The spotlight often shines strongest on the top names of the appellation of Saint-Émilion, such as Cheval Blanc and Ausone, but many reds from the region are both excellent and attractively priced. Take the recent vintages of Laroque: Made primarily of merlot, with a touch of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, the wines show beautiful character of dark fruit, tobacco and earth. These are the wines that will tell you the minute you put your nose in the glass where they come from. It’s all about drinkability and unique Bordeaux style here. Laroque is the largest estate in the appellation of Saint-Émilion, so it can make a selection of wines from its best vineyards of its Gran Vin.
Its recent vintages from 2009 to 2013 all performed well. The 2010 vintage is extremely impressive, showing a good body with pure fruit and a nice juicy acidity. But the 2015 vintage just recently tasted by James is its best ever. The wine will be presented at our Bordeaux Confidential En Primeur event in Hong Kong on May 23, so you can taste the wine yourself.
Below, we’ve selected five vintages from the 2009 to 2013 vintages that were tasted by James in the past few years. Click on wine names to see scores and tasting notes.
Château Laroque St-Émilion 2009
Château Laroque St-Émilion 2010
Château Laroque St-Émilion 2011
Château Laroque St-Émilion 2012
Château Laroque St-Émilion 2013
