The 1996 Lafon-Rochet is a wine that I had not tasted for nearly one decade. It was always a modest 1996 Saint Est?phe. The nose is pleasant with blackberry and briary aromas, cedar and sandalwood, but perhaps what is missing vigor. You almost end up giving it a kick up the rear to offer more intensity. The palate is well balanced and delivers a pleasant fleshy mouthfeel. It feels saline in the mouth with a generous pinch of black pepper towards the finish. This is drinking beautifully now and if your expectations and not lofty, you will enjoy this Lafon-Rochet that is 89 point. Tasted July 2016.

One of the sleepers of the 1996 vintage, Lafon-Rochet has turned out an atypically powerful, rich, and concentrated wine bursting with black currant fruit. The opaque purple color gives way to a medium to full-bodied, tannic, backward wine with terrific purity, a sweet, concentrated mid-palate, and a long, blockbuster finish. This wine remains one of the finest values from the luxury-priced 1996 vintage, and is well-worth purchasing by readers who are willing to invest 5-6 years of patience; it should keep for two decades. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020. ～～《以下、翻訳文》～～ 1996年の掘り出し物の1つであるラフォン＝ロシェは、異例に力強く、豊かで、凝縮していて、ブラックカラントの果実味ではちきれそうだ。光を通さないほど濃い紫色をしており、 ミディアムからフルボディで、タニックで、内向的。すごい純粋さ、甘い、凝縮感のある中間部、余韻の長い、超大作のフィニッシュがある。 贅沢な価格のついた1996年ヴィンテージはいまだに最上のお値打ち品の1つであり、数年の忍耐を投資するつもりのある読者諸氏なら十分購入する価値がある。 たぶん12～15年は持つだろう。予想される飲み頃：2005～2020年。最終試飲年月2002年3月