The opaque purple-hued 2012 Lafon Rochet reveals plenty of incense, blueberry, black raspberry and spring flower notes intermixed with a hint of forest floor. Rich and medium to full-bodied, it is a complete wine from beginning to end. It may tighten up once it’s in bottle, but this wine has 15 or more years of cellaring potential. This superb effort is a major sleeper of the vintage. Made from a final blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, it boasts 13.5% natural alcohol and was made by Basile Tesseron, whose family owns this chateau as well as the well-known Pontet Canet. Like his uncle Alfred, Basile has moved to biodynamic farming.

This shows a seamless fruit and tannin structure. Very well done for the vintage. Full body yet tight and reserved.

Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, this is always a crowd pleaser at BI. The ever-dapper Basile Tesseron has wisely engaged Jean Claude Berrouet, formerly oenologist (and father of the current winemaker) at Petrus – parts of the vineyard at Lafon Rochet share the same smectite soil as the legendary Pomerol property. This vintage has a lovely, cedary, pencil lead and blackcurrant nose with a touch of white pepper. The palate is firm but ripe with oodles of blackcurrant and pleasing subtlety. A jolly nice glass of wine.

The Lafon Rochet 2012 is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot that was picked late from 8th October when they felt that the fruit was completely ripe and finished on the 19th October. Basile told me that 10 hectares are now being farmed biodynamically. It is being matured using 40% one-year old barrels rather than 100% and there is only a tiny amount of vin de presse, something that Jean-Claude Berrouet has advised. It has a lifted bouquet nose of dark plum and blackberry fruit with just a touch of iodine. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm, tannic entry. It is a little pinched at first but unwinds with aeration. There is a good backbone here, though it is not a “weighty” Lafon Rochet. It is nicely balanced with an attractive saline touch on the finish. Somewhat conservative in style and showing a touch of attenuation, but overall this is not bad at all. Fine. Tasted April 2013.

Drink 2018-2026 Very dark. Warm, cosy nose is very flatteringly ripe. But it lacks real savour and structure. Loose finish.