Château Laroque
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
St. Émilion, Libournais, Bordeaux, France
This is my 2nd '18 from Saint Emilion tonight, the first I didn't rate... Selection Bias..it was a 91 ... Anyway, this one well integrates the front forward red, blue and black fruit. Equally, it is a bomb of the combo of the 3, but with a slight leaning towards the blue berries. Nice balance with medium plus alcohol and medium tannins. Medium minus acidity. It's a very well balanced wine. I would like another shot at this one as it may be a notch or two higher.
93 points
This is my 2nd '18 from Saint Emilion tonight, the first I didn't rate... Selection Bias..it was a 91 ... Anyway, this one well integrates the front forward red, blue and black fruit. Equally, it is a bomb of the combo of the 3, but with a slight leaning towards the blue berries. Nice balance with medium plus alcohol and medium tannins. Medium minus acidity. It's a very well balanced wine. I would like another shot at this one as it may be a notch or two higher.
93 points
This wine needs a full 90 mins+ to decant NO EXCEPTIONS! VERY bitter after first opening, thought it had gone bad because of how off it was. A part of me was worried I’d have to dump the bottle because this was probably the worst wine sampling I’ve had immediately after the opening prior to letting it oxidize. After decanting the bitterness 100% went away and became quite pleasant. But it really needed well over an hour to go away, continued to improve over that time frame.
Very pleasant and easy drinking wine, but nothing exceptional. Would rather pay slightly more and get something I love, probably wouldn’t buy again at its price. But definitely worth trying once along a journey to discover more wines. It was pleasant and paired VERY well with steak.
This Bordeaux is almost entirely Merlot. With just minimal cab franc. A more balanced blend gives a better flavour I think. No earthiness at all from this bottle.
Won’t buy again, but gained knowledge with this bottle, so was worth it. Delicious wine and steak dinner. For just a “pair with dinner wine” I have no complaints at all.
This wine needs a full 90 mins+ to decant NO EXCEPTIONS! VERY bitter after first opening, thought it had gone bad because of how off it was. A part of me was worried I’d have to dump the bottle because this was probably the worst wine sampling I’ve had immediately after the opening prior to letting it oxidize. After decanting the bitterness 100% went away and became quite pleasant. But it really needed well over an hour to go away, continued to improve over that time frame.
Very pleasant and easy drinking wine, but nothing exceptional. Would rather pay slightly more and get something I love, probably wouldn’t buy again at its price. But definitely worth trying once along a journey to discover more wines. It was pleasant and paired VERY well with steak.
This Bordeaux is almost entirely Merlot. With just minimal cab franc. A more balanced blend gives a better flavour I think. No earthiness at all from this bottle.
Won’t buy again, but gained knowledge with this bottle, so was worth it. Delicious wine and steak dinner. For just a “pair with dinner wine” I have no complaints at all.
Drinkable now but better in 5 years
Drinkable now but better in 5 years
May 25th, 2024
Smell: black fruit
Taste: peach and cherry, with good hint of chocolate and oak
Body: medium acid, fully body with good finish
Smell: black fruit
Taste: peach and cherry, with good hint of chocolate and oak
Body: medium acid, fully body with good finish
Oak and black currant aroma, elegant. Enough concentration with leather and blueberry. Gentle. Good match with various foods. 2018 @1390, Kping -, 220708-220719
Gentle black fruits aroma with prune. Smooth. Concentration. Blue and black berry. Leather. Some spiciness. CP quite good! Château Laroque Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2018 @1380, wine plus -, 230524-230527
Oak and black currant aroma, elegant. Enough concentration with leather and blueberry. Gentle. Good match with various foods. 2018 @1390, Kping -, 220708-220719
Gentle black fruits aroma with prune. Smooth. Concentration. Blue and black berry. Leather. Some spiciness. CP quite good! Château Laroque Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2018 @1380, wine plus -, 230524-230527
2018 vintage. Jammy Petit Verdot-heavy nose. Great dense and dark color. Plenty of structure and balance. Medium/medium-heavy body. Picking up a bit of coffee candy on the finish. Wasn’t a fan at first but upon further review, I came around. Workmanlike and currently plodding instead of explosive and/or flighty but thinking it’s worthy of aging a few to trot out in 5-10-15-20 years. Will purchase again and definitely validates that $35-$45 range.
2018 vintage. Jammy Petit Verdot-heavy nose. Great dense and dark color. Plenty of structure and balance. Medium/medium-heavy body. Picking up a bit of coffee candy on the finish. Wasn’t a fan at first but upon further review, I came around. Workmanlike and currently plodding instead of explosive and/or flighty but thinking it’s worthy of aging a few to trot out in 5-10-15-20 years. Will purchase again and definitely validates that $35-$45 range.
Oct 25th, 2021Nice bouquet of raspberry, plum. Tannin is young but pleasant. Body is lighter than I prefer.
Nice bouquet of raspberry, plum. Tannin is young but pleasant. Body is lighter than I prefer.
Oct 15th, 2021