense nose with ripe fruit. Meticulous on the attack, a bit shy mid-palate, the wine straightens up on the finish, caressing, with medium length. It does not present as usual. Blend: 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Alcohol: 13% - pH: 3.70 – IPT: 76. Yield: 32 hl/ha. The estate experienced frost and downy mildew.