Château Lafon Rochet, 4ème Cru Classé, St Estèphe, 2005
Michel Tesseron’s care for his vines approaches organic principals and his labours over the six years since he took control of Lafon Rochet have consistently yielded one of the best value wines in the Médoc. The wine is deep garnet in colour, with a beautifully feminine nose of ripe plum and blackcurrant, with a background of fine minerally terroir; lush and seductive with the slightest sign of over extraction. Pure, clean blackberry fruit, with red fruit also, supple, long and balanced. A great success.
critic reviews
The 2005 Lafon-Rochet has a very expressive bouquet with raspberry, blackberry, briary, black pepper and light sous-bois scents. The palate is medium-bodied with tobacco-tinged red and black fruit, beautifully balanced with good substance. This is fresh and saline on the finish. The 2005 is a really superb Lafon-Rochet that will continue to drink well for several years. Tasted at the Lafon-Rochet vertical at the property.
These were good years for Lafon Rochet, when it was a little under-the-radar but making good quality, consistent wine, and you'll find here classic, balanced, old-school St Estèphe flavours. Plenty of ripe red fruits, gentle wafts of blond tobacco aromatics, showcasing the balance and simple charms of the vintage. Tannins frame remains clear, and the acidity is just a little higher than ideal, but plenty of juice and character, and hard to argue with. Harvest September 19 to October 9, 3.6ph.