2011 Château Lafon-Rochet
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Tasting notes
Firm and tightly wound but with a nice burst of juicy, fresh cassis fruit beneath. Classic in a good way.
Critic scores
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
FINE+RARE
More reviews and scores
The 2011 Lafon-Rochet has a clean, light bouquet with brambly red fruit, sous-bois and tobacco aromas. Rose petal notes emerge later with a slight Rhône-like tincture. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, taut and crisp, not deep, but there is certainly freshness. With moderate depth on the finish, this is a straightforward Lafon-Rochet but a triumph against disaster. Tasted at the Lafon-Rochet vertical at the property.
The 2011 Lafon-Rochet has a rather straightlaced but well defined bouquet demonstrating good fruit concentration for the growing season, brown spices infusing the mainly red fruit, melted tar and sage. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, quite fleshy and fresh, gentle grip with a lightly spiced but quite persistent finish. This is perfect to drink now. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting.
Tasted blind. Dark crimson. Light cassis nose. Rather tarry and unyielding. Forced. It may mellow with time? But that tarry charred note is no fun. (JR)
About the producer
Instantly recognisable for its sunshine-yellow château and labels, Ch. Lafon-Rochet is a Fourth Growth Saint-Estèphe estate renowned for its age-worthy wines. Quality at the property has increased significantly over the last two decades and, with new owners from 2021, this will only continue.