Château Laroque 2018

Superb, complex, very promising spice; compact and dense on the attack, with distinctive breed and freshness despite the heat, classy tannins, great length; even better than en Primeur, in the style of a Brunello!

The 2018 Laroque is composed of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new barriques. The alcohol is 14.5% and the pH is 3.48. Deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts from the glass with flamboyant notes of stewed black plums, Black Forest cake and boysenberries, plus hints of candied violets, star anise and unsmoked cigars with a playful waft of sassafras. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with juicy black fruits, supported by plush tannins and tons of freshness, finishing long and fragrant.

This has some frank ripeness with a mix of dark plum, loganberry and cherry paste flavors. They're integrated nicely though, with a sandalwood and dried anise spine for form through the refined finish. Best from 2022 through 2032. 11,250 cases made.

The colour is deep and bright, the nose a little restrained but the pitch is fresh and there’s a good density of fruit. The signature of the limestone soils is clearly marked on the palate, but the finesse of the tannins has been reinforced. It’s still a little closed, but there’s good length on the finish. 41% of the production was selected for the grand vin.

Aromas of ripe blackcurrants, spiced cherries, cloves, praline, tea leaves and crushed gravel. It’s medium- to full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins and fresh acidity. Fleshy, chewy layers lead to a long, mineral finish. Late bottling helped here. Try from 2023.

The 2018 Laroque fulfills the promise it showed from barrel last year. It has an irresistible bouquet of layered black cherry and blueberry fruit, fresh and lively with beautifully integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity and a spicy, black-pepper-tinged finish that feels ever so slightly attenuated. Give this 3–4 years in bottle if you can.

With a good depth of color, the fleshy wine is rich, full-bodied, luscious and loaded with a myriad of dark red berries, black cherries and just a touch of blue fruit. Concentrated, opulent and silky, the finish really sticks with you, which is a good thing as all this fruit is not something you want to miss. The wine blends 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% ABV. Chateau Laroque remains a diamond in the rough selling for a song. This will change as Laroque gains more popularity, buy it now if this is your style of wine.

This estate is in a cool, limestone terroir on the eastern side of Saint-Emilion, and it's been firing on all cylinders over the past decade, in no small part due to the talented director, David Suire. The 2018 Château Laroque checks in as almost all Merlot (there is 3% Cabernet Franc) that comes from an incredibly strict selection of just 41% of the total production. Brought up in a mix of new and used barrels, it's more about finesse than power, offering a gorgeous perfume of ripe black cherries, mulberries, cassis, violets, spring flowers, and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied, pure, and incredibly elegant on the palate, it builds nicely with time in the glass, has ultra-fine tannins, flawlessly integrated tannins, acidity and fruit, and a great finish. It's as classy as they come. Approachable today with a decant, it will drink nicely for 20 years or more. Readers looking for an impeccably made, classic, high-quality Saint-Emilion that doesn't break the bank should back up the truck for this beauty.

Kunz barrel sample 19: (97% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 46 hl/ha, 41% Grand Vin, 14.5% alc. by vol.) Silky, dense, fruity, fresh bouquet—strawberry jelly, dark chocolates, flint, light tobacco. Dense, creamy palate with velvety fruit, creamy structure, powerful, fine, sweet aromatics, and a long, fresh finish with sweet aftertastes.

Velvety, dense, fruity bouquet with strawberry jelly, cherries, mint, fine herbs, light tobacco. A tightly woven, fresh palate with powerful, refined fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a creamy, well-muscled structure, a bold, dark aromatics profile, and a long, concentrated finish. 18/20 2025 - 2045

Among the oldest estates in Saint-Émilion, 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 the sense of bounce and juiciness running through the blueberry and raspberry fruit.

David Suire has deftly mastered the vintage, in which the limestone character of the terroir brings structural freshness, with the vintage’s breadth tightly framed. A turning point in the history of the cru.

The ripe fruit of the 2018 is lifted by a more energetic feel on the palate, leading to a refreshing finish. The wine’s substance holds steady throughout the tasting.

A highly expressive nose of dark fruits and blue berries, slate, and a light smokiness thanks to perfectly judged oak. A well-balanced wine in every respect, yet one that doesn’t lack soul. On the palate, a lovely burst of fruit and strawberry jam, with a finish as succulent as it is harmonious.

A fruity, elegant bouquet of good intensity, marked by notes of spices and blackcurrant. A gourmand, slightly creamy attack. The tannins are slightly smooth, perfectly integrated, and endowed with a fine grain. They assert themselves with delicacy yet conviction and are in tune with the vibrancy of the structure. The latter provides freshness and supports the fruity expression all the way through to the finish.

Logo on the cork: AL

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, subtle edge brightening. Delicately nutty, background blackberry confit, some liquorice, fresh orange zest, delicate herbal savouriness in the background. Medium complexity, red cherries and berries, fresh acidity, integrated tannins, mineral finish, salty aftertaste.

This well-textured, rich wine has a firm texture that promises a future of smoothness and concentration. Touches of vanilla from wood aging combine with ripe black-currant fruits in a wine that should be ready from 2026.