A striking Château, located just off the main road and proximate to, and slightly inland of, two of the northern Médoc’s greatest properties - Lafite-Rothschild and Cos d’Estournel.  Acquired by the Tesseron family (from the Cognac region, who also own Pauillac fifth-growth Pontet-Canet) in 1959, it is fair to say there have historically been more ordinary or disappointing wines than impressive orgreat ones.  However more recent vintages (especially since the mid 1990s) have seen a string of delicious wines that at least represent the quality expected of a classified growth, and given the usually reasonable pricing policy, can often be considered great values.

Young Basile Tesseron has taken command here in recent times, and with a seemingly broad knowledge and lack of presumption, will hopefully gentle guide this property over the coming decades to, if not greatness, then certainly quality befitting Lafon-Rochet’s historical status.

It is no co-incidence that an increase in the amount of new oak used during the wine’s elevage, and more importantly the introduction of a second label for less-than perfect barrels, has seen a significant improvement in quality.  The construction of a new winery in 2000, including new vats, has no doubt also played a major role!  Certainly there is now an emphasis on the production of top quality wines that perhaps has not always been apparent.  Fermentation is undertaken in stainless steel vats, with a post-ferment maceration of about two weeks.  Malolactics occur both in tank and in barrel, where the wine ages for a little more than 18 months, half in new oak.  The wine is bottled fined and with a light filtration.