Chateau Gree-Laroque Bordeaux Superieur, Complete Guide

Gree Laroque Chateau

Learn everything about Chateau Gree Laroque Bordeaux Superieur with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairing tips, best vintages, a history of the property, and information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau Gree Laroque History, Overview

Chateau Gree Laroque was acquired by its current owners Patricia de Nyvenheim and Arnaud Benoit de Nyvenheim back in 1981. The name of the estate comes from a combination of geographical and personal names.

Gree is the maiden name of Patricia and Laroque is the name of the street where the owners live. The new owners of Chateau Gree-Laroque brought in the team of Stephane Derenoncourt starting with the 2000 vintage.

Chateau Gree Laroque Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The diminutive 2.5-hectare Chateau Gree-Laroque vineyard is planted to 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is a Bordeaux Superieur produced from vines planted in the Entre Deux Mers appellation in the Saint Ciers d’Abzac commune.

The vineyards are composed of two very different terroirs. You have molasse, which is a type of limestone mixed with sand and clay soil in one part of the vineyard. The other terroir is limestone and clay soils that you can often find in St. Emilion. The vineyards are surrounded by trees, parkland, and grazing land for sheep.

On average, the vines are old as many of their vines are close to 50 years of age. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 6,500 vines per hectare. This Right Bank Bordeaux property is organically farmed with an eye to becoming fully biodynamic. In fact, little by little, Chateau Gree-Laroque continues its march to using 100% biodynamic farming techniques each vintage.

At Chateau Gree-Laroque, the grapes are destemmed, sorted, and the whole berries moved by conveyor belt into small, 25 hectoliter, stainless steel tanks for vinification. The alcoholic fermentation and maceration run 28 days on average. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels.

The wines are aged in an average of 60% new, French oak barrels for 12 months before bottling. Not much wine is made here, so it can be a bit hard to find with only 1,000 cases of wine produced here in a good vintage.

There is a second wine, Le Second de Gree. Chateau Gree Laroque is designated as a Bordeaux Superieur wine that combines value with quality and style.

The best vintages of Chateau Gree Laroque are: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009 and 2005.

When to Drink Chateau Gree Laroque, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Gree Laroque is better with at least 1-3 years of aging in good vintages. Young vintages can be decanted for up to 1 hour, helping the wine soften to help develop the aromatic character.

Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau Gree Laroque offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 2-7 years of age after the vintage.

Serving Chateau Gree Laroque with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

Chateau Gree Laroque is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau Gree Laroque is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Gree Laroque is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.

http://greelaroque.com

Château Gree Laroque Wine Tasting Notes

12 Vintages 31,070 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating

2022
91
Medium bodied with black cherries, licorice, espresso and savory herbs on the nose and palate. The wine is forward, fruity and savory in the finish. Drink this on the young side. Drink from 2025-2031. 90-92 Pts.

Medium bodied with black cherries, licorice, espresso and savory herbs on the nose and palate. The wine is forward, fruity and savory in the finish. Drink this on the young side. Drink from 2025-2031. 90-92 Pts.

1,840 Views   Tasted
2019
89
Medium-bodied, soft, round and open, with loads of ripe juicy black cherries and dark cocoa that really hits the spot. Drink this young, or age it a few years. 88-90 Pts

Medium-bodied, soft, round and open, with loads of ripe juicy black cherries and dark cocoa that really hits the spot. Drink this young, or age it a few years. 88-90 Pts

2,761 Views   Tasted
2018
90
Open, forward, fresh and fruity, with round textures, medium-body and a ripe, dark cherry and licorice-filled finish. This offers serious value drinking and it can be enjoyed on release. 89-91 Pts

Open, forward, fresh and fruity, with round textures, medium-body and a ripe, dark cherry and licorice-filled finish. This offers serious value drinking and it can be enjoyed on release. 89-91 Pts

4,284 Views   Tasted
2016
87
Black cherry, licorice, and smoke, round out the nose. Medium bodied, fresh, delicate, but quite charming, for early drinking.

Black cherry, licorice, and smoke, round out the nose. Medium bodied, fresh, delicate, but quite charming, for early drinking.

1,802 Views   Tasted
2015
89
Smoky, and packed with licorice and sweet black cherries with fresh sensations in the finish; this shows great character at an affordable price.

Smoky, and packed with licorice and sweet black cherries with fresh sensations in the finish; this shows great character at an affordable price.

1,651 Views   Tasted
2014
87
Smoky, with round, ripe, fresh, red fruits and a spicy, sweet and a crisp, black raspberry finish. 86-88

Smoky, with round, ripe, fresh, red fruits and a spicy, sweet and a crisp, black raspberry finish. 86-88

1,914 Views   Tasted
2012
88
90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc produced a wine that reached 13.6% ABV and offers earth, black cherries and fennel in a lighter style of wine. 87-89 Pts.

90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc produced a wine that reached 13.6% ABV and offers earth, black cherries and fennel in a lighter style of wine. 87-89 Pts.

2,045 Views   Tasted
2011
89
95% Merlot with the remainder coming from Cabernet Franc. Deep ruby in color, licorice and black raspberry scents open to a supple-textured, sweet, round wine with a sweet ripe finish. 88-89 Pts

95% Merlot with the remainder coming from Cabernet Franc. Deep ruby in color, licorice and black raspberry scents open to a supple-textured, sweet, round wine with a sweet ripe finish. 88-89 Pts

1,689 Views   Tasted
2010
90
Already fun to drink, this delicious, forward blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc offers up earthy, spicy black raspberries, cocoa, fennel and plum notes, soft textures and a fresh, polished finish. Plus, this wine sells for a fair price.

Already fun to drink, this delicious, forward blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc offers up earthy, spicy black raspberries, cocoa, fennel and plum notes, soft textures and a fresh, polished finish. Plus, this wine sells for a fair price.

2,371 Views   Tasted
Gree-Laroque is mostly Merlot with the remainder coming from Cabernet Franc. Licorice, smoke and cassis, round textures and a finish of black cherry and cassis makes this one of the top value Bordeaux wines from the vintage. 88-90 Pts

Gree-Laroque is mostly Merlot with the remainder coming from Cabernet Franc. Licorice, smoke and cassis, round textures and a finish of black cherry and cassis makes this one of the top value Bordeaux wines from the vintage. 88-90 Pts

2,428 Views   Tasted
2009
89
From a blend of mostly Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the wine offers a spice, mushroom, jammy dark berry and licorice filled perfume. Soft, round and packed with ripe fruit, this easy to like wine ends with layers of fresh blackberries.

From a blend of mostly Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the wine offers a spice, mushroom, jammy dark berry and licorice filled perfume. Soft, round and packed with ripe fruit, this easy to like wine ends with layers of fresh blackberries.

2,150 Views   Tasted
2009 Gree Laroque comes from 95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. It will be aged in 55% new oak. This supple, round, ripe berry and licorice flavored wine will deliver ample pleasure almost as soon as it’s released. 85-88 Pts

2009 Gree Laroque comes from 95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. It will be aged in 55% new oak. This supple, round, ripe berry and licorice flavored wine will deliver ample pleasure almost as soon as it’s released. 85-88 Pts

2,235 Views   Tasted
2008
89
08 Gree-Laroque (Bordeaux Superior), with its earthy, black cherry scents and pleasant texture, is a great value wine. Buyers will get a lot of bang for the buck in this early maturing wine. 87-90 Pts

08 Gree-Laroque (Bordeaux Superior), with its earthy, black cherry scents and pleasant texture, is a great value wine. Buyers will get a lot of bang for the buck in this early maturing wine. 87-90 Pts

1,835 Views   Tasted
2005
89
Fennel, black cherry and smoke aromas, medium/full bodied with soft round textures, this crowd pleasing wine ends with licorice and cherries. This wine is ready to drink and should be consumed by the time it it hits its tenth birthday.

Fennel, black cherry and smoke aromas, medium/full bodied with soft round textures, this crowd pleasing wine ends with licorice and cherries. This wine is ready to drink and should be consumed by the time it it hits its tenth birthday.

2,065 Views   Tasted