The chateau at Laroque is not your typical Bordeaux building. If you approach from the road, you see a medieval castle and the remains of a moat, but wander round the other side and it transforms into an eighteenth-century stately home. Laroque dates back all the way to the 12th century, and was historically the largest estate in St-Emilion. It still is the largest classified estate in St-Emilion (though production at Fombrauge is slightly higher). It has been owned by the Beaumartin family since 1935, though for a long time wine was not their priority. They abandoned the vineyard altogether in the lean years of the 1930s, and didn’t replant until the 1950s. It achieved Grand Cru Classe status in the 1996 St-Emilion reclassification, the first property outside the commune of St-Emilion to achieve that status.

In fact, the extensive terroir here is truly excellent. Most of the vineyard is on the limestone plateau in St-Christophe-des-Bardes, but on two different sections. One part is on pure Asteries limestone (as at Chateau Canon), and the other on red clay over limestone (as at Troplong Mondot). The other vines are on the chalky clay slopes off the plateau.

Winemaking here has gotten very focussed since the 2015 arrival of Director David Suire. In the vineyard, he has adapted pruning, trellising and green work according to the parcel, and follows through with parcel work in the cellar. Vinification takes place in a mix of traditional Bordeaux barrels, 400-litre oak casks, stainless steel tanks and cement tanks, and the grand vin is typically raised in 50% new oak.

Laroque previously had a low profile outside certain markets, as it was not distributed through the Place de Bordeaux system that the major chateaux use. That changed a few years ago. With a great value wine made on great terroir, you’ll be hearing a lot more about Laroque. Laroque = the rock. It’s all about the limestone. (NT 06/08/25)