Château Lafon Rochet - Saint-Estèphe 2013

Wine Advocate

86 / 100

par Neal Martin le 28/10/2016

The 2013 Lafon Rochet has a light but fresh blackberry and briary-scented bouquet with just a touch of tobacco. The palate is a touch brittle on the entry, but fresh with a keen line of acidity, with a short, rather one-dimensional finish that falls one or two steps short of my expectations from barrel. Drink this over the next 4-8 years.

Wine Spectator

88 / 100

le 31/03/2016

Wine Advocate

86-88 / 100

par Robert Parker le 29/08/2014

This property sits on the border of Pauillac down the street (so to speak) from Cos d’Estournel. The final blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, made with help from consulting oenologist Jean-Claude Berrouet. He retired from the Moueix empire in Libourne several years ago and his son is now running things at Chateau Petrus. The wine shows the softness of 2013, with no vegetal characteristics or astringency. It has a relatively superficial, but charming, fruitiness that is medium-bodied with a pleasant finish. Drink over the next 7-10 years.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

88-90 / 100

par Stephen Tanzer le 16/05/2014

Good medium ruby. Pure aromas of blackberry, violet and peppermint. Sweet, pliant and almost fleshy, with juicy if slightly simple black fruit and red cherry flavors. Finishes quite persistent, with rich tannins, a suave texture and building density of fruit. Another very well made wine from Michel and Basile Tesseron in what is a difficult vintage: I find there are few more dependable go-to Bordeaux wines in any year than Lafon-Rochet, which is usually great value for the money and rarely disappoints.

matthewjukes.com

16,5 / 20

par Matthew Jukes le 23/04/2014

(70 Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 Merlot) 13% alcohol, 50% new oak. Lovely sloe and wild berry notes and a slate-y coolness to this wine which is intriguing. The oak is spot on and there is no greenness. Not flamboyant, just calm, centred and refreshing. Delightful wine for the medium term.

Vinous

89-91 / 100

par Antonio Galloni le 17/04/2014

The 2013 Lafon-Rochet is a gorgeous wine. Layered and supple on the palate, the 2013 impresses for its balance and overall harmony. Naturally, the structure of a great year is missing but all the elements are in the right place in this slightly smaller scaled, expressive Lafon-Rochet. I especially like the wine's juiciness and sense of harmony.

My Bettane + Desseauve

16 / 20

le 15/04/2014

Beau nez classique de tabac et de cèdre, corps équilibré, tannin net, léger manque de complexité dans la suite en bouche. Il devrait s’étoffer à l’élevage.

Wine Advocate

87-89 / 100

par Neal Martin le 15/04/2014

The Lafon-Rochet 2013, a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, has a light nose with blackberry and briary aromas, graphite notes emanating from the Cabernet. It is quite Pauillac in style. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy red fruit, tobacco and cedar. It tapers away a little on the bring-tinged finish, but it should still provide satisfactory drinking over the next 5 to 8 years.

Decanter.com

17 / 20

par Steven Spurrier le 14/04/2014

Dense red, fine expression of vineyard-influenced Cabernet fruit, good Merlot ripeness, all of a piece, good future.

Jamessuckling.com

85-86 / 100

par James Suckling le 08/04/2014

A 2013 with some clean berry character and firm tannins but a little hollow. Medium body. Simple finish.

Wine Enthusiast

91-93 / 100

par Roger Voss le 03/04/2014

Black currant dominates this solid wine. It does have some extracted licorice bitterness but the fruit offers enough freshness to suggest aging potential.