2025 Château Laroque Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé

EXCLUSIVE OFFER - AVAILABLE SPRING 2028

The 2025 Château Laroque is one of the most impressive Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé wines of the vintage. This wine combines refinement, tension, and striking precision with a style that is both accessible and layered. What stands out immediately is the purity of the fruit and the balance between ripeness and freshness, something that is highlighted in multiple tastings.

Winery Château Laroque

Château Laroque is situated on the limestone plateau of Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes and is one of the larger estates within Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé. The château is known for its strong focus on terroir, with the limestone soils taking center stage. Under the leadership of Technical Director David Suire, Laroque has made a clear leap in quality in recent years. The wines are more refined, more precise, and increasingly reveal the character of the terroir. More information about this winery can be found under the Winery tab.

The wine and blend

The 2025 is composed of 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, sourced from old mass selections. These old vines provide extra depth and complexity to the wine. The focus is clearly on Merlot, but in a style that is strikingly elegant and refined, with almost a Cabernet-like precision in structure and aromatics.

Terroir and vintage 2025

The vineyards are situated on a unique limestone plateau with various soil types, including white calcareous clay, red clay, and the typical asterized limestone. This diversity ensures complexity and depth in the wine. The 2025 vintage demands precision in the vineyard, and this has clearly been achieved here. The harvest took place between September 10 and 19 for the Merlot and on September 19 for the Cabernet Franc, with a strict selection in which only 66% of the production was used for the Grand Vin.

The result is a wine with striking tension and freshness, in which the calcareous terroir clearly comes to the fore in the form of briny and mineral accents, something that is emphasized by several critics.

Vinification and aging

Vinification takes place plot by plot in small concrete vats, using whole, uncrushed berries. This ensures gentle extraction and the preservation of aromatic finesse. Aging takes place for 16 to 18 months, partly in barriques, 50% of which are new, and partly in large wooden barrels. Additionally, sur lie aging plays a role in developing extra texture and complexity.

Color, smell and taste

Deep ruby red in color. On the nose, a complex and refined expression with ripe blackberries, blueberries, and black cherries, complemented by floral notes of violets and subtle accents of cedar, herbs, and wet stone. The aromatic purity and precision are immediately striking.

On the palate, the wine is silky smooth and elegant, with a strikingly refined structure. Juicy red and dark fruit is supported by fresh acidity and very fine tannins. The texture is round and fluid, yet simultaneously taut and energetic. Towards the finish, a briny minerality emerges, with notes of limestone and a light spiciness. The finish is long, precise, and perfectly balanced.

Summary of professional reviews

The 2025 Château Laroque is widely praised, scoring between 93 and 98+ points with various leading critics. Georgie Hindle (Decanter, 96 points) highlights the aromatic complexity and silky texture, while Lisa Perrotti-Brown (95-97 points) underscores the precision and long mineral finish. Yves Beck (96-98 points) points out the balance between power and subtlety and the role of the chalky terroir. Antonio Galloni (93-95 points, Vinous) emphasizes the energy, tension, and elegance. The wine is often described as one of the best expressions of Laroque to date, with exceptional purity and harmony.

Food and wine pairing

This wine pairs excellently with refined meat dishes such as lamb, beef, or game, but also with dishes containing mushrooms or truffles. Additionally, the balance between freshness and structure makes it suitable for dishes with a light spiciness.

If available, you will find the official factsheet and additional information about this fine wine in the 'Attachments' tab. We will automatically send these to you upon ordering this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you come to collect the wine, you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you select 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht, situated almost next to the A16 with ample parking. Click here for our address.

You can read full wine reviews from Parker, Suckling, Vinous, and Wine Spectator, among others. Need advice on finding the ideal wine for your dish? Click here for our exclusive Sommelier. Free for Grandcruwijnen customers. In the Food tab, you will find advice on what to look for for the right food and wine pairing, and a number of dish suggestions from our Sommelier.