Wine Advisor
Laroque 2016
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Laroque offers attractive dark berry fruit on the nose, a hint of tea leaf infusing the blackberry and raspberry fruit. I admire the definition in situ - quite refined and certainly very focused. The palate is medium-bodied with a ripe black cherry and boysenberry driven entry. The warmth of the summer comes through towards its second half, whereupon it just loses a touch of precision, but otherwise this is a commendable Saint Emilion from the large estate towards St Christophe des Bardes.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2016 Laroque is deep, voluptuous and inviting, with plenty of dark cherry, raspberry, bittersweet chocolate, menthol and spice flavors. Élevage has brought out layers of nuance and a darker, more somber side of this site than the wine showed en primeur. Deceptively medium in body, the 2016 has a good bit of stuffing. I would give the 2016 a few years in bottle to allow the tannins to soften. Technical Director David Suire and his team appear to be on the right track.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Laroque, now under the direction of David Suire, who works with Nicolas Thienpont (only at Beausejour Duffau and Larcis Ducasse, to be fair), is clearly a Saint-Émilion on the upswing. This latest bottled vintage is a joy. It delivers a substantial, complex bouquet, a mixture of black and blue fruit with a discreet warm gravel note evolving over the course of an hour. The palate is well balanced and impressively structured, presenting well-judged acidity and a classically styled, mineral-driven finish. Everything is in place for a great wine, but it deserves a minimum of five years in the cellar.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2016 Laroque is blended of 95% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines more than 50 years old and aged in 50% new French and Austrian oak. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly unfurls to reveal a beautiful core of redcurrants, Morello cherries, wild blueberries and fresh plums with touches of lilacs, oolong tea, chargrill, bay leaves and yeast extract plus a hint of wet slate. Medium to full-bodied, taut and finely textured with ripe, grainy tannins, it has bold freshness cutting through the densely packed red and black fruit layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2016 Laroque is an engaging, open-knit Saint-Émilion. Bright red cherry, raspberry and floral notes, along with silky tannins, give the 2016 much of its immediacy and sheer appeal. It will be interesting to see what winemaker David Suire can coax from this site in the coming years.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
A very long and intense red with blackberries, blueberries and blackcurrants on the nose. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a long finish. Hard to see this being as superb as the 2015 but it’s all there.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Very pure aromas of merlot with dark berries, violets and hints of dark chocolate. Medium-bodied, bright and focused with firm tannins and a fresh finish. Shows composure and finesse in the winemaking. A blend of 95 per cent merlot, 4.5 per cent cabernet franc and 0.5 per cent cabernet sauvignon. Drink from 2020.
About the Producer
Since the 12th century, Château Laroque has occupied an historical terroir, a mix of limestone rock and fine clays, superbly located on the slopes and high boint of the plateau of Saint-Emilion. Superbly located on one of the highest points of Saint-Emilion, Laroque's limestone terroirs have once again shone through brilliantly in this 201% They have produced wines that are bright, floral and spicy, with fresh salinity and a noble texture, which are the hallmark traits of this estate.