Château Lafon-Rochet 2015

Fresh and pure, with a beam of cassis, lilac, alder and iron notes that are nicely integrated. Shows polished edges on the finish, with a flash of austerity. The only knock is a lack of overall energy and depth. Everything is here, just at a slightly reduced level. Drink now through 2030. 9,167 cases made.

Softer, more rounded and complete, this is a generous Lafon-Rochet with a bit less focus on the mid-palate. Plenty of lift, not at all heavy in the mouth. There is a prominent baked fruit character but also enough acidity to balance. Firm tannins and notable oak on the finish. Harvested between 22 September and 9 October.

Very perfumed with blackberries, blueberries and cloves. Dried lavender as well. Full-bodied with linear, refined tannins. Pretty spices come together with the clean fruit at the end. Hard not to drink now, but two or three years of bottle age will pull it together. Drink in 2020.

Tasted blind. Light but well-behaved nose. Tough, dry finish with a lack of fruit. Bone dry and stony! (JR)

The 2015 Lafon-Rochet is gorgeous. Beautifully layered and polished in the glass, the 2015 oozes with pedigree. The flavors are bright and beautifully delineated throughout. Rose petal, mint, savory herb and bright, red-toned fruit add to the wine's vivid, nuanced personality. In 2015, Lafon-Rochet is all class. The blend is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. This is a terrific showing from Basile Tesseron and consulting winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet.

Medium-bodied, soft, earthy and fresh, with a vibrancy to the sweet red and black fruits, followed by herbs, olives and tobacco. Forward in style, a few years will add more softness and nuance to the wine.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Subtle nutty aromas, background notes of black forest fruits, hints of nougat, orange zest and a touch of tobacco. Medium bodied, red berries, fine fruit expression, well-integrated tannins, mineral and fresh with red cherry on the finish. Still needs more time.

Dense dark ruby colour. Youthful and pure nose, floral with ripe dark fruit, cassis, blackberry, plum and fresh herbal notes, discreet wood and a hint of tobacco. Nice bite on the palate, dense and full with a bright freshness and layers of crushed dark fruit, some herbal notes like sage and bay leaf, discreet wood on the finish, long and dense finale. Very promising.

A gem from Saint-Estèphe, the 2015 Château Lafon-Rochet is certainly one of the top wines from this appellation in 2015. Elegant, medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure and refined, it offers impressive notes of sweet dark fruits, crème de cassis, classy oak, and a kiss of minerality. It’s the finesse and quality of the tannins, as well as its solid mid-palate, that set this beauty apart. This wine is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot, and it’s a hidden little gem worth tracking down!

Deep purple, dense at the core, with garnet highlights at the rim. Quite an intense bouquet, first with floral nuances, red-plum fruit, then light tobacco emerging in a second wave. On the palate, medium-bodied with ripe tannins, plenty of juiciness, and a finish marked by cherry notes. This will be a very fine Lafon-Rochet that won’t require an endless wait.

Deep purple, dense at the core, with garnet glints at the rim. Quite an intense bouquet, initially floral, with red-plum fruit, then showing light tobacco on the second nose. Medium-bodied on the palate with ripe tannins, plenty of juiciness, and a cherry-toned finish. This will be a very fine Lafon-Rochet that won’t require decades of waiting.

Floral, medium-bodied bouquet, cassis, cherries, mocha. Fresh, fruity palate with fine fruit, medium-bodied structure, powerful, sweet aromatics, good tannins, long, full finish. 17/20 2024 - 2038

The 2015 Lafon-Rochet is medium to deep garnet in color. It has a very delicate nose of baked plums and warm cranberries, plus hints of dried herbs and fallen leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate is a little dilute, delivering chewy tannins and a lively backbone to the subtle black fruits, with an earthy finish.

Delicate, spicy and fresh, with a lively palate, fruit, and length. Its tannins are still a bit firm. With patience, it will come together.

Fairly dark color. Nose of black fruits. The wine has good density, fairly tannic, with a touch of rusticity in the tannins, good density. Vinified in new facilities, the whole is accomplished and complete. The biodynamic parcel (10 ha out of 42, but only 20 produce the grand wine). pH of 3.66. 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot.

Garnet red with purple highlights. What a nose! Expressive, mineral, fruity with raspberries, authentic! Even though it rained, I liked it right from the start, and now I like it even more and more. On the palate, I like it as well—in fact, I’ve always liked it. Nothing more is needed, just a few extra words to soften the news which, with a bang, announced to the four corners of the world that it had rained—and yet, it still pleases! In short, this wine deserves your attention. Get more of it!

Dark, intense color. A moderately aromatic and very inviting nose with ripe fruit. Overall, very open. The wine glides across the palate with creamy nuances, reminiscent of the Right Bank. It finishes lightly spicy and flavorful, with normal length. Blend: 55% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot, 6% petit verdot, 4% cabernet franc. Alcohol: 13.5% – pH: 3.66.

A sinuous line of tannins runs through this structured wine. It lifts the dark plum and berry fruits and give shape to the spicy, firm wine. As the estate builds in strength, the style of this perfumed, stylish wine will be seen as a benchmark. Drink from 2025.