2022 Lafon Rochet

Rich in color, the wine is floral, with pepper, spice, tobacco leaf, currants, and blackberries. Medium-bodied, fresh, soft, ripe, round, and polished, with blackberries, black cherries, chocolate, spice, and cedar nuances. The fruits are fresh, bright, and creamy. Give this just a few years in the bottle and it promise to be even better! The wine was made from blending 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. 14.5% ABV, 3.77 pH. This is the first vintage with the new owner, Jackie Lorenzetti, and the team of Emmanuel Cruse, fully in charge.

One of the bigger, more structured wines in Saint-Estèphe, the 2022 Château Lafon-Rochet checks in as 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. Ripe blackcurrants, smoky blue fruits, scorched earth, and chocolate all define the aromatics, and this concentrated, medium to full-bodied, powerful wine has ample mid-palate depth, ripe yet significant tannins, and a great finish. It's not for the instant gratification crowd and is going to need 7-8 years, if not a decade, of cellaring. It's a beautiful wine though, worthy of purchasing and cellaring.

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. First vintage for technical director Christophe Congé (ex Lafite). Cask sample. Dense and concentrated with dark-fruit and floral notes. Smooth attack then plenty of punch and drive, the tannins fine but present. Tighter tannic frame than in the past. More gravitas.