Chateau Laroque, Grand Cru Classe, St. Emilion, Bordeaux, 2010

Tasting: St. Emilion Grand Cru & Premier Grand Cru Classe

Curious nose, cherries and a whiff of brine, liquorice and tar but not much fresh, crunchy fruit. Rich, broad, and fleshy, with good concentration and weight of fruit. Solid and chewy, with little freshness or finesse, but a sound wine that should age reasonably well. Quite long.

Tasting: St. Emilion Grand Cru & Premier Grand Cru Classe

Dark and restrained with a mineral-graphite nuance. Solid wine with a tight, firm tannic frame. Plenty of reserved power.

Tasting: St. Emilion Grand Cru & Premier Grand Cru Classe

Deeply extracted, quite briary autumnal berry fruits. Lots of fleshy, earthy fruit on the palate and natural acidity is there to firm it up, plus a hint of Cabernet Franc. Quite sweet and rich, but will be complex once it has lost its puppy fat.