Château Lafon Rochet Saint Estephe Cru Classé 2021

The last vintage made by Basile Tesseron and 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Melot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2021 ChâteauLafon-Rochet is outstanding stuff that clearly does well in the vintage. Cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and ripe tobacco notes all give way to a medium-bodied Saint-Estèphe with fine tannins, solid concentration (especially in the vintage), and a balanced, layered, seamless profile that will evolve nicely for two decades. The tannin quality here is terrific.