Chateau Lafon Rochet 2013, 5th Growth St Estephe

Deep ruby colour with a tight rim. Reflecting the terroir of St Estephe with a certain uniqueness in style, this 2013 forms from a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. Brooding, it resembles a lot of Pauillac tones of fruitiness and gives on the nose fleshy plum and cassis fruit. In this sense this wine is simple. If you fully it decant for 45 minutes+ to enable to reveal its real potential to include tones of the earth and funk. In another sense, this wine is complicated. By now even this rigid 2013 vintage gives a full palate of concentration, flavour, textured tannins, dense black fruits, hints of boysenberry, cedar and a touch of pepper and roundness — a very slick smooth finish that needs a little more reserve. Surely there are strong supporters for this wine even though some would say there is a shortage of fruitiness by Cru Standard. Even the vintage 2013 is not by now that easy to come by on the market. Chunky and not as refined, it could do with being a degree less macerated and less oak. But this style is iconic of Lafon Rochet. It is of excellent value for the quality and stylistics. Can keep for some years. Scores are stable. 93WE, 91NM.