2024 Laroque

Auslieferung bis zum Herbst 2027!
Delivery until Fall 2027!

Deep plum colour, cold ash and fennel on the opening, savoury, well judged and well extracted, this is on the slim side, with the focus on cassis bud and rose petals. You probably have to be a bit of a limestone fanatic (as I am) to truly love this vintage of Laroque, because it is less gourmet than in vintages like 2022 and 2023, setting texture and minerality above fruit, but exceptionally well handled by estate director David Suire, and it should soften further ove ageing. Once again a value pick.
93/100 Jane Anson

(Saint-Émilion; brilliantly situated atop the rocky plateau of Saint-Laurent; 98% Merlot; 2% Cabernet Franc; a vineyard yield of 40 hl/ha, but only 44% making it into the vat due to the strict optical and densimetric selection; tasted first at the Association des Grands Crus Classés de St-Emilion press tasting at Dassault and then with David Suire at Larcis-Ducasse; no vin de presse; 50% new oak; pH 3.48; 13.4% alcohol). Delicate and so refined. So pure and precise too in its red and then darker berry fruit signature – at first loganberry and raspberry, then mulberry and bramble. This is a little more nutty than Larcis, tasted just before. It’s fresher too and a little less sunny with a slightly darker berry fruit – a touch of loganberry too that is not present on the Côte Pavie. That renders this more taut and tense and that is reinforced again by the calcaire tannins that structure and sculpt the wine vertically. What is also impressive here is the layered viscosity – very rare in the vintage – which makes this rather special. With aeration there’s more and more blackcurrant and the fresh lift that brings – I’m almost reminded or Ribena from my childhood. A study in fruit purity and so brilliantly juicy on the finish. A lovely liquorice note too on the finish.
93-95/100 Colin Hay; The Drinks Business

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.
93-95/100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown; The Wine Independent