Château Laroque Grand Cru Classé 2018

Château Laroque has the Saint-Emilion appellation’s largest surface area of vines for one domain (61 hectares in massal selection) all whilst holding the distinction of a grand cru classé. It has over nine centuries of history in its exceptional, chalky terroir. The Merlot varietal thrives here, where it draws all the water and nutriments it needs to reach full maturity. This grape makes up around 95% of the Château’s finest cuvée, helped by its trusty companion, Cabernet Franc. The harvests are carried out by hand, and the grapes are vinified parcel-by-parcel in order to respect the character of individual terroirs. The extractions are gentle and in small, concrete vats so that the wine can retain its crispness. A speciality of the region, the maturation is reductive (on fine lees) and lasts for around a year in oak casks. In 2015, the Beaumartin family welcomed David Suire, one of the appellation’s top people. He has been managing the vinifications for a year now. Guides and professional tasters agree on the top quality of the property’s latest vintages. Generous and structured, they reach a remarkable balance relatively quickly and have immense ageing potential of 30 to 40 years.