| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Estèphe |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
The 2014 Lafon-Rochet does not quite possess the complexity of the 2014 Phélan-Ségur on the nose, broody and introspective but with aeration reveals very pure blackberry and bilberry scents, hints of brine/seawater, cedar and spice. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, plenty of tobacco tinged black fruit, saline and sappy in the mouth so that those taste-buds are flowing by the finish. The more I acquaint myself with this wine, the more I fall for its charms. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2020 - 2040
Here’s a St.-Estèphe that’s really appealing young but also has good aging potential. Great balance between crisp acidity, ripe fruit and elegant dry tannins. The finish is long and rather subtle. Hard not to drink now.
You feel the depth compared to the smaller estates of the appellation, with powerful, chalky and textured tannins. Autumnal fruits dominante, of cassis and bilberry, earth and smoked cedar, good quality, still plenty of character to unfurl over the next five to 10 years, just a little short. Harvest October 1 to 17. Tesseron family at the time (today this is owned by Jacky Lorenzetti).
Tasted blind. Looks quite evolved. Rich and smooth and very worked. Glamorous. Very dry finish but lots of energy here. Long, and dramatic.
Drink 2024-2042
Recent vintages here at this classed growth St Estephe have been amongst the best ever and now the latest generation of the family - Basile Tesseron - has become involved with the management. The new consultant is the legendary Jean-Claude Berrouet of Chateau Petrus - his first job on the left bank. This striking property with its yellow walls is just along the road from Cos d'Estournel and overlooks the vineyards of Lafite. En primeur prices remain reasonable. The vineyard is planted 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot with a little Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Deep purple colour. Ripe black cherries and bramble fruit on the nose. Silky entry with a ripe black fruit core given structure by ripe tannins. Excellent St Estephe typicity. A little smoke and spice from well measured use of oak. Well made and should be very good value.
This delivers a direct beam of red and black currant fruit mixed with a note of blood orange. Picks up tobacco and warm stone accents through the finish. Best from 2018 through 2026. 10,000 cases made.
The nose has a lot of powerful flavours the start of the palate richness and sweetness. Firm in the middle the tannins giving structure quite tight but there is a sweeter richer feel at the back with fair depth and weight of fruit on the finish. 2025-38
Aromatic and floral, with hints of violet, rose petal and graphite, this is one of the more charming Saint Estèphes in 2014, with plenty of sweet blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, fine-grained tannins,a lift of acidity and sensitive oak handling. There's good underlying stuffing, too.
The 2014 Lafon Rochet has a very attractive, slightly floral bouquet with raspberry and crushed strawberry fruit, a touch of rose petals lending this a feminine allure. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, ripe tannins. This feels quite dense in the mouth, a welcome pinch of white pepper and cedar lending complexity to the finish with tart cherries on the aftertaste. This is probably more forward than other Saint Estephe wines, but it should give 15-20 years of pleasure. Drink 2019-2034
The Château Lafon-Rochet 2014 is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot picked from 1 October until 15 October. Basile Tesseron explained that there was 25 and 35mm rain between 7 and 9 October at which point the Cabernet was not able to ripen further due to the lack of water. This gave the ripeness another spurt and destroyed the pyrazines. Pumping over was about 0.5 to 1.5 the volume per day over a long period to avoid extracting any harsh tannin (especially from the seeds) with a short cold maceration. It has a complex bouquet: brambly black fruit, touches of dark plum mixed with black olive and incense. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp acidity, a little chalky in texture with a precise, quite pointed finish. This 2014 continues a run of fine form for the estate. Drink 2019-2032.
This is really beautiful with so much class and finesse already. Full body, bright acidity and lovely fruit.
Very dark, blackish crimson. There is masses here but so much that it's difficult to discern much aroma. Big and beefy but embryonic. And there is not that much follow-through on the finish.
Drink 2022-2036
