Darkest red, transparent, youthful --- Nose sea breeze, fresh, mushrooms, elegant wood notes, some bark, some underbrush, unripe plums, cherries, some red currant, some game, olives, thyme, white pepper, cardboard, some nutty aspects, walnut, buttery, light vanilla notes, some charcoal --- Palate fresh, vivid, watery, fruity, red fruit, cherries, herbal and flowery aspects, nice acidity, overall fresh and welcoming, nice tart tone, hint of menthol coming through --- Finishes medium long on its youthful fruity and tart character. Nice vine, easy drinking while so much going on, everything appears balanced and shy. This could develop beautifully.
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Nice. And for 27 euros no brainer. Salt, good acidity and lots of complexity here. Of course very young, but after 4 hrs decant almost ok to drink if you have to. Better to wait 3-4 years. Should be well into 93-94 territory then. Surely can go 15-20 years, giving its 5-7 times more expensive 21s sisters a good run for the money.
Hello everyone. I have almost completed my tastings of the 2021 in bottles. There will be no more big surprises (Petrus not tasted). Basically, even if this vintage is not at the level of 2016, 18, 19, 20 and 22. To my taste it is very often superior to 2014 and 2017 in any case. It is very particular with enormous finesse and above all a precision in defining each terroir that is rarely achieved. A school model if you want to introduce your future alcoholic children. And for old people like me :O), the advantage is that it will be drinkable much faster than its elders. Since I'm swamped with work these days, I only put my best notes. For a rating of a particular wine, do not hesitate to write to me;
Dried flowers, forest floor, licorice, cocoa, wild cherries, black raspberries and strawberries define the aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is supple, creamy, fresh, and most importantly, pure with the essence of its sweet, ripe, mildly salty, red fruits, and soft, silky tannins to make the lingering taste, and feel great. The wine was made with 99% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2040.
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My colleagues and I organized a mini Laroque vertical to redefine the scores in relation to the fabulous 2022 vintage. Naturally these notes correspond to an "M" moment and are likely to vary at another moment.
(93-95 vvPunkte) (13.5% Alkohol, pH 3.49, 45% Grand Vin, der Rest geht in den Tour de la Roc) Dichte Farbe, Purpur. Die Nase deutet das kalkige Terroir an, expressive Frucht, dezente Barrique-Aromatik, Veilchen, super verspielt und frisch, sehr komplex. Der Gaumen ist wiederum frisch und saftig, der Wein zeigt Druck, eine top Struktur, ist sehr elegant, die knackige, auf den Punkt gereifte Frucht ist verführerisch, wird von markanten, fein gepixelten Gerbstoffen und einer guten Säure gepuffert, das hat Zug, Frische und endet auf einen Mix aus roten Beeren sowie floralen Rückaromen. Wie in den Vorjahren, mit unglaublich viel Charme, Finesse und vor allem einer grossen Präzision. 2027-2050 (Verkostet "En Primeur" im April 2022. Château Laroque/AGCCSE/Château Dassault/Dourthe) vvWine.ch
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Incroyable vin, à prix fabuleux. Terroir d'argiles et calcaires à asteries, Merlots et Cabernets de plus de 50 ans. Tout pour faire un très grand vin en 2021. J'ai aussi fait partie des degustateurs qui l'ont préféré au CH. Pavie!
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Before Tasting Nearly 400 wines at En Premier, there is zero chance if anyone had asked me to pull a highlight from the trip, I would have suggested a $30 wine from St Emilion… however that is exactly what happened. I enjoyed this wine so much, I begged for the winemaker to open a 2020 which I was graciously denied. Damnit this is good juice for any vintage. Verve from the limestone, mouthfeel, mineral, salinity and real fruit. Well done. Not sure I have ever scored a $30 wine 93 points although I have scored ones 10x as expensive at or below a 93 so there is that. Well done. Large buyer.
Very great wine that explodes the standards of the vintage, everything is there on nuances of precious wood, cedar, mineral (chalk), incredible length on an ascending finish! All this for a fabulous quality/price ratio. To be cellared urgently.
With nice color, the wine already shows flowers, licorice, dark red pit fruits, and just a hint of chocolate. Soft, polished and fresh, with sweet, juicy, black cherries and silky tannins, and plenty of juicy, dark fruits in the finish, this should be simply delicious to enjoy on release. The wine was made with 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, reaching 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place October 1 - October 18. Drink from 2023-2037. 91-93
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4/27/2024 - mhensel wrote: 92 Points
Darkest red, transparent, youthful --- Nose sea breeze, fresh, mushrooms, elegant wood notes, some bark, some underbrush, unripe plums, cherries, some red currant, some game, olives, thyme, white pepper, cardboard, some nutty aspects, walnut, buttery, light vanilla notes, some charcoal --- Palate fresh, vivid, watery, fruity, red fruit, cherries, herbal and flowery aspects, nice acidity, overall fresh and welcoming, nice tart tone, hint of menthol coming through --- Finishes medium long on its youthful fruity and tart character. Nice vine, easy drinking while so much going on, everything appears balanced and shy. This could develop beautifully.
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4/14/2024 - bobbylion Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice. And for 27 euros no brainer. Salt, good acidity and lots of complexity here. Of course very young, but after 4 hrs decant almost ok to drink if you have to. Better to wait 3-4 years. Should be well into 93-94 territory then. Surely can go 15-20 years, giving its 5-7 times more expensive 21s sisters a good run for the money.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (5)
3/11/2024 - watcheslover Likes this wine: 95 Points
Hello everyone. I have almost completed my tastings of the 2021 in bottles. There will be no more big surprises (Petrus not tasted). Basically, even if this vintage is not at the level of 2016, 18, 19, 20 and 22. To my taste it is very often superior to 2014 and 2017 in any case. It is very particular with enormous finesse and above all a precision in defining each terroir that is rarely achieved. A school model if you want to introduce your future alcoholic children. And for old people like me :O), the advantage is that it will be drinkable much faster than its elders. Since I'm swamped with work these days, I only put my best notes. For a rating of a particular wine, do not hesitate to write to me;
1 Lafleur 98-99
2 Carmes H-B 98
3 Haut-Brion, Cheval Blanc, Vieux Certan, Margaux, Lafite 97
4 Montrose, Las Cases, Le Pin 96-97
And finally the Oscar for best value for money
Laroque 95
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3/9/2024 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Dried flowers, forest floor, licorice, cocoa, wild cherries, black raspberries and strawberries define the aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is supple, creamy, fresh, and most importantly, pure with the essence of its sweet, ripe, mildly salty, red fruits, and soft, silky tannins to make the lingering taste, and feel great. The wine was made with 99% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2040.
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10/24/2023 - watcheslover Likes this wine: 97 Points
My colleagues and I organized a mini Laroque vertical to redefine the scores in relation to the fabulous 2022 vintage. Naturally these notes correspond to an "M" moment and are likely to vary at another moment.
1) 2021 (sample) 96,8/100
2) 2022 (sample) 96,5/100
3) 2020 95,8/100
4) 2018 95,4/100
5) 2005 95,1/100
6) 2019 94,6/100
7) 2016 93,4/100
8) 2017 92,8/100
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6/22/2022 - vvWine.ch wrote: 94 Points
(93-95 vvPunkte) (13.5% Alkohol, pH 3.49, 45% Grand Vin, der Rest geht in den Tour de la Roc) Dichte Farbe, Purpur. Die Nase deutet das kalkige Terroir an, expressive Frucht, dezente Barrique-Aromatik, Veilchen, super verspielt und frisch, sehr komplex. Der Gaumen ist wiederum frisch und saftig, der Wein zeigt Druck, eine top Struktur, ist sehr elegant, die knackige, auf den Punkt gereifte Frucht ist verführerisch, wird von markanten, fein gepixelten Gerbstoffen und einer guten Säure gepuffert, das hat Zug, Frische und endet auf einen Mix aus roten Beeren sowie floralen Rückaromen. Wie in den Vorjahren, mit unglaublich viel Charme, Finesse und vor allem einer grossen Präzision. 2027-2050 (Verkostet "En Primeur" im April 2022. Château Laroque/AGCCSE/Château Dassault/Dourthe) vvWine.ch
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5/29/2022 - Ramonee Confit Likes this wine: 95 Points
Incroyable vin, à prix fabuleux. Terroir d'argiles et calcaires à asteries, Merlots et Cabernets de plus de 50 ans. Tout pour faire un très grand vin en 2021. J'ai aussi fait partie des degustateurs qui l'ont préféré au CH. Pavie!
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5/26/2022 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 93 Points
Before Tasting Nearly 400 wines at En Premier, there is zero chance if anyone had asked me to pull a highlight from the trip, I would have suggested a $30 wine from St Emilion… however that is exactly what happened. I enjoyed this wine so much, I begged for the winemaker to open a 2020 which I was graciously denied. Damnit this is good juice for any vintage. Verve from the limestone, mouthfeel, mineral, salinity and real fruit. Well done. Not sure I have ever scored a $30 wine 93 points although I have scored ones 10x as expensive at or below a 93 so there is that. Well done. Large buyer.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
5/25/2022 - watcheslover Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very great wine that explodes the standards of the vintage, everything is there on nuances of precious wood, cedar, mineral (chalk), incredible length on an ascending finish! All this for a fabulous quality/price ratio. To be cellared urgently.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (8)
5/20/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
With nice color, the wine already shows flowers, licorice, dark red pit fruits, and just a hint of chocolate. Soft, polished and fresh, with sweet, juicy, black cherries and silky tannins, and plenty of juicy, dark fruits in the finish, this should be simply delicious to enjoy on release. The wine was made with 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, reaching 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place October 1 - October 18. Drink from 2023-2037. 91-93
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