Château Laroque
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
St. Émilion, Libournais, Bordeaux, France
Popped and poured. The 2019 pours a deep ruby with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, developing with black plums, black bramble fruit, purple flowers, tobacco, damp earth and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. This a balanced wine with many admirable traits. While this is my first time trying the wines of Chateau Laroque, I have to believe we will be seeing/hearing more from this estate as investment and quality continues to go up. Drink now and through 2034+.
Popped and poured. The 2019 pours a deep ruby with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, developing with black plums, black bramble fruit, purple flowers, tobacco, damp earth and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. This a balanced wine with many admirable traits. While this is my first time trying the wines of Chateau Laroque, I have to believe we will be seeing/hearing more from this estate as investment and quality continues to go up. Drink now and through 2034+.
Feb 27th, 2024
The 2019 Chateau Laroque, the first bottle I’ve tried from my orders from the vintage, showed quite differently on the three times I tried it over two days. The overwhelming impression, though, is of an austere, young St. Emilion with great potential.
Tasting best on the second night with no decant from a bottle stoppered with vacuvin, it takes quite some coaxing to reveal aromas of fresh blackcurrant, cherry paste and tobacco. There’s a lot of graphite, too, but little else - it feels really coiled up, with great walls of defense. The palate is much more forthcoming, especially on the second night, immediately gushing with cassis, blueberry and fig, and a very tannic mouthfeel. FYI, on the first evening I decanted the wine for 4+ hours, and it didn’t show as well.
I’m curious: in your experiences with young BDX, do you decant or pop ’n pour?
Either way, this is a potentially great wine that’s hard to score right now - and I won’t touch again for another four years at least.
The 2019 Chateau Laroque, the first bottle I’ve tried from my orders from the vintage, showed quite differently on the three times I tried it over two days. The overwhelming impression, though, is of an austere, young St. Emilion with great potential.
Tasting best on the second night with no decant from a bottle stoppered with vacuvin, it takes quite some coaxing to reveal aromas of fresh blackcurrant, cherry paste and tobacco. There’s a lot of graphite, too, but little else - it feels really coiled up, with great walls of defense. The palate is much more forthcoming, especially on the second night, immediately gushing with cassis, blueberry and fig, and a very tannic mouthfeel. FYI, on the first evening I decanted the wine for 4+ hours, and it didn’t show as well.
I’m curious: in your experiences with young BDX, do you decant or pop ’n pour?
Either way, this is a potentially great wine that’s hard to score right now - and I won’t touch again for another four years at least.
201o vintage. A large estate with 61 hectares of Saint-Emilion of which 41 are classified as Grand Cru Classé (the other being Grand Cru). In reality only the best 27 hectares are used for the Grand Cru Classé. Flowers and red fruit. Very fresh with bright fruit, subtle spices and a mineral finish. Better on day 2, so you might want to decant. Good value at 24 euros.
201o vintage. A large estate with 61 hectares of Saint-Emilion of which 41 are classified as Grand Cru Classé (the other being Grand Cru). In reality only the best 27 hectares are used for the Grand Cru Classé. Flowers and red fruit. Very fresh with bright fruit, subtle spices and a mineral finish. Better on day 2, so you might want to decant. Good value at 24 euros.
Oct 5th, 2021
Good. Would buy again from Bine Vine on Adam’s
Good. Would buy again from Bine Vine on Adam’s
Jun 15th, 2023
Obviously very young, but already very approachable. 92-93
Obviously very young, but already very approachable. 92-93
Oct 2nd, 2022
97%M & 3%CF. Totally different Saint-Emilion. Very elegant and pure. Lightweight in the nose with medium bodied palate. Juicy and bright. Racy power with an enormous freshness. Crushed cassis, black fruit, cherry, dry flowers (violets) pepper, spice, mineral and some smoke. Superior balance, drinking rapidly.
97%M & 3%CF. Totally different Saint-Emilion. Very elegant and pure. Lightweight in the nose with medium bodied palate. Juicy and bright. Racy power with an enormous freshness. Crushed cassis, black fruit, cherry, dry flowers (violets) pepper, spice, mineral and some smoke. Superior balance, drinking rapidly.
Aug 5th, 2022
