Chateau Laroque (Futures Pre-Sale) 2022
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Dunnuck
Jeb - Decanter
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Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Clearly one of the new superstars in the appellation, Château Laroque is located on the cooler, eastern edge of Saint-Emilion and consists of pure, classic upper plateau limestone soils. The estate covers a whopping 54 hectares, which gives director Davie Suire ample flexibility when putting together the Grand Vin. Looking at the 2022 Laroque, it's a blend of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc from healthy yields of 41 hectoliters per hectare, representing just 45% of the total production, and it will spend 16-18 months in 50% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty offers a classic Saint-Emilion bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, tobacco, and a liquid rock-like sense of minerality. It’s medium to full-bodied, has incredible purity, and ultra-fine tannins. It’s unquestionably another beautiful vintage for this chateau that readers will love.
Barrel Sample: 95-97 -
Decanter
A clear stand out in 2022 that delivers refined density and sublime drinking pleasure. Smells perfumed and opulent, aromatically expressive and alive on the nose. Full bodied, rich and concentrated, intense and filling - there is clear power but it's so delicately and elegantly presented with such succulence and a juicy, fun and playful fruitiness. Has both push and density as well a delicious mineral tang. This has a slick and sleek character and feels really made. I love the intense juiciness balanced by the plushness of the fruit, more weighty and dense than some with mass appeal, tons of energy and still lovely clean fresh and cooling St-Emilion typicity.
Barrel Sample: 97 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Another impressive performance from this estate, the 2022 Laroque offers up aromas of sweet berries, violets, iris and exotic spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered palate with a rich core of fruit that's framed by lively acids, concluding with a taut, chalky finish. Once again, it's the result of a strict selection that sees only 45% of the production released as the grand vin.
Barrel Sample: 93-95 -
James Suckling
A very classic Bordeaux with medium to full body, firm tannins and crunchy character, with a linear nature. Currants and blackberries. Sandalwood, too. Fresh.
Barrel Sample: 93-94
Other Vintages
2021- Vinous
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Suckling
James - Decanter
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert - Decanter
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James - Decanter
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Spectator
Wine
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Parker
Robert -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Spectator
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Enthusiast
Wine - Decanter
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Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb - Decanter
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Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
Château Laroque, with its mighty 12th century tower, is an imposing feature in the Saint-Emilion area. Located to the south of the village of Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, the estate appears as a defensive stronghold watching over Saint Emilion. Built on a plateau of limestone rock, from which the estate took its name, this outstanding location has been owned by several families, each one of them making their contribution and imparting an added touch of soul to the place.
The restoration of the cellars carried out in the 19th century was the work of Maurice Dufaure de Rochefort, a keen enthusiast of Saint-Emilion wines. Once the new cellars had been completed, he refocused the economic activity of Château Laroque solely on vine-growing.
After the phylloxera epidemic and the hard times that ensued, the estate and its wines were given a new lease of life in 1935 thanks to the unstinting work of its new owners: the Beaumartin family.
Over the decades that followed, with the appointment of estate manager Bruno Sainson, Château Laroque rediscovered its boldness and identity and emerged as one of the finest growths in Saint-Emilion, rising to the rank of Grand Cru Classé in 1996.
This fresh momentum was maintained by Xavier Beaumartin, at the helm of the property from 2004 and succeeded in 2018 by his nephew Stanislas Droin.
The Beaumartin family brought in David Suire in 2015 to take over the management of the wine estate from Bruno Sainson.
A new chapter has thus begun in the history of this majestic property.