France

Ch. Laroque

Chateau Laroque Grand Cru Classe Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Bordeaux

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

There is such incredible balance to this wine, with deftly expressed black and blue fruits, espresso, liqourice and cocoa bean shavings, all delivered slowly but surely through the palate, held in by sculpted tannins, and wet stone texture. This is my biggest upscore from En Primeur - I noted at the time that it was extremely closed, but it is now showing its incredible potential, and is a great value wine. David Suire director, owners Beaumartin family, 61ha of vines.

Inside Bordeaux

A blend of 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Laroque is deep garnet-purple in color. A little subdued to begin, offering subtle notes of crushed rocks and damp soil, it opens out to a core of ripe black and red plums and fresh blackberries, plus a fragrant waft of lilacs. The full-bodied palate is bursting with taut, muscular black fruits and amazing tension, framed by ripe, rounded tannins, and finishing with great length and depth.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Deep garnet-purple colored. Leaps with bold notes of fresh blackberries and kirsch, leading to suggestions of lilac bush, underbrush, and cinnamon stick. The light to medium-bodied palate is elegant and light on its feet with a lively line and fragrant finish.

The 2023 Laroque is deep garnet-purple in color. It is a touch closed to start off, with reluctant scents of cedar and tar eventually opening out to a core of ripe black and red plums, Bing cherries, and fragrant earth plus a waft of violets. The medium-bodied palate delivers great tension and beautifully ripe, rounded tannins to support the red and black berry flavors, finishing on a floral note. The blend is 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc.

A blend of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Laroque is deep garnet-purple in color. It prances out with showy scents of warm black plums, blueberry compote, and chocolate-covered cherries, giving way to wafts of underbrush, violets, and Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate delivers seriously impressive tension, with firm, ripe, rounded tannins and bags of bright black fruits, finishing long and fragrant.

Laroque 2021 is deep garnet-purple in color. It is a little reticent to start, soon unfurling to offer evocative notes of star anise, ripe black plums, and juicy blueberries, followed by hints of violets and charcoal. Medium-bodied, the palate has impressive tension and a great core of intense black fruits, framed by rounded tannins, finishing long and minerally. Nicely done!

So well put together, you feel the deft strokes of the winemaking layered on top of the terroir, and it's an impressive whole that combines power and restraint. Cassis and blueberry fruits, liquorice and espresso, mouth-watering finish but everything unfolding oh so slowly. No rush here. Yields of 43hl/ha. 3.44pH. Owned by the family Beaumartin, with winemaking from David Suire. An upscore from En Primeur.

Among the oldest estates in St Emilion, dating back to the Middle Ages, this is pure restrained limestone, and stands as an excellent reflection of why this type of terroir worked so well in 2018. The ph for example, is 3.48, a relatively low number that underscores the freshness and feeling of bounce and juice that runs through the blueberry and raspberry fruits.

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. Laroque
Vintages	2020
Country	France, Bordeaux, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	%
Acid	%
Sugar	g/l

Packaging
Cork type
Selection
Wholesaler
Carrier