Learn everything about Chateau Rocheyron, St. Emilion with wine tasting notes, and wine with food pairing tips. Learn the best vintages, the history of the property, and information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux:Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Chateau Rocheyron History, Overview
Chateau Rocheyron, following the tradition of numerous estates in the Right Bank takes its name from the location, where the vines are planted. The vineyard is situated not far from Valandraud, Chateau Faugeres, and Chateau Fleur Cardinale, it is also right next to the larger vineyard of Chateau Laroque.
The modern era for Chateau Rocheyron starts in 2010 when Peter Sisseck, the Danish winemaker who is best known for producing the famous wine Pingus from Spain’s Ribera del Duero, and his longtime friend, Silvio Denz purchased the estate from Stephen Adams and Denise Adams, the owners of Chateau Fonplegade, which is also located in Saint Emilion.
Prior to 2010, the wines from Chateau Rocheyron lacked distinction. All that changed once Peter Sisseck and Silvio Denz became involved with the project.
Chateau Rocheyron is one of the few, high-quality Bordeaux estates that does not sell their wine as futures through negociants on the Place de Bordeaux. Instead, they sell their wine directly to distributors, wholesalers, and importers.
Chateau Rocheyron, Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
The 8.45-hectare vineyard of Chateau Rocheyron is planted to 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. The terroir is clay over limestone soils. The plateau here is one of the highest points in the appellation at 92 meters. The vineyard has old vines that are more than 70 years of age. On average, the vines are 45 years old.
However, some of their vines are among the oldest vines in the commune as they approach 80 years of age! All farming techniques are conducted 100% organically. The switch to organic farming took place starting with the difficult 2011 vintage.
The vineyard is planted to a vine density typical of the appellation at 6,000 vines per hectare. One of the goals at the estate is to use phenolically ripe fruit, when possible and low yields, which have been averaging only 22 hectoliters per hectare!
They do not green harvest here. Instead, they control the yields by adjusting the compost. Quality is the name of the game here. In fact, due to the difficulties experienced with the 2013 Bordeaux vintage, Chateau Rocheyron declassified their entire crop, making no wine in that vintage.
Following the difficulties in the 2013 vintage, Chateau Rocheyron moved to 100% organic and biodynamic farming. Today, they are certified for both biodynamic and organic farming.
2010, their debut vintage was vinified at Chateau Faugeres. That was because, at the time of the purchase, the cellars were almost nonexistent, so they were forced to construct a new, albeit small cellar, once the property was purchased. The renovation was completed in 2011.
Once everything was completed, the new cellar included 7 cement vats that range in size from 32 hectoliters up to 42 hectoliters. They also added 3 stainless steel tanks that are smaller in size at just 12 hectoliters each. The variances in size allow for more parcel-by-parcel vinification.
The vinification of Chateau Rocheyron takes place in a combination of traditional, cement vats and stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of cement vats and oak barrels. The wine of Chateau Rocheyron is aged in an average of 35% new, French oak barrels for up to 22 months before bottling.
The Best Vintages of Chateau Rocheyron are: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014.
There is a second wine, La Fleur de Rocheyron. The annual production of Chateau Rocheyron is small at close to 750 cases per vintage. The remainder of the production is placed in their second wine.
When to Drink Chateau Rocheyron, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Rocheyron is better with at least 4-6 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage. Chateau Rocheyron is best enjoyed in the first 5-22 years of life.
Young vintages can be decanted for about 1 hour to 90 minutes. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.
Serving Chateau Rocheyron with Wine, and Food Pairing Tips
Chateau Rocheyron is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Chateau Rocheyron is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Rocheyron is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta as well as cheese.
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Château Rocheyron Wine Tasting Notes
10 Vintages 45,068 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
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2022
Château Rocheyron (St. Émilion)
Black raspberries, plum liqueur, crushed rocks and flowers in the nose only get the wine started. On the palate, what you notice is the racy energy that gives lift to the layers of dark red, sweet, pit fruits. The salty tannins, sweetness, and purity is evident on the mid-palate and in the long, vibrant, finish. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc.14.8% ABV, 3.5 pH. Drink from 2025-2050. 95-97 Pts. 2,581 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
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2021
Château Rocheyron (St. Émilion)
An array of red and white flowers, cherries, plums, black raspberries and strawberries pop in the perfume, as soon as the wine is poured. On the palate, the wine is vibrant, elegant, long, fresh and supple. The fruit has a mild olive note in the chalky backend, but there is so much, sweet, ripe and fresh, red berries with dark chocolate and salty chalk before that, you almost do not notice it. The wine blends 60% Merlot with 40% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2045. 332 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024Silky, fresh, refined, soft and polished, there is an elegance to the layers of sweet, plums, followed by truffle, coffee bean and dark chocolate with a touch of flowers, mint and spice on the backend. The wine is fresh, long and complex. The wine blends 60% Merlot with 40% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2024-2040. 93-95 2,018 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
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2020
Château Rocheyron (St. Émilion)
Dried flowers, crushed rocks, red and black pit fruits, dark chocolate, licorice and espresso notes frame the perfume. On the palate, the wine combines lift, finesse, silky tannins and layers of sensuous, ripe, deep, red fruits, with a serious dose of minerality that you can really sense in the lingering finish. Drink from 2025-2045. 1,848 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023Elegant, fresh, vibrant, and long, the nose entices you with its flowers, sweet red fruits, wet earth, crushed stone, espresso and dark chocolate fragrance. The purity in the fruit, along with its silky textures, and layers of sweet, lifted, red fruits hits all the right notes. This is refined hedonism at its best. Give it at least 6-8 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following 2 decades with ease. 95-97 Pts 3,747 Views Tasted Jun 3, 2021 |
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2019
Château Rocheyron (St. Émilion)
It is difficult to decide what I like best, the opulent, polished, luxuriously textured fruits, or the show, floral, licorice, chocolate and dark red pit fruits on the nose and palate. Fortunately, you do not have to decide because here, you have plenty of both! The velvety finish leaves you with multiple layers of sweet, pure cherries, black plums, earth and thyme. Drink from 2024-2047. 2,443 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022The luxuriously textured fruits with their velvet drenched tannins is just what the doctor ordered to accompany the multiple layers of sweet, pure cherries, dark cocoa and blueberry. Clearly, the wine borders on decadence. Long, silky and palate-staining, with one of the best finishes in this vintage, the freshness is perfect here, making sure this hedonistic thrill ride is never tiring to drink. 96-98 Pts 3,767 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
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2018
Château Rocheyron (St. Émilion)
Dark in color, this sexy wine gets you going with all its opulent, velvet drenched, full-bodied, rich, concentrated spicy, black and red fruits. This has fabulous intensity, length, purity, character and sensuous textures. This is a hedonistic treat indeed! This will offer fabulous drinking for 2-3 decades with little effort. 1,971 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021 |
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2017
Château Rocheyron (St. Émilion)
Lilies, dark cocoa, truffle and juicy, black plum notes pop right from the glass. On the palate, the wine is rich, sweet and round. Inky ruby with purple accents in color, the wine offers a tannic backbone, which requires time in the cellar to clarify the freshness in the lush, fruity character. Like many establishments this year, close to 50% of the vineyard was devastated by the frost. 2,036 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
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2016
Château Rocheyron (St. Émilion)
Concentrated, supple, sensuous and loaded with intense, perfectly ripe, dark fruits, this is just great. The velvety textured tannins, length and palate staining level of fruits are beautiful! 2,446 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019Inky ruby and purple in color, the wine offers boysenberry, floral, licorice and black and blue fruit. Sweet, lush, fresh and pure with a concentrated, dark chocolate and plum liqueur finish. 3,436 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
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2015
Château Rocheyron (St. Émilion)
Truffle, chocolate, black cherry, smoke, espresso and licorice in abundance are found here. The wine is lush, juicy, fresh, sweet, and full bodied. This will age for at least 2 decades without effort. 2,421 Views Tasted May 21, 2018Luscious, fat, rich and concentrated, this velvety-textured wine has ripe, soft fruits and a smoky, espresso bean, licorice and black cherry-filled, earthy finish. This project, headed by Peter Sisseck and Silvio Denz, is really starting to take off. 2,341 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2016 |
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2014
Château Rocheyron (St. Émilion)
Medium/full bodied, supple, sensuous, lush fruits with ripe, polished tannins in a forward style allow this wine to be enjoyed in its youth. With the concentration of raw materials, this will also allow for aging for at least 15-20 years. 2,131 Views Tasted Nov 14, 2017Dark in color, this wine is sweet, round and lush. Packed with sublime black cherries and hints of vanilla and dark chocolate covered boysenberries, this wine feels amazing and tastes even better. Due to the dedication of the new owners, Peter Sisseck and Silvio Denz, this is a wine to watch for in the future. 91-93 Pts 2,245 Views Tasted Apr 27, 2015 |
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2012
Château Rocheyron (St. Émilion)
Medium bodied, with a core of fresh, spicy, earthy black raspberries and dark chocolate covered cherries, this plush, polished will drink well young. 4,482 Views Tasted May 15, 2015The best wine yet from Peter Sisseck and Silvio Denz is deep in color. With a chocolate covered, boysenberry and licorice filled personality, the wine is fleshy, flashy and fresh. In the mouth, luscious textures meld with ripe, black raspberries, licorice and hints of cocoa. The wine reached 13.2% ABV. 89-91 Pts 4,823 Views Tasted Jul 20, 2013 |
