schiller-wine: Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, 4ème Grand Cru Classé St-Estèphe, with Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France

Picture: Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, 4ème Grand Cru Classé St-Estèphe, with Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet

Château Lafon-Rochet features some of the finest vineyards in the world. It is situated in the small appellation Saint-Estèphe and is sandwiched between two prominent neighbors: Cos-d’Estournel on the other side of the street and Lafite-Rothschild, separated only by a small dirt track, and visible across the vineyard that belongs to Lafon-Rochet. Since the 16th century this Château makes excellent wines and had been in the hands of the Lafon family for almost 300 years.

Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet joined us for the tasting part of the visit.

Pictures: Arriving at Château Lafon-Rochet

In 1895 the phylloxera disaster forced the family to sell Château Lafon-Rochet. A period of a rapid succession of several disinterested owners followed until Guy Tesseron (who also bought Château Pontet-Canet) acquired the Château in the 1960s. He and then his son Michel brought Lafon-Rochet back to its former glory. The new generation is now at the helm and Basile Tesseron is energetically pursuing quality control.

Château Lafon-Rochet and OmbiasyPR & WineTours

Château Lafon-Rochet belongs to the 2 or 3 dozens of châteaux to which we have a closer relationship than to others.

Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller with Basile Tesseron, Owner, in New York. See: Bordeaux Vintage 2014 in Bottle: Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGC) on 2017 North America Tour in New York - Schiller’s Favorites

One of the first winemaker dinners that Annette organized in Washington DC was with Anaïs Maillet and the wines of Château Lafon-Rochet at BToo on 14th Street NW.

Picture: Annette Schiller and Château LAFON-ROCHET’s winemaker Anaïs Maillet at B Too in Washington DC (Picture: Charlie Adler). See: Winemaker Dinner with Château LAFON-ROCHET Wines and Winemaker Anaïs Maillet at Chef Bart Vandaele’s Hipp B Too Restaurant in Washington DC, US/France (2014)

I still have good memories of a winemaker dinner at the French Embassy in Washington DC a number of years ago, hosted by Château Lafon-Rochet owner Basile Tesseron.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Basile Tesseron. See: Tasting the Wines of Chateau Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ème Cru Classé en 1855, with Owner Basile Tesseron at the French Embassy in Washington DC, USA/France (2012)

A year ago, Michel Tesseron treated the ombiasy tour group to a very special dinner in the private quarters of Château Lafon-Rochet.

Pictures: Dinner with Michel Tesseron. See: At the Invitation of Owner Michel Tesseron: Private Dinner at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

A winemaker dinner with Château Lafon-Rochet has been scheduled for Monday, May 7th in Northern Virginia. Annette Schiller is organizing the event.

Château Lafon-Rochet

Château Lafon-Rochet is a 4th Grand Cru en 1855 in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of the Medoc. It is one of the 5 classified properties in the appellation of Saint Estèphe. Its grounds are separated from those of Château Lafite to the north by the width of the road and from Cos d'Estournel by a dirt path.

Basile Tesseron, Directeur Technique Lucas Leclercq and Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet are currently at the helm of Château Lafon-Rochet.

Pictures: With Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet

History

Lafon-Rochet’s history dates back to the 17th century. The property was then known as the Domaine Rochet and belonged to Antoinette Guillemotes who renamed the estate Château Lafon-Rochet after her marriage with Etienne de Lafon..

Over the 150 years that followed, Etienne de Lafon’s heirs not only maintained the estate and coped with the various diseases and economic difficulties from which the vineyard suffered but also enabled Lafon-Rochet to enter the 1855 classification of the Grands crus du Médoc (the Great Growths of the Medoc).

At the dawn of the 20th century financial difficulties resurfaced and so new owners took over the Château. Thus began a long period of instability until the Tesseron family took over the estate in 1960.

When in 1960 Guy Tesseron, a master of old Cognac, took over the property, he had to start from scratch and rebuild the whole property. Thus began Chateau Lafon Rochet’s rebirth.

Pictures: Optical Sorter

First he concentrated on the renovation of the fermenting room and the wine storehouse before tackling the mansion itself. He decided to demolish the whole building and create a new family home for Lafon-Rochet. The plans were for an elegant Chartreuse, which was quite unusual at the time.

It took almost ten years to restore the Château, the vineyard and infrastructures. This fresh start finally paid off in 1966. As the young Michel Tesseron recalls it was the first time that Lafon-Rochet was able to present a wine worthy of Quatrième Grand cru – fourth growth. The following year, 1967, was a great vintage paving the way for 1970, one of Lafon-Rochet’s most memorable vintages. In 1975 Guy Tesseron also took over the Château Pontet-Canet, then a few years later the Château Malescasse.

Until 1999 the family jointly managed Château Pontet-Canet and Lafon-Rochet but lost the Château Malescasse, so dear to Michel Tesseron. As part of the re organization, Alfred and his brother Gerard Tesseron took over Pontet-Canet, while Michel and his sister Caroline Poniatowska took over Lafon-Rochet. Michel spontaneously turned towards the Château “jaune”, so-called since he repainted it sunshine yellow in 2000.

Pictures: In the Tank Cellar (Concrete and Stainless Steel Tanks)

Michel and Basile Tesseron

Before joining the family business in 1987, Michel Tesseron worked in in Cognac, then in Bordeaux for Barton & Guestier, and for the négociants Chantecaille.

Michel Tesseron first decided to renovate and modernize all the technical equipment necessary for production, like the magnificent circular, wooden wine cellar. In so doing he preserved the family’s core values of sharing, respecting the vines and vineyard and thus fulfilled his father’s dream.

In 2007, Basile Tesseron joined his father in order to continue the work started by his grandfather, who had already initiated the young Basile into the subtleties of the aromas and flavours of cognac.

With passion, humour and ambition, Basile pursued the work of his predecessors enabling Lafon-Rochet to live on through the centuries.

He began by redesigning the vat room of the property, reviving the quest for excellence and quality in keeping with the exceptional terroir and the human and family values that have punctuated 5 centuries of adventure.

Basile Tesseron took over with the 2007 vintage and he now has full control.

Pictures: In the Barrel Cellar

Vineyards and Winemaking

Lafon-Rochet's vineyards covers 45 hectares and are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon 54%, Merlot 40%, Cabernet Franc 4%, Petit Verdot 2%.

Basile Tesseron, Directeur Technique Lucas Leclercq and Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet are steering Château Lafon-Rochet towards biodynamic viticulture, following the example of Basile’s uncle at Pontet-Canet. But Lafon-Rochet has not yet been certified.

As far as winemaking is concerned, the wine cellar has been completely renovated. Importantly, Basile and Michel Tesseron decided to go the route of stainless steel tanks and concrete vats. To match the 40 different vineyard parcels, the estate now has 18 stainless steel tanks and 18 concrete vats in different sizes and shapes for fermentation. The wine is aged for 9 months in new oak and for another 9 month in used oak.

The grand vin is Château Lafon-Rochet (11000 cases). The second wine is Pélerins de Lafon-Rochet (also 11000 cases).

Tasting

For the tasting we were joint by Anaïs Maillet.

Pictures: Tasting

The Wines

Pélerins de Lafon-Rochet 2013

wine-searcher average price in US$: 22

Lafon-Rochet 2014

wine-searcher average price in US$: 41

The 2014 Lafon Rochet has a very attractive, slightly floral bouquet with raspberry and crushed strawberry fruit, a touch of rose petals lending this a feminine allure. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, ripe tannins. This feels quite dense in the mouth, a welcome pinch of white pepper and cedar lending complexity to the finish with tart cherries on the aftertaste. This is probably more forward than other Saint Estephe wines, but it should give 15-20 years of pleasure. Drink 2019-2034. Score: 90 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (Interim En), April 2017

The Château Lafon-Rochet 2014 is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot picked from 1 October until 15 October. Basile Tesseron explained that there was 25 and 35mm rain between 7 and 9 October at which point the Cabernet was not able to ripen further due to the lack of water. This gave the ripeness another spurt and destroyed the pyrazines. Pumping over was about 0.5 to 1.5 the volume per day over a long period to avoid extracting any harsh tannin (especially from the seeds) with a short cold maceration. It has a complex bouquet: brambly black fruit, touches of dark plum mixed with black olive and incense. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp acidity, a little chalky in texture with a precise, quite pointed finish. This 2014 continues a run of fine form for the estate. Drink 2019-2032. Score: 90/92 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (218), April 2015

Lafon-Rochet 2011

wine-searcher average price in US$: 44

A well-made sleeper of the vintage, Lafon Rochet's 2011 exhibits a dense ruby/plum color in addition to sweet cassis, earth and spice notes, medium body, excellent depth and light to moderate tannin. It should drink nicely for a decade or more.
Score: 87 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (212), April 2014

Lafon-Rochet 2005

wine-searcher average price in US$: 77

Dense ruby/purple and still youthful and exuberant, with oodles of cassis and incense, the 2005 Lafon-Rochet is medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannin and a long finish. Just becoming approachable. 91 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (219), June 2015

Bye-bye

Thanks and bye-bye.

schiller-wine

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, 4ème Grand Cru Classé St-Estèphe, with Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France

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