Château Laroque

The estate's origins reach back to the 12th century — a remnant of the original tower still stands — while the imposing château was built in the 17th century by the Marquis de Rochefort-Lavie. Winegrowing lapsed during the Depression until the Beaumartin family bought the property from the marquis's descendants in 1935 and replanted the vineyard in 1962. A decisive quality revolution began with the 2015 vintage, when the family hired David Suire — well known in Saint-Émilion for his work alongside the Nicolas Thienpont and Stéphane Derenoncourt team — as director, turning Laroque into one of the Right Bank's outstanding values.

At 61 hectares this is the largest vineyard in Saint-Émilion, planted 87% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon on the clay-limestone plateau of St-Christophe-des-Bardes, northeast of the village at one of the appellation's high points. Only 40 hectares are classified Grand Cru Classé (the other 21 are Saint-Émilion Grand Cru), and just the best ~27 hectares of deep, clay-rich soils — near Troplong Mondot and Rocheyron — feed the grand vin. Vines average about 40 years, with 14 hectares near 55 years, at 6,000 vines/ha. Farming is fully organic in practice (uncertified by choice) and HVE-certified; fermentation is parcel-by-parcel in temperature-controlled cobalt-blue cement vats. Production averages about 11,000 cases.