Very pure aromas of merlot with dark berries, violets and hints of dark chocolate. Medium-bodied, bright and focused with firm tannins and a fresh finish. Shows composure and finesse in the winemaking. A blend of 95 per cent merlot, 4.5 per cent cabernet franc and 0.5 per cent cabernet sauvignon. Drink from 2020.

The 2016 Laroque, now under the direction of David Suire, who works with Nicolas Thienpont (only at Beausejour Duffau and Larcis Ducasse, to be fair), is clearly a Saint-Emilion on the upswing. This latest bottled vintage is a joy. It delivers a substantial, complex bouquet, a mixture of black and blue fruit with a discreet warm gravel note evolving over the course of an hour. The palate is well balanced and impressively structured, presenting well-judged acidity and a classically styled, mineral-driven finish. Everything is in place for a great wine, but it deserves a minimum of five years in the cellar.

The 2016 Laroque is blended of 95% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines more than 50 years old and aged in 50% new French and Austrian oak. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly unfurls to reveal a beautiful core of redcurrants, Morello cherries, wild blueberries and fresh plums with touches of lilacs, oolong tea, chargrill, bay leaves and yeast extract plus a hint of wet slate. Medium to full-bodied, taut and finely textured with ripe, grainy tannins, it has bold freshness cutting through the densely packed red and black fruit layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

While this wine is firm, it also has generous fruit. The tannins form a core around which the fruitiness revolves. The acidity and the solid structure will allow it to age; try after 2027.

Features a dark plum and loganberry core, with steeped anise and mulled spice accents adding range and sparkle, while apple wood and tobacco hints score the finish. Shows juicy drive through the finish.