Sunday Magnum: Château Lafon-Rochet 2012

This Sunday's offering is magnums of Château Lafon-Rochet 2012.

The northern Médoc speaks with a sterner accent, and Lafon-Rochet’s 2012 is true to type. Dark fruit, graphite, and savoury spice dominate, yet time has softened its stance into something more welcoming. The estate, classified as Fourth Growth in 1855, was rebuilt after a devastating fire in the 1960s by Guy Tesseron, who gave the château its now-iconic golden façade. Today, the wine reflects St-Estèphe’s character: structured, grounded, and quietly complex. It rewards patience with depth rather than decoration, a claret that plays the long game while remaining clear and composed.