Château Laroque

Sitting on the limestone plateau from where it takes its name, Château Laroque is the largest wine estate in St-Emilion. Lying just east of the town itself, in the commune of Saint-Christophe des Bardes, it has 61 hectares of vines, although only 27 are permitted for use in its Grand Cru Classé. The remainder goes into its second wine, Les Tours de Laroque or into Château Peymouton. The fine estate dates back to the 18th century, when vines were planted by the Marquis de Rochefort-Lavie and remained in that family until 1935, when wine production was interrupted by the Great Depression. It was bought by the Beaumartin family who invested heavily in its vines, winery and chateau and remain at its head today. Laroque, despite its size, has largely remained under the radar. Until 2015, it didn’t release any wine en primeur, however the arrival of David Suire(of Larcis-Ducasse) has resulted in a wine with a burgeoning reputation for quality and consistency.