95+

Antonio Galloni

Vinous

The 2023 Laroque is classy, elegant and polished. A wine of total understatement and class, Laroque sizzles with all of the tension that is such a signature of the limestone parcels. In some recent vintages, Laroque has been more charming at the outset. The 2023, on the other hand, is a wine that is going to require a few years in bottle to be at its finest. Tasted two times. 03/2026

93+

Neal Martin

Vinous

The 2023 Laroque has a reserved nose at first that gradually opens in the glass: black fruit, briar and a light marine influence that I appreciate, lending more complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded, pliant tannins. This has a keen line of acidity and though it does not have the nuance of the 2022 on the finish, this is a classy Saint-Émilion. 02/2026

92-94

William Kelley

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

Exhibiting aromas of dark, minty berries, bay leaf and creamy new oak, the 2023 Laroque is medium to full-bodied, with a sweet core of fruit, powdery tannins and a penetrating, mineral finish. 04/2024

93

Yohan Castaing

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

A blend of 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Laroque is broodier and more introverted than expected, revealing aromas of smoke, licorice, gentian and dark wild berries. Medium- to full-bodied, firm and dense, it is structured around a compact core of fruit framed by powdery tannins, concluding with a long, ethereal and saline finish. Two to four years in bottle should allow it to unwind. 04/2026

92-94

Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck

One for the classic Saint-Emilion limestone lovers out there, the 2023 Château Laroque is almost all Merlot (there's a splash of Cabernet Franc), and it has a pure, medium-bodied, incredibly elegant profile carrying vibrant raspberry and cassis-driven fruit, some violet and floral notes, remarkable freshness and vibrancy, fine tannins, and outstanding length. It's not massive, but it’s flawlessly balanced and just a beautiful wine in the vintage that readers will love to have in the cellars. 05/2024

93

Jean-Marc Quarin

Jean-Marc Quarin

Couleur sombre et intense. Nez très aromatique, fin, pur et très fruité. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, puis charnu, avec un profil qui merlote et une nuance de truffe, le vin avance doucement vers une finale longue, aux saveurs contrastées et complexes. Nuances de fruits, de truffe et de réglisse. C'est très bon. Assemblage : 99 % merlot, 1 % cabernet franc. Degré d'alcool : 14°15 - pH : 3,42. Rendement : 46 hl/ha. 04/2024

93-94

James Suckling

James Suckling

This is full and substantial, with firm tannins and a crunchy finish. Lots of blue fruit, blackberry, crushed-stone and mineral character. Very structured. 99% merlot and 1% cabernet franc. 04/2024