Château Laroque

The world of wine has always been linked to the best architectural structures. The French are the kings in pairing châteaus with wines, châteaus that are presented as authentic works of art that masterfully stand the test of time. Chateau Laroque is probably better known for its impressive chateau and its wonderful gardens, than for being the largest estate in Saint-Emilion with 61 hectares of undivided vineyards. However, since it was taken over by the Beaumartin family in 1935, a new ambitious chapter in the search for excellence in its wines began. To do this, they used all their resources and hired David Suire, a renowned winegrower in Bordeaux, as director of the estate with the aim of recovering all the splendour of its prestigious past. To begin with, a soil study was carried out and this confirmed the excellent genetic heritage of the estate with a diversity of terroirs. A precise identification of each plot then allowed them to replant and choose the right grape variety to make each of their wines.

Their Château Laroque wine comes from just 27 hectares of the best plots and the oldest vineyards on the estate (about 40 years old) with soils that are deep and rich in clay. The wine is made mainly of Merlot with a small amount of Cabernet Franc and although the vineyard is not certified organic, it is managed using entirely organic methods. In the winery, the grapes are meticulously selected and destemmed and fermented plot by plot in traditional cobalt blue cement vats with temperature control. Then, the wine ages for 12 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which are new, before being bottled.

So, although Château Laroque is probably still better known as a château than as a winery, the truth is that thanks to its unrivalled genetic heritage and Suire’s impeccable work, its reputation has been spreading since 2015. The purity of expression and authenticity of its wine of the same name is proof of this.