Just in time for the holidays: Dinner at Giscours

Posted on December 12, 2025

Biodiversity contributes to Margaux Renaissance 

By Panos Kakaviatos for Wine Chronicles

12 December 2025

It had just rained when I arrived at Château Giscours – the eve of my birthday on 5 December this year. Under a veil of evening mist, the estate had fallen into contemplative quiet. As my car that early evening rolled down the long approach off the main D2 road that lines the famous châteaux of the Médoc, the first beings to welcome me were not employees. It was not the grand silhouette of the château itself. But a flock of Landes ewes, grazing peacefully in the semi-darkness. They lifted their heads with mild curiosity, as if to signal that at Giscours, the land speaks first.

This encounter was as charming as it was symbolic. Giscours is one of the rare Bordeaux estates where agricultural life has marked a return as integral to identity. The ewes – along with Bordelais cattle, goats, ducks, geese, and hens—form part of an eco-pastoral system that maintains more than 150 hectares of meadows, forest and parkland. The estate collaborates with the Conservatoire des Races d’Aquitaine to preserve endangered local breeds. Biodiversity here is not merely marketing; it has become part of the château’s identity.

But beyond that, the wines at Giscours have improved in quality. Markedly. I recall an old friend of my father’s, an avid Bordeaux buyer, back in the late 1990s. He said that “it is a waste of time to buy wines like Giscours when you can purchase Palmer,” referring to the superlative (also officially Third Growth in the 1855 Classification of Médoc wines) of Château Palmer. Admittedly, Château Giscours dipped in quality from the mid-1980s and 1990s, with a low price to be sure compared to Palmer, but Palmer was not as expensive back in the late 1990s as it became in the 21^st century.

While Château Palmer deserves a promotion in a theoretical revamping of the 1855 Classification, the perception of Château Giscours as a clearly inferior wine no longer holds. Indeed, Château Giscours now reflects a cream of the Third Growth crop (Note to readers, I have an article coming up next year in Decanter Magazine comparing all of the Third Growths).

Indeed, over the past two decades, and especially in recent years, the work carried out under the steady hand of Alexander Van Beek, director since 1998, has fundamentally improved the wines of Giscours. This transformation has not come through flashy shortcuts, but through attention to detail: vineyard restructuring, parcel-by-parcel vinification, precision harvesting, gentler extractions, and a clearer vision of balance over power. And attention to personnel.

Take the relatively recent hire (January 2021) of the young, but already experienced Jérôme Poisson, 43 years old. Poisson mirrors Van Beek’s focus on detail combined with his vineyard and vinification work across the world, from Chile and the United States, to Alsace, Italy and – since 2021 – Bordeaux.  He has contributed to the steady climb in the wine’s consistency, definition, and elegance. That is to say, wines that now marry Margaux perfume with substance and longevity.

This trajectory reached a symbolic milestone this year when Château Giscours 2022 was named Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator—a recognition that would have been less likely a generation ago. Today, Giscours no longer invites comparisons as a lesser alternative to its neighbors; it stands confidently on its own, a château that has rediscovered both its ambition and its place.

A bit of history 

We can go back the future to explain why the recent emphasis on biodiversity is part of the plan not only to make the wine better, but also to accentuate the proud history of the estate, which traces its roots to 1552, when Bordeaux draper Pierre de Lhomme established the first vineyards. Over the centuries, owners such as Jean-Pierre Pescatore and Édouard Cruse transformed the château into a neoclassical palace, modernized winemaking, and commissioned the magnificent park designed by Eugène Bühler, a master landscaper from Versailles.

Under the leadership of the Albada Jelgersma family, Giscours today continues its tradition of reinvention. The vegetable garden – tended daily by Ahmed Jaayjaa – supplies the château kitchen with seasonal produce. The herd maintains the fields. And in the cellar, a technical team oversees winemaking that blends precision with gentleness: optical sorting, cold macerations, intra-plot harvesting, and interplanting of old vines (some dating back to 1923). No less than 21 workers and their families live year-round on the estate, lending a sense of home to the place.

Magnificent holiday dinner 

Stepping into the château that evening felt like entering a sumptuous holiday refuge. A tall Christmas tree stood beside long windows framed by golden curtains. Candles flickered at the edges of the room; historical paintings dominating the walls. The décor – warm, intimate, refined – reflected a philosophy of hospitality blending elegance with ease.

A table was set with red-and-white botanical porcelain. At its center lay the printed menu for Dîner du vendredi 5 décembre 2025. By the time dinner ended, I photographed my two hosts standing by the fireplace: Poisson on one side, and estate chef Benjamin Laurent on the other, wearing the château apron. The fire behind them cast a soft glow on the carved wood mantel, creating a tableau that could have belonged to another century.

Chef Laurent, who arrived at Giscours in 2019 after formative years with Michel Guérard at the amazing Les Prés d’Eugénie and as a pastry chef at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, prepared a meal that was a celebration of winter and of Giscours’s agricultural identity.

He opened with an unexpected, deeply comforting dish that looked like a fine cappuccino but was chestnut broth, enriched with chopped chestnuts, foie gras, and a hint of Armagnac. Its aromas instantly set the tone: rich yet airy, nostalgic yet precise.

The next course showcased Laurent’s technical finesse: seared scallops whose caramelized crusts contrasted beautifully with carrots and grilled hazelnuts in an umami like sauce capped with delicate ginger-coconut emulsion that added lift. “I like having flavors that at once confront one another but also work together,” Laurent remarked after the meal. It worked.

But it was the main dish – classic braised beef cheek in a Giscours wine sauce accompanied by silky potato purée – that best paired the Giscours wines that were served. It was a dish of depth, winter comfort, and classical balance.

And for the oldest Giscours, the 1966, I especially enjoyed the Brillat-Savarin with truffle in the cheese course, which included Vieux Gouda and fresh Chèvre de Touraine.

The dessert delivered a playful surprise: crispy gavottes with vanilla cream and house-made beer ice cream, a nod to the chef’s pastry roots and the estate’s spirit of innovation.

Accompanying the meal were three vintages that illustrated the estate’s evolution across nearly fifty years: Check out my Instagram reel on this dinner!

2015
A wine shimmering with a decade of youth, considered to be a great vintage for the Margaux appellation. Today, an adolescent with class, powerful yet polished, marked by suave tannins and a long, resonant finish. Still climbing toward its peak. Price on Wine-Searcher.

1990
More delicate, a touch thinned with age, the fruit softened. An instructive contrast rather than a standout, and perhaps the bottle/cork was not optimal.

1966
The revelation of the evening. The aromatics unfurled with breathtaking vitality: truffle, forest floor, powdered cocoa, musk, all rising from the glass with coherence and grace. On the palate, it began firm, then opened gradually, becoming medium-bodied, expressive, and flavorful. A dryness on the finish, yet the wine remained vibrant, very much alive. Seeing the 1966 beside its decanter, the candlelight catching the garnet hue, felt like a communion with Bordeaux’s past.

Highs and lows 

It is all about heights and valleys. In my many years visiting the Bordeaux region, I recall what Anthony Barton had told me back in 2002, when I was at Langoa Barton: each château has had its ups and downs. “In the 1920s for example, Léoville Poyferré was especially celebrated,” Barton said, “while we were not as well assessed.” Giscours may have had a bit of a valley from the mid-1980s to the 1990s, but the 1960s and 1970s proved superb. I still recall the 1970, a superlative wine drinking well still today, with a smoother palate than the 1966 for example.

I woke on my birthday to a quiet, misty estate. The ewes were grazing, a bit further from the château, as seen in the photo at the beginning of this text. I took a 20 minute walk, enjoying the fresh, pre-winter air. The night before had been more than a stay; it had been an immersion in a landscape shaped by centuries of human ambition and agricultural rhythm. Giscours is not frozen in time; it is alive, renewing itself with each season, each generation, each vintage. And savvy wine lovers should buy the wines. Before the dinner, I was impressed by the quality of the 2023 (Wine-Searcher price), a worthy follow up to the 2022 (Wine-Searcher price): despite recent tax increases, both affordable for the quality.

And one great way to find your favorite wines? Check out Capital One Shopping’s One Stop Wine Shop!

 

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Bordeaux : Welcome 2023

Posted on November 30, 2025

Initial reflections on Bordeaux 2023 – from Zürich to Bellefont-Belcier

By Panos Kakaviatos for Wine Chronicles

30 November 2025

After a comprehensive tasting organised by the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB) of the recently bottled 2023 vintage in Zürich earlier this month, I left less impressed than expected. One often hears winemakers praise 2023 as a “return to classicism” – fresher, more terroir-centered, a welcome alternative to the sometimes (over) voluminous 2022s. I arrived in Zürich expecting that clarity to shine. Instead, while the wines were certainly good, but few struck me as ground-breaking. You will read about those wines in a later post, when I revamp my website to a subscriber format. In any case, the narrative of vibrant, terroir-driven purity did not consistently play out in the glass.

This stood in contrast to the anticipation I had built earlier this autumn. Having tasted about 250 bottles of 2022 from bottle, I had already noted that many of the en primeur highs were proving somewhat moChâtnolithic, reflecting more the sun than the soils. And that 2023 might well be the safer haven for readers who prize cooler balance and energy. Several winemakers privately express a preference for the 2023s for these reasons — and I share that view. To some extent, as Zürich did not fully confirm it.

But then came last night at Château Bellefont-Belcier in Saint-Emilion.

Tasting the full Vignobles K lineup with co-owner Howard Kwok and winemaking director Jean-Christophe Meyrou – photo above – restored my confidence in the best that 2023 can offer. Meyrou reminded us that 2023 was challenging: intense mildew pressure from April to Véraison (the summer phase when grapes begin to soften and change colour) required speed and vigilance.

“We had the team ready to go,” Meyrou said. Yields ended just around 40 hl/ha — correct for their objectives — and they continue to reduce sulfite use, reserving additions mainly for bottling to help integrate oak. Crucially, Meyrou believes that 2022 sometimes dominates terroir, whereas 2023 expresses it. I agree. Bellefont-Belcier illustrates this particularly well.

Since 2017–18, the style at Bellefont-Belcier has changed dramatically for the better: precision over weight, finesse over flash. The 2023 confirms this trajectory. It shows a classy aromatic profile and a wonderfully tactile palate — that rare sensation of “feeling the skin of the grape” without any heaviness. The texture is superbly refined, the balance effortless, despite 14.5% alcohol. It was my favorite of the entire lineup.

Other highlights included the sculpted and delicate Enclos de Viaud (Lalande de Pomerol, at a bargain of around $20), the structured and appealing Château La Patache, in Pomerol, and the powerful, ageworthy Tourmaline also in Pomerol. In Saint-Émilion, Tour Saint Christophe impressed yet again with its combination of power and polish, reminding us of the still recent, well-deserved promotion to Grand Cru Classé, while Haut Brisson showed nuance and energy, if a touch austere.

This tasting reminded me of something important: while broad UGCB tastings give us a map, focused visits like this offer altitude and topography. At Bellefont-Belcier, the classical virtues of 2023 — clarity, balance, terroir — were not theoretical; they were palpable.

And the story is far from over.
This coming week, I’ll be back in Bordeaux to taste hundreds of additional 2023s. It will be a crucial opportunity to see the full landscape of the vintage, to confirm whether Zürich was an outlier — and whether estates like Bellefont-Belcier point toward a broader truth about 2023’s balance, freshness, and potential. Stay tuned: the picture may sharpen considerably in the days ahead. Also, please stay tuned for a revamped subscriber based website, where you will get over 25 years of experience in my tasting wines, particularly the wines of Bordeaux.

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Sugar in Wine? Check Your Latte First.

Posted on November 24, 2025

We often fixate on “sugar in wine” as if it’s a dire dietary culprit, but the comparison is rarely fair. 

By Panos Kakaviatos for Wine Chronicles 

24 November 2025

While tasting excellent wines from Domaine Wach in Northern Alsace, co-owner Jessica Ouellet – wife of seventh generation owner Pierre Wach – explained to me the residual sugar levels. Of course we wine (geek) writers like to know such details. 

But this brought up a discussion about current wine consumption trends, the emphasis on healthy eating lifestyles.  And one thing that strikes me as absurd is when people say “wine also has sugar”.  

Especially when we talk about Alsace, because relatively high acidity levels in Alsatian Rieslings need to be balanced by residual sugars: so, for example, while enjoying the superb Domaine Wach Grand Cru Wiebelsberg Riesling 2023 vintage, I noted the 6.6 g/L of acidity, which gave it backbone, structure and vivacity – with the balancing 3 g of residual sugar per liter making sense: the wine was not at all “sweet”. By the same token, the even more wet-stone mineral-driven Grand Cru Kastelberg Riesling 2023 vintage had a whopping 7.1 g of acidity per liter, with the same balancing 3 g of sugar per liter. The last impression I got from trying that wine was sweet…  

So when Jessica brought up Starbucks coffee and how people love to top their “coffees” with elaborate sugar infested additives but might express concern about sugar in wine, well, that struck a cord! 🙂

Basically, a standard glass of dry wine contains roughly 1 gram of sugar, whereas a typical coffeehouse drink, say, a flavored latte loaded with syrup, whipped cream, and toppings can exceed 30–50 grams of sugar in one cup. 

The same applies to bottled iced teas, energy drinks, and many “wellness” beverages that market themselves as healthy but contain substantial sugar.

A single can of soda packs around 39 grams. Even wines with perceptible sweetness, say 6 g/L of residual sugar, remain relatively low compared to common beverages many people consume without hesitation.

So, yes, wine can contain residual sugar, but even a bottle with 6 g/L is hardly high, especially when measured against everyday alternatives. 

The conversation should be less about demonizing wine and more about perspective: not all sugar sources are equal, and wine, particularly dry wine, is a comparatively low-sugar choice.

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Alsace Clarity

Posted on November 12, 2025

From Rivalry to Revelry

By Panos Kakaviatos for Wine Chronicles 

12 November 2025

It was a night to remember in Colmar! 🌟

The 6th annual post-harvest dinner – known as Widderkumme – gathered representatives from 19 top Alsace wineries, see above photo — each devoted to expressing the soul of their terroirs, from crystalline Riesling and textured Pinot Gris to ever-improving Pinot Noir and exuberant, spicy Gewürztraminer.

Some 200 guests attended, traveling from across the globe — including acclaimed wine critic and award-winning author Ian D’Agata, who is based in Shanghai. I met podcasters and discerning private buyers, all united to celebrate Alsace’s unique mosaic of soils and styles.

As the excellent Alsace Wine Council website explains: Alsace geology is a like a mosaic, from granite to limestone along with clay, shale, and sandstone. Occupying a surface area of about 15500 hectares, this large patchwork of terroirs is absolutely ideal for numerous grape varieties to happily flourish. The terroir imprint bestows extra character and soul to Alsace wines, which are both unique and complex.

The illustration below, from the website, outlines no less than 13 different types of soils. They include mountainside soils of (1) granite and gneiss located on the Vosges mountain sides, (2) shale, a flaky rock made from the compression of clay within the lithosphere, (3) volcanic-sedimentary terroirs based on lava and ashes which became solid under water and (4) sandstone. Along the sub-Vosges hills, soils include (5) calcareous terroirs: sea-based limestone from the Mesozoic period, (6) marl-calcareous, thick clay deposits (marl) and calcareous pebbles, (7) marl-sandstone, (8) marl-limestone-sandstone, (9) calcareous-sandstone terroirs and (10) clay-marl terroirs. On the plain, soils include (11) colluvial and piedmont plain, (12) alluvial and (13) loess and loam – each of these types directly affecting the taste of the wines (along with the winemaking methods, of course!). I highly recommend readers to take a look at this page for more details.

Wonderful setting, thanks to Alsace Crus et Terroirs

The tasting and dinner was held in the magnificent Salle des Catharinettes, where a life-size Statue of Liberty greeted guests at the entrance. Special note: Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, born in the Alsatian wine capital Colmar on 2 August 1834 is best known for designing Liberty Enlightening the World, commonly known as the Statue of Liberty, which is located in New York.

The evening began with tastings at 6 p.m., shimmering under vaulted arches, before the curtains lifted for a seated dinner with live music. 🎶 

The group of 19 wineries make up Alsace Crus et Terroirs (ACT) – modelled somewhat after the German private grouping VDP. They organise tastings across France and in major cities in worldwide markets to better explain what Alsatian wine is.

A daunting task!

Are Alsace Rieslings sweet? Not at all. Please take a look at the video below with Ian D’Agata. Indeed, starting with the 2021 vintage, non-late harvest Alsace Riesling must be “dry”, as defined by EU regulations, according to a decree agreed by a two-thirds majority of the Alsace Winegrowers’ Association (AVA). The move comes in addition to the introduction of a standardized way of communicating sweetness levels on Alsace AOC still wines. Most back labels indicate specific dryness levels. I would think that an even better step would be to indicate dry on the front label, but readers should know that Alsace Riesling is dry, unless a late harvest style. As per EU rules, a dry wine can contain a maximum of four grams per litre (g/l) of residual sugar, but the limit rises to 9g/l if total acidity – measured in g/l of tartaric acid – is not less than 2g/l lower than the sugar content.

Are Alsace wines German? No. Even though many categorize Alsatian wines with Austrian and German, they are neither German (nor Austrian). And yet one winemaker told me he has an easier time selling his Riesling in Tokyo than in Paris, as many French associate Alsace with all things Germanic. Sure, the grape Riesling is German, and the names of most terroirs sound German, from Altenberg de Bergbieten to Schlossberg. In addition to the German sounding names, Alsace wine bottles resemble German shaped bottles, as opposed to the Bordeaux or Burgundy shaped bottles that dominate most other French regions, from the Loire to the Rhone. They are longer – and somewhat harder to store in wine fridges, but I digress. But Alsace is in France.

Revel in the richness

And ACT revels in this richness to prove the point that Alsace is also unique. When it was part of the German Empire (1871 to 1918), “my grandfather told me that Alsace wines always tasted richer than wines crafted on the other side of the Rhine,” remarked Alexandre Schoffit of the eponymous domain near Colmar. The geography of Alsace’s wine growing area is determined by two main factors: the Vosges mountains to the west and the Rhine river to the east. The vineyards are concentrated in a narrow strip, running in a roughly north–south direction, on the lower eastern slopes of the Vosges, at altitudes of 175–420 metres (574–1,378 ft). Those altitudes provide a good balance between temperature, drainage and sun exposure under Alsace’s growing conditions. Because of predominantly westerly winds, the Vosges mountains tend to shelter Alsace from rain and maritime influence, and the region is therefore quite dry and sunny. And I adored the superlative Domaine Schoffit Grand Cru Rangen Clos Saint-Théobald Riesling 2023, a very smooth yet lively expression of Riesling, and even if young, it was already drinking well (95/100).

Another aspect of Alsace has been intense competition among winemakers to gain limited market share, but – finally – ACT has come together with the philosophy of force in unity. As one winemaker confided to me: “Our parents would never have done this,” evoking the days when rivalry ran like a cold wind through Alsace’s vineyards — a Game-of-Thrones chapter now closed. Today, collaboration and pride define this complex, beautiful, and still misunderstood region. ✨🍷

I cannot recommend enough the great wines of Alsace. Below, some tasting notes highlights from the evening:

Domaine Barmès-Buecher Rosenberg Riesling 2019 – From a magnum, intense and powerful, with an almost tannic feel to its full body white, very special! Rosenberg means “mountain of roses,” with soils of clay-limestone and sandstone: an emblematic terroir of the Barmès Buecher estate, and the Riesling mirrors the potential of this terroir, with citrus and crisp fruit. Not even a grand cru, but a superb lieu dit, the wine displays a palate of power along with salinity and depth, leading to a magnificent, long  finish of citrus with touches of passion fruit. A wine that is complete, spherical. Aged 11 months in vats and large oak barrels, fermentation with indigenous yeasts. The 19-hectares estate (rather large for Alsace) has been organic and biodynamic for some 15 years already. I kept returning to this wine as a bookmark, proving that 2019 is an excellent Alsace vintage. (96/100)

Domaine Kirrenbourg Grand Cru Brand Riesling 2020 – Also from magnum, this wine has plenty of depth and breadth, and could be compared to a fine Meursault, even if it is Riesling. The Brand Grand Cru has granite soils facing south/southeast, known for obtaining optimal ripeness and evincing minerality. While the wine is more intense than the Rosenberg, with plenty of juiciness and mid-palate sap, you get a touch of heat and hint of sweetness that was not in the preceding wine, which I prefer. (94/100)

Domaine Albert Mann Furstentum Grand Cru Riesling 2021 – Served from yet another magnum, by co-owner Antoine Barthelmé, at left. With a brisk attack, this wine evokes power, coolness and plenty of citrus including grapefruit and lime. The vintage was cool, the wine thus reflecting more precision and linearity than breadth, but with harmony and refinement: one of my favorites tasted over the evening. The Furstentum Grand Cru includes limestone soil, which often results in chiselled wines like this one and bright aromatic expression. Long finish. Thoroughly dry and exciting! (96/100)

Valentin Zusslin Grand Cru Pfingstberg Riesling 2019 – I do not know this estate as well, but yet more proof that 2019 is a great vintage: Bracing acidity, juiciness, subtle wet stone (not petrol), brisk even if not as long as the Albert Mann Riesling. At a high elevation of between 270 and 370 meters, the soils of the Pfingstberg are marl-limestone and sandstone. (95/100)

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Clos Jebsal Pinot Gris 2020 – Some participants picked this Pinot Gris as the wine of the evening, and I would see why. For many years this wine reflected botrytis in the grapes, but – as the estate explains: the development of noble rot in a warmer climate is not conducive to preserving acidity and, above all, botrytis takes on a completely different aspect, much less noble. In 2020, a very early year, the domain decided to harvest grapes before botrytis developed. So 2020 is the driest Jebsal in domain history: a style is set to last. And a style I love. Robust, packed with juicy fruit, seamlessly round yet textured on the palate leading to a long finish. You have to taste it to understand it. It would go very nicely with seared scallops in a cream sauce. About the location: Clos Jebsal is located just below the Grand Cru Brand, separated by a geological fault that delineates the primary granite of Brand and the gypsum marl of Keuper on Jebsal. It is a small 1.3-hectare Clos that was rebuilt by Léonard Humbrecht in the 1970s, then replanted with Pinot Gris in 1983. Facing south on a very steep slope, the grapes ripen quickly. The marl soil is deep and cold at the bottom of the Clos and on the terraces, while limestone is more prominent in the upper part. Bravo! (96/100)

Domaine Frédéric Mochel Altenberg de Bergbieten Grand Cru Muscat – I tried three different Muscats at this festival, one being more serious, another light and bright, and this one … just right. Pure joy, this 2022. Dry and with much juiciness. Grapey as any Muscat should be, but at once exuding impressive depth and texture as well as lighthearted summer fun. Winemaker Guillaume Mochel explained that it was a hot vintage so he harvested the grapes to full maturity, so even if the alcohol is high – 14.5% – you do not notice heat. A brilliant Muscat! 96/100

Domaine Paul Ginglinger Pfersigberg Grand Cru Riesling 2019 – Another excellent 2019 Riesling, from vines grown at about 200 meters in altitude, lots of limestone, and the wine feels consequently fresh with some yellow fruit – crunchy apricot – along with subtle wet stone seriousness, expressed in a lively and juicy mid palate leading to a long finish. Coming from another magnum bottle. 96/100

Domaine Muré Clos Saint Landelin Grand Cru Vorbourg Riesling 2019 – And the wine that got most of the cherry cakes that evening was this gorgeous Riesling served from one of only four Jeroboam bottles – the equivalent of six standard bottles – produced at the estate, served to diners by co-owner Véronique Muré. Plenty of wet stone with fresh citrus and subtle stone fruit and spring flower. The palate exuded depth and subtle breadth, mid palate sap and a long cool yet rich finish! Located in Rouffach, Clos Saint Landelin, is owned exclusively by the Muré family, covering an area of 12 hectares, forming the southern tip of the Vorbourg grand cru. Located at the end of the valley, it faces south and enjoys excellent sunshine until the end of the day. North and southwesterly winds ensure good health until harvest time. The steep slopes – you get a great view when you visit the estate – require terraced cultivation. The soil is marl-limestone; it is stony; the subsoil is formed of Oligocene conglomerates with oolitic limestone pebbles. All these elements make it a terroir with great character. The vineyard is cultivated using biodynamic agriculture. The vines are planted densely, at around 10,000 vines per hectare. (96/100)

Now, I could not include all tasting notes from this amazing evening but suffice to say: not a single bad wine among the scores of pours. Alsace is making wines better than ever, and you, dear reader, should take time to discover these wines the next time you visit your favorite wine shop. Cheers! 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Château Lafon-Rochet

Posted on October 30, 2025

A New Chapter of Freshness and Finesse

By Panos Kakaviatos for Wine Chronicles 

30 October 2025

When Vincent Bache-Gabrielsen (photo above, credit to Château Lafon Rochet) took charge of Château Lafon-Rochet last year, it marked a quiet but meaningful shift for this celebrated classified growth in the Bordeaux appellation of Saint-Estèphe. Having worked within the Lorenzetti family group since 2008 and previously leading Château Pédesclaux in Pauillac, Bache-Gabrielsen essentially swapped posts with Christophe Congé to bring his precision-minded approach to this storied Fourth Growth. His arrival builds on the steady progress made under Basile Tesseron, whose tenure already lifted Lafon-Rochet’s quality to new heights.

The estate’s core identity remains anchored in its history. Its 1842 vineyard layout is largely intact, although the Tesserons — who took over in the 1960s — expanded the property with several parcels acquired from Château Lafite Rothschild to the west. The Tesseron era also gave Lafon-Rochet its distinctive Tuscan-yellow façade, completed in 2000: a visual statement of renewal and ambition. And it is an appropriate color for Halloween. 🎃👻🦇

Bache-Gabrielsen’s guiding principle can be summed up in two words: puissance and fraicheur — power and lift held in balance. To achieve this, he is fine-tuning viticulture and winemaking. Oak influence is being pared back, from 40 percent new barrels in 2024 to just 15 percent in 2025, while the use of large foudres (large oak vats) will triple to 30 percent. A small proportion of concrete vats — around 10 percent of the élevage — now complements barrel aging, helping to preserve purity of fruit and vibrant energy. The goal is a reach more restrained, terroir-driven expression, with alcohol levels dialed back toward 13 percent and greater emphasis on Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the estate’s cooler gravel and clay soils, while Merlot increasingly occupies fresher plots.

The Boissenot consultancy, a historic partner of the château, returned in 2021 under Éric Boissenot, following the departure of Jean-Claude Berrouet, who had done excellent work for the estate. Together with Bache-Gabrielsen, they are steering Lafon-Rochet toward even finer tannins, more measured extraction, and greater precision. Amphora trials have been set aside in favor of the more reliable and expressive foudres (larger oak casks). The result is a series of wines that combine structure with grace: the 2016 (the first vintage from the new cellars) shows nuance if a touch of youthful austerity; 2018 and 2022 display polish and early charm; and 2023, the first full vintage under Bache-Gabrielsen’s vision, reveals even greater balance and finesse. I feel that the high alcohol in both the 2018 and 2022 vintages can be felt, although not as readily in the 2022, while the 2016 and 2023 vintages seem more balanced. The 2018 and 2022 vintages, which reflect hotter and drier years associated with climate change, may well become more common, thus making the aforementioned goals all the more important.

Tasting notes: 2022, 2018 and 2016

Initially, I tasted with Bache-Gabrielsen, who was online while I double decanted the wines. I later tasted the wines again that evening with experienced sommelier Ilona Garnier of the popular Strasbourg bistro Pompette. The 2016, the first vintage with new cellars, exudes a palate of freshness and bright fruit, chiseled and smooth tannins, leading to a long finish. This blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot has the lowest pH of the three vintages assessed, at 3.55 (higher acidity), and the lowest alcohol, at 14%. The harvest stretched from 29 September to 20 October.

The 2018, at least at this stage in time, proved the weakest. Garnier and I agreed that it came across somewhat heavy handed, reflecting the dry heat of 2018: a style of vintage that will perform better with less new oak, as planned for the future.  A slightly earlier harvest – September 24th to October 13th – reflected hotter, dryer weather compared to the 2016. The blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon 26% Merlot 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc has a higher pH at 3.75 and clocks in at 14.5% alcohol.

The 2022 seemed the most exciting of the three, at least the attack, already looking bright violent, the wine exhibits youthful fresh notes, bursting with black berry and plum fruit. But both Garnier and I still preferred the 2016 overall for more evident freshness and balance, exhibiting the less extreme nature of the year as opposed to all the dry heat of 2018 and 2022. Of course being in bottle about nine years gives 2016 some complexity lacking in the more recent vintages. Still, the 2022 outshines the 2018, as it benefited from softer extractions and more precise winemaking. Certainly reflecting the heat of the vintage, the harvest was done much earlier than in 2016, from 12 to 27 September. The blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc has a pH of 3.77 and clocks in at 14.5% alcohol.

Lafon-Rochet, long admired for its reliability, is entering a new era defined by clarity, freshness, and classic Saint-Estèphe poise — a rebirth grounded in precision rather than power. Readers should take note that the wines here constitute bargains: while a highly rated wines, prices remain modest: between $50 to $60 retail per bottle.

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