Château Lafon Rochet 4ème Grand Cru Classé 1996

Lot presentation

Château Lafon Rochet 4ème Grand Cru Classé 1996

The wine

The domaine is located on a hill buffeted by north-west winds which dry the vines and make this terroir one of the most prestigious in the Saint-Estèphe appellation. The 45 hectares located between Château Lafite Rothschild and Cos d'Estournel make it the furthest cru classé from the Garonne. The domaine produces one of the most sumptuous and balanced Saint-Estèphes. It is dark red in hue with a spicy, dark fruit nose. On the palate, it delivers softness and suppleness, with smooth, fatty, round tannins.

About the Producer Château Lafon Rochet

The history of this château can be traced back to 1650 and the marriage of Antoinette de Guillemottes and Etienne Lafon, which produced the name Lafon Rochet. Some 150 years later, the château is still held to be one of the largest producers of Saint-Estèphe. Its subsequent history features such trials as the French Revolution and the phylloxera blight, but the château overcame them all and was ranked 4e grand cru classé in 1855. The château changed hands a number of times at auction until it was bought in 1960 by Guy Tesseron who ran it with his son Michel and sister Princess Caroline Poniatowska. Michel’s grandson, Basile Tesseron, who has been at the helm of the château since 2004 and is therefore part of a new generation, is passionate about winemaking and defines his work as a labour of patience. He runs his domaine along traditional lines and pays particular attention to his vines because for him, “the vine is king!”. The vineyard now employs biodynamic management techniques and is contemplating certification.

Detailed characteristics