The aromatic richness of a red wine from Saint-Estephe
The estate
The origins of Chateau Lafon-Rochet date back to the 17th century. Located in the Saint-Estephe appellation, Chateau Lafon-Rochet distinguished itself in 1855 by gaining the title of Grand Cru Classe. In 1960 Guy Tesseron acquired the property. Thanks to the hard work and passion of Guy Tesseron, Lafon-Rochet gradually rose to the top of the Saint-Estephe appellation. In 2007, Michel Tesseron's son, Basile Tesseron took over the reins of the family estate. With its golden yellow chartreuse façade and wine label, Lafon-Rochet is today a true standard of the Saint-Estephe appellation.
The vineyard
The Chateau Lafon-Rochet vineyard covers 40 hectares of vines with a superb location in the Saint-Estephe appellation. The vines are planted on two outcroppings with different terroirs. Gravel soils promote excellent drainage, while clay helps regulate water stress.
The wine
This 2020 vintage celebrates the sixtieth anniversary of the acquisition of Chateau Lafon-Rochet by Guy Tesseron.
The vintage
A mild winter preceded a dry and sunny beginning of spring, favoring early bud burst. Flowering was almost two weeks early. The end of spring gave way to a cool and wet beginning of summer, increasing the downy mildew pressure. Some stormy days in August were beneficial for the vineyard, adding water and freshness to revive the ripening of the grapes. Started early, the harvest yielded fully ripe, dense and colorful Merlot, as well as high-quality Cabernet with significant tannic potential and thick skins.
Vinification and aging
Harvested manually, the grapes were vinified in concrete and stainless steel tanks. A minimal intervention approach was adopted in order to preserve the elegance and freshness of fruit from each plot. Aging took place for a minimum of 12 months in barrels.
The blend
The Chateau Lafon-Rochet 2020 was made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (61%), Merlot (33%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (3%). This 2020 vintage is the fruit of a collaboration between two oenologists and friends, Jean-Claude Berrouet and Eric Boissenot.