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.

This second wine from Château Lafon-Rochet comes from the youngest vines on the property, cultivated according to biodynamic principles. Yields are kept to 32 hl/ha and the grapes are vinified in thermoregulated stainless steel vats. The wine is then raised for 12 to 14 months in French oak barriques. Merlot dominant, the nose is delicate and the mouth light and savoury. More accessible than the domaine’s flagship cuvée, this wine can be cellared for up to ten years.