Bordeaux 2022 at Two Years: St Estèphe
As usual I called in on the appellation’s two second growths, Cos d’Estournel and Montrose, and their accepted challenger Calon-Ségur. I have been knocking on the door of these three properties for so many years I have no hope of remembering when I first visited. Although none of these three were my first port of call in St Estèphe; my first knock of the day was on the cellar door of their near neighbour, Lafon-Rochet.
I have not visited Lafon-Rochet as regularly as its peers over the years, usually calling in only when I felt I needed an update, rather than making regular tasting appointments. The arrival of new owners – in the shape of the Lorenzetti family, who also own neighbouring Lilian Ladouys not to mention Pédesclaux in Pauillac – means future tasting visits will be much more likely as I expect to see samples disappear from other tasting opportunities. I certainly visited during the 2023 primeurs, again during this 2022 in-bottle tasting trip, and I already have an appointment booked for the 2024 primeurs (it pays to be organised when it comes to a busy primeurs timetable, you see).
There has not just been a change of hands here though, but also some internal restructuring. Having lured Christophe Congé from Lafite-Rothschild to look after the property, he has since been moved sideways, to take charge of Pédesclaux, which makes sense if you believe his Pauillac-specific experience will help in that role. Meanwhile Vincent Bache-Gabrielsen has moved in the opposite direction, to take charge of Lafon-Rochet alongside Lilian Ladouys, which makes sense if you believe focusing on one appellation is of benefit. Fingers crossed it all works out for them.
