Community Tasting Note

• Jeff Leve wrote: 94 points

  April 19, 2019 - Inky in hue, the wine looks like a dark gemstone with purple around the edge. With just one swirl, you get black and blue fruits, flowers, incense, licorice, dark chocolate and smoke. Powerful, full-bodied, concentrated, and intense, this vintage is at an entirely new level for Laroque. The wine manages to remain balanced between its opulent nature, incredible level of density, silky palate feel and length. The wine was made with 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, reaching 14.5 alcohol with a pH of 3.48. This is your hot tip of the day: Chateau Laroque is a diamond in the rough and the wine sells for a pittance despite the high level of quality. This will change as the wine gets discovered so buy it now if this reads like your style of wine. 93-95 Pts

  25 people found this helpful 23,963 views

19 Comments

• Laz4wine commented:

  4/26/19, 2:40 PM - Very consistent, did you happen to taste this before or after the WA and JD 95-97 scores? Sounds like a true diamond in the rough...for now.

• Jeff Leve commented:

  4/26/19, 3:15 PM - Weeks before they were even in Bordeaux. Saturday, March 30 to be exact. My notes were also published first as well.

• Joe the Critic commented:

  4/26/19, 3:54 PM - thanks, Jeff - these early ratings are very helpful.
  I would trust you over JD any day of the week.

• Laz4wine commented:

  4/27/19, 8:32 AM - Thanks Jeff, I've enjoyed seeing your reviews and appreciate your objectivity now that I have my collection on CT - very reliable, well calibrated to my own experience, and realistic - clearly that's not always the case from the mainstream critics.

• 10xM commented:

  4/29/19, 3:16 PM - @jeff,
  How well do these wines age? What do you think the drinking window for these wines will be?

• Jeff Leve commented:

  4/29/19, 3:32 PM - 15-20 year life span, or longer. Wait 5-9 years and it will be a beauty!

• JulianSkeels commented:

  5/1/19, 2:31 AM - Thanks Jeff. Backed-up the truck on this one - will become my house Bordeaux at these crazy prices. £200/12 here in the UK in bond. Grabbed plenty of the Becker too from Margaux. Any other big value highlights for you in 2018? I've stopped buying anything expensive EP

• Jeff Leve commented:

  5/1/19, 8:05 AM - Julian... I love both those wines! But they are on the lush side, and while I think they are great, maybe I am confused, but I thought you preferred the less ripe wines.
  
  But they are both strong indeed. There are others. Just use my site. Read the articles or use the search functions.

• JulianSkeels commented:

  5/1/19, 11:18 PM - Thanks Jeff - just went through your great 2018 notes. Really looks a good St Emilion vintage for value buyers. Whilst Laroque and Becker look my favorites, I'll also pick up Fonplegade, Sansonnet and maybe Barde-Haut after reading through your coverage. Will grab some Berliquet to see how it is coming on - I'm a huge fan of Canon.
  
  You're right, I love classic old Bordeaux but have so much 50s/60s/70s/80s wines in this style and just need some good old merlot/cab franc to be able to drink after 5-6yrs casually without worrying so much about occasion / food / company. Also without worrying about the value of bottles being drunk everyday... all my 'cheap' .Barolo, Tuscan, Burgundy, and other holdings have increased so much in price that with the 2018 vintage its a great time to buy Bordeaux again (beyond the classed growths).
  
  Let me know when you're next in London, would be great to share a bottle of 85 (still my favorite vintage). Don't worry, not a Magdelaine!

• Jeff Leve commented:

  5/2/19, 8:14 AM - All your choices are good, but they are not in that classic vein. But as long as you know these are beauties.
  
  I thought Becker was from Margaux. If not, where is it from?

• JulianSkeels commented:

  5/2/19, 8:29 AM - Yes - I meant the Becker from Margaux... but that the value seems to be in St Emilion this year. Having said that I've just bought some Siran too. Classic wines need 20+yrs of ageing for my taste, and I may not even be around then, but these will all be wonderful with only 10yrs
  
  Must stop buying (again). Seem to have 120bts of this Laroque alone. Now to find time to drink it all...

• JEP007 commented:

  6/23/19, 10:44 AM - Does anyone know their farming technique? Are they biodynamic, organic or still on blue food? I can't find anything online. There has to be a chart somewhere of all Chateau and their farming methods??

• Jeff Leve commented:

  6/25/19, 5:56 AM - Laroque is organic, as well as bio-diverse, but they are not certified.

• Jeff Leve commented:

  6/25/19, 5:56 AM - Laroque is organic, as well as bio-diverse, but they are not certified.

• JEP007 commented:

  6/25/19, 7:47 AM - Thanks Jeff.

• LiteItOnFire commented:

  12/18/20, 9:45 PM - Thanks Jeff as always. How would you compare the Toiur St Christophe with this? My favorites style is more modern (Troplong, Canon, Valandraud, etc) and looking for an awesome QPR which this one seems to be. Thank you Jeff for your time and thoughts (and of course Inread through your site :)

• LiteItOnFire commented:

  12/18/20, 11:01 PM - Also if there are other contenders off the top of your head that would be awesome! Thank you again.

• Jeff Leve commented:

  12/20/20, 8:27 AM - Lite... There are a lot of contenders. But it would be easier if you read my site. Lots more info there than I am able to add in a small post.

• srh commented:

  8/26/21, 2:48 PM - THANK you for your diligent, EARLY review of this, not to mention YOUR contributions to the AWESOME subsequent discourse! 👍 🙂

Add a Comment