This vintage seems to combine aspects of the 2018 with the 2019, and with the lowest pH since the 2016 vintage. It exudes violets, rich black (but also cool blue) fruit, cherry and an unmistakably appealing expression of wet stone. By this vintage, 70% of the wine had been aged in grand formats of oak, yielding fruit purity. The sizes of the oak aging vessels vary. Some are 500 litres; others 3,000 and even 9,000. The wine has a certain iron rich aspect but communicates airy elegance and richness. Long finish indeed!

The 2020 Laroque has turned out nicely, bursting with aromas of cherries, minty blackberries, licorice and bay leaf. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, with good depth at the core, chalky but refined tannins and a saline finish, it's another strong performance for this rising star of Saint-Émilion.

The 2020 Laroque has a ripe, opulent nose with blackberry, raspberry coulis , wild hedgerow and a subtle touch of mint. The oak is nicely integrated, but it loses some vitality in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy, saturated and pliant tannins. It has fine weight, with just a smidgen of welcome bitterness that imparts tension on the finish. This is very promising and astutely made, though this showing suggests it may have begun closing down. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.