Vineyards and winemaking
The 2000 grand vin is Cabernet Sauvignon-led, supported by Merlot and a small share of Cabernet Franc from Lafon-Rochet’s gravelly clay soils in Saint-Estèphe. The combination of drainage and moisture-retentive clay helps the vines through dry periods, giving the wine dark fruit, earthy depth and the firm architecture typical of the appellation.
The grapes were harvested and sorted by hand before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats. Maturation for around 16 to 18 months in French oak, approximately half new, brought cedar and spice while giving the ripe, structured vintage time to integrate.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Deep garnet-purple with a brick-toned rim.
Nose
Blackcurrant, blackberry and plum are layered with graphite, cedar and leather. Notes of tobacco, dried herbs and earth complete a mature Saint-Estèphe bouquet.
Palate
Full and harmonious, with dark fruit resting on fine-grained, settled tannins. Cassis, savoury spice and mineral depth lead into a long, warm finish of tobacco and dried mint.
Food pairing
Serve with roast beef and shallot gravy, lamb hotpot, venison casserole, or a wild-mushroom risotto. Mature Cheddar and Comté both have sufficient depth for the wine.
Background story
Château Lafon-Rochet dates to the 17th century and was classified as a Fourth Growth in 1855. Guy Tesseron acquired the estate in 1960 and oversaw its revival, establishing the distinctive yellow château and restoring its reputation for robust, age-worthy Saint-Estèphe.
This listing is supplied as twelve 75cl bottles in the original wooden packaging. Individual mature bottles can vary, so stand each upright before opening and decant carefully from sediment. The unopened collection should be stored cool, dark and still, with bottles lying horizontally.
