94pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Lafon-Rochet comes bounding out of the glass with sit-up-and-beg notes of creme de cassis, blackberry pie and blueberry preserves followed by suggestions of Chinese five spice, potpourri and tilled soil. Full-bodied and concentrated, with loads of black and blue fruit layers, it has a rock-solid backbone of grainy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing long and fragrant.

93pts Decanter

Very deep, intense core. A vintage heavyweight. Lovely texture to the palate. Plenty of alcoholic weight yet there is an elegance here with fine tannins in excellent balance, fully integrated oak and concentrated black fruit flavors. Classic Left Bank Bordeaux from a great vintage. Harvested between 27 September and 14 October.

93pts Vinous

The 2010 Lafon-Rochet offers ample black and red fruit on the nose, undergrowth and figgy notes developing with aeration, quite open and more expressive than some of its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, good structure, just a touch of piquancy with a very faint metallic note on the finish that will dissipate with time. This is one of the greatest Lafon-Rochet releases in recent years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.

93pts Wine Enthusiast

With the release of this hugely tannic wine, this serious chateau—under the direction of the Tesseron family, which also owns Château Pontet-Canet—continues its recent upward progress. The structure currently hides opulent fruit that holds great promise for the future. With both power and wealth, there's a long life ahead.

91pts Wine Spectator

Features a dark currant and blackberry coulis core, surrounded by charcoal, singed savory and light coffee notes. The solid, firm, taut finish should let this linger in the cellar for a decade. Best from 2014 through 2024.

Winery Notes

This ancient estate can trace its origins back to the early 16th century, at which time "Rochet" belonged to the vast Vallée Roussillon feudal estate. Chateau Lafon-Rochet stayed in the Lafon family for two years, despite the upheaval of the French Revolution. They were also owners in 1855, when their wine received the ultimate recognition as a great growth, along with only four others in the Saint-Estèphe appellation.
The chateau is in a choice location, in one of the most prestigious winegrowing areas in the world – between Cos d'Estoumel and Lafite-Rothschild (to the south). It is thus hardly surprising that Guy Tesseron, famous for the quality of his old Cognac, was attracted to Lafon-Rochet some 40 years ago.

After acquiring the estate, he decided that the existing cellar was unworthy of such a fine wine, and had it razed. He built an entirely new one and, in a highly unusual move, built a new chateau as well, in the style of the 17th century chartreuse manor house. Thanks to the great care and attention lavished on Lafon-Rochet, it has become one of the standard bearers of the great wines of Saint-Estèphe in France and around the world.