Vinous 92 byNeal Martinthe6/30/2023 The 2017 Lafon-Rochet has a well-defined bouquet with red berry fruit, bay leaf, clove and a touch of sous-bois. Moderate intensity. The palate is well-defined with supple tannins, harmonious and smooth with fine depth. Lightly spiced with white pepper and sage towards the finish. The 2017 is very elegant. I think this has developed a little more substance since I last tasted it. Tasted at the Lafon-Rochet vertical at the property.
Vinous 92 byAntonio Gallonithe3/11/2020 The 2017 Lafon-Rochet has really come together nicely since I tasted it in barrel. Deep, rich and yet also vibrant, the 2017 has so much to offer. In 2017, Lafon-Rochet is a wine of precision and class. What it lacks in overt body, it has in persistence and that most elusive quality in wine - personality. I don't expect the 2017 to be especially long-lived, but it will offer fine drinking over the next decade or so.
Jamessuckling.com 91 byJames Sucklingthe1/13/2020 Aromas of smoke and tobacco with some currants, too. Medium body. Chewy tannins and an herb and berry aftertaste. Shows attractive fruit drive at the end. Drink in 2021.
Le Point 16,5-17 byJacques Dupontthe6/20/2018 Nez complexe, net, fruité rouge, juteux, sapide, salivant, très droit, vif et pas acide, en finesse. L’élevage lui conférera un peu plus de largeur. Un vin dans la tension, pur, raffiné.
WeinWisser 17,5 byRené Gabrielthe5/31/2018 Sattes Granat mit lila Rand. Delikates, susses Bukett mit rei-fen Pflaumen, hellem Tabak und Rosen-holz. Am eleganten Gaumen mit seidiger Textur und perfekt stützender Rasse. lm gebündelten Finale mit verführerischem Schattenmorellensaft und roten Johannis-beeren. Fast auf dem gleichem Niveau wie letztes Jahr. Bezüglich der (leidigen) The-men Frost und Botrytis antwortete Besitzer Basile Tesseron trocken: «It would be worth it.» (Er verlor 15% der Erntel. Der Aufwandhat sich gelohnt. 17.5/20 2025 - 2040
Vinifera 93 byJacques Perrinthe5/28/2018 La bouche parle avec un surcroît de finesse, de chair et une élégance dans le tanin à citer en exemple. Sensiblement vineux pour l’année, dense, très prometteur.
Vinous 89-91 byAntonio Gallonithe5/15/2018 The 2017 Lafon-Rochet is wonderfully deep and fleshy, but in the mid-weight style that is typical of the year. Dark red and purplish fruit, lavender, licorice, spice and leather all flesh out in this attractive, if somewhat understated, wine from Lafon-Rochet. Silky tannins accompany the mid-weight finish nicely. The 2017 is a very pretty wine, although it is a touch light in this vintage. Tasted three times.
The Wine Cellar Insider 90-92 byJeff Levethe5/11/2018 Dark, spicy and soft textured, there is fresh blackberry and cassis with accents of licorice and espresso. The wine is medium bodied and bright, leaving you with an earthy, red berry finish.
Vinous 91-93 byNeal Martinthe5/1/2018 The 2017 Lafon-Rochet has matured in 50% new oak and the remainder in one-year old. I have to say, the bouquet is very expressive with plenty of blackberry, wild hedgerow, oyster shell and pressed flower that blossom in the glass. It is very well defined and more sophisticated than I have detected in recent vintages. Perhaps this is the first vintage where the new winery, replete with concrete vats, has really played a serious role in meliorating quality. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, quite saline in the mouth with just a hint of black olive. There is a slightly grainy texture with a sustained peppery finish, completing a crisp and vivacious Lafon-Rochet that should please many wine-lovers. Expect this to land at the top of my banded score.
Wine Advocate 85-87 byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/27/2018 Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Lafon-Rochet gives up subtle cassis and black cherry notes with hints of sautéed herbs, damp soil and pencil lead. Medium-bodied and slightly thin in the mouth, it has a well-played chewy texture and nice freshness, finishing with an herbal lift.
Decanter.com 93 byJane Ansonthe4/25/2018 This is a lovely St-Estèphe this year, firm and bright with bristling fruit right out of the gate - hugely unusual to see that this year. This is one of my favourites, and is totally charming with its cassis and damson fruit, but it's the juice and friendly tension that sets it apart. Silky and enjoyable. Buy.Drinking Window 2025 - 2040
Wine Enthusiast 92-94 byRoger Vossthe4/17/2018 Packed with smoky tannins and crisp fruit, this is a firm and structured wine. With attractive acidity as well as a woody flavor, it will develop steadily over the medium term. Drink from 2023.
Jamessuckling.com 92-93 byJames Sucklingthe4/6/2018 Solid, ultra-clean 2017 with a very pretty core of fruit and chewy tannins. Flavorful and fresh. Extremely long and focused.
Wine Spectator 87-90 byJames Molesworththe4/4/2018 Prominent savory and tobacco notes lead to the core of crunchy pomegranate and black cherry fruit, with a lightly brisk finish.—J.M.