Château Rochebelle 2020

A mere stone’s throw away from prestigious properties like Château Troplong Mondot and Tertre Roteboeuf rests the Saint-Émilion sleeper hit of a property, Château Rochebelle.  In addition to producing extraordinary wines, this fascinating property has a series of stunning underground limestone caves and quarries that are well worth the visit.  The geographical features of this property are so unique to the estate that the name, Château Rochebelle translates to, “beautiful stones,” which refer to the rocks pulled from the underground quarries in the 1700s at this estate. This Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé estate produces a versatile wine with plenty of soul that can be enjoyed in its youth and cellared for years to come. 
 
The property has been owned and managed by the Faniest family since 1847.  The estate was built the same year Thomas Edison was born. The Faniest family draws many parallels between the lifespan of this estate to this famous inventor.  In their minds, Château Rochebelle radiates its own unique light, crafting luminous wines that captivate throughout the ages. The initial rows of vines belonged to Martial Musquin, who worked as a quarryman.  After he passed on, the property was inherited by his granddaughter, Marie Marty.  Marie was a widow who singlehandedly cultivated the vineyard and built the brand for Château Rochebelle.  The most recent generations of the Faniest family are very committed to elevating the quality of the estate and keeping its 170 year legacy alive.  In 2012, Château Rochebelle was given the honor of receiving the Grand Cru Classés status in Saint-Émilion, further cementing the excellence of this estate’s sterling reputation.
 
Château Rochebelle is a small 3-hectare property that is planted with 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. There are some old vines on the grounds, coming in at about 45 years on average.  Château Rochebelle has extraordinary terroir that sits on a plateau of clay and limestone.  Elevation is a bit higher here, coming in at 85-94 meters above river level on a gently sloping hill that allows water to trickle down and get absorbed in the heavily porous limestone rocks.  In dry weather, the vines can draw water from the limestone rocks, so they remain healthy and never deprived of nutrients.  This special terroir is perfect for water drainage and ensures that the vines are naturally irrigated.
 
The vines are harvested and then vinified in traditional, temperature controlled square concrete vats and then aged in French oak barrels for between 15 to 18 months. The talented Michel Rolland consults at Château Rochebelle and helps the Faniest family make important decisions depending on the vintage.  The grand vin of Château Rochebelle shows its best after 3-4 years of bottle age, but that depends on the character of the vintage.  It is generally recommended that one enjoy this elegant and luminous wine between the first 3 to 12 years of its life in bottle.  Château Rochebelle produces a wine that is tremendously versatile, with aromas of black truffle, fallen leaves, and a subtle freshness. 

"Plenty of depth and character, this is elegant and concentrated, full of dark berry fruits, edges of grilled earth, wet stone minerality, gunsmoke, cold ash, mandarin rind and pomegranate. I'm a big fan of this tiny 3ha property on the limestone plateau, and it has performed strongly under the dry summer of 2020. Emilie Faniest winemaker, Thomas Duclos consultant. An upscore from En Primeur." - Jane Anson, (12/01/2022), Ratings: 94, Drink: 2025-2042

"Coming from vines near Tertre Roteboeuf, the 2020 Château Rochebelle is a brilliant wine that's well worth seeking out. Dark fruits, truffle, chocolate, tobacco, and some smoky, barbecue-like nuances emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, brings a wealthy of fruit and texture, and has ripe tannins as well as a great finish. This balanced, incredibly impressive Saint-Emilion is going to benefit from just a few years of bottle age and keep for 15+ if well stored. This is one of those hidden gems in a vintage that way over-delivers." - Jeb Dunnuck, (03/29/2023), Ratings: 94, Drink: 2023-2038

"Aromas of minty blackberries, cassis, bay leaf and licorice introduce the 2020 Rochebelle, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vibrant wine that's pure and precise, with a lively core of fruit, refined tannins and a long, mineral finish. It's another strong performance from this small estate on the edge of the Saint-Émilion plateau, sandwiched between Tertre Roteboeuf and La Mondotte." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, (04/06/2023), Ratings: 93+, Drink: 2025-2050