Château Laroze 2016

Built on a more approachable profile with supple, unrestrained fruit, the 2016 opens on a bouquet of refined vegetal notes—bramble leaf and floral nuances—then gains depth with more enticing tannins, set within a rich, almost savoury structure, while retaining the vintage’s seriousness.

Very promising yet still very discreet aromatics; compact attack, dense structure, class-act tannins, great tension, juiciness and length; top-class wine and the best ever tasted here. Needs to age!

There is plenty to like here. Fleshy damson fruit with a rich texture and a sense of lift is well controlled from start to finish. You feel the wall of fruit, but the juicy mid-palate maintains a sense of perspective. It has touches of white pepper spice, and good persistence too.

The ripe red and black berry notes cascade over the palate, but this is very elegant and vibrant with a very clean, delicately mineral finish that’s really long. Drink or hold.

The 2016 Laroze is plump, juicy and easy to drink. Super-ripe red fruit, espresso, mocha, new leather and sweet spice are all laced together in this nuanced Saint-Émilion. Élevage has given the 2016 a level of finesse that was not present en primeur. Although not especially complex, the 2016 is absolutely delicious. Tasted two times.

With licorice, cherries and coffee bean, the wine gets started. Medium-bodied, elegant, fresh and silky, this should be ready for enjoyable early drinking, but it will be even better with 2–3 years of age.

The 2016 Château Laroze is a blend of 62% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon that saw 70% new oak. You don't see that much Cabernet Franc in most Saint-Emilion, and this ruby/plum-colored effort offers a complex nose of spice, forest floor, cedarwood, and tobacco leaf. With plenty of red and black fruits, medium-bodied richness, nicely integrated acidity, and a balanced, layered style, it’s going to evolve nicely for 15+ years.

Kunz barrel sample 17: (65% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon) Broad, medium-intensity bouquet, cherries, blackberries, mocha. Plump, fruity palate with sweet fruit, firm tannins, good aromatics, dry finish. Has room to improve.

Green, spicy, medium-intensity bouquet, red cherries, blackberries, young wood, mocha. Firm palate with light fruit, slender structure, finely sandy tannins, medium aromatics, dry finish. 16/20 2023 - 2034

The Laroze 2016 is medium to deep garnet in color. It rolls out of the glass with eager-to-please notes of ripe black plums, kirsch, and wild blueberries, plus suggestions of cedar chest, roses, and damp soil. Medium-bodied, the palate is soft and lively with plenty of expressive black fruits and a lifted finish.

Very fresh red-fruit nose, floral notes, cigar box. Sappy, indulgent palate with round, creamy tannins and a long finish.

Garnet red with violet highlights. An elegant, complex bouquet that ideally combines spicy, fruity and floral notes. A delectable, fruit-driven attack. On the palate, the wine shows breadth and character, perfectly supported by its tannins. The latter are fine, powerful and promise a bright future for Laroze. The structure provides solid backbone, gives juiciness and breed, and bolsters the aromatic expression. A wine that shines for its delicacy but also for its precision and character.

The nose is fruity and offers fine intensity/power. It reveals notes of ripe wild blackcurrant, wild blackberry and, more slightly, small berries, along with very fine hints of crushed strawberry and crushed blueberry, as well as discreet touches of liquorice, nutmeg, cardamom and a discreet hint of pepper. The palate is fruity, balanced, and offers a tangy backbone, juiciness, freshness, and fine concentration. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy/fleshy blackberry, juicy/ripe blackcurrant and, more slightly, juicy/ripe wild strawberry, combined with fine touches of small berries as well as fine hints of liquorice, chocolate, caramelisation and discreet toasty notes. The tannins are elegant and precise. Good length. A very discreet hint of roasting on the finish.

Dark, intense, beautiful, and vibrant color. Moderately aromatic, perfumed nose with ripe fruit and a touch of raspberry. Soft on the attack, juicy mid-palate, both dense and supple, the wine glides through to the finish. It ends sapid with fresh, ripe fruit aromas and a lovely persistence. It’s very good.