2003 Château Lafon-Rochet

Château Lafon-Rochet is a 135-acre estate in the Saint-Estephe appellation of Bordeaux. It is a Fourth Growth estate according to the appellation’s 1855 classification. The estate was established in the 17th century and was owned by the Lafon family until the French Revolution. It was bought and sold several times in the 19th and 20th centuries, and in 1960 was purchased by Guy Tesseron, whose son Michel and grandson Basil still own and operate the estate. Today Basil is manager of Château Lafon-Rochet. Vineyards are planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Some 120,000 bottles are produced annually. The second wine is Les Pelerins de Lafon-Rochet. The estate has an excellent location between Lafite-Rothschild and Cos d’Estournel.

Saint-Estèphe is in the northern Médoc, on the left bank of the Gironde River. Although it has no First Growth estates, its five Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Growth châteaux are notable, and, in recent decades, have become favorites with reviewers and consumers. Some reviewers also note that the appellation is today making excellent Cru Bourgeois wines, which frequently offer good value. There are 3,404 acres of vineyards and a variety of soil types, from gravelly soil to soil with significant sand or clay. The two Second Growth Châteaux in St.-Estephe are Cos d’Estournel and Montrose. The Third Growth Calon-Ségur is widely admired. The principal grapes grown are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.