| BUY MORE! SAVE MORE! | ||||||||||||||||
|
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Bordeaux |
| Winery: | Larroque |
| Grape Type: | Sauvignon Blanc |
| Vintage: | 2025 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Larroque Bordeaux Blanc is made from 73% Sauvignon Blanc and 27% Colombard.
No oak.
Color : Pale yellow with green tints.
Nose : Complex aromas of white flowers, exotic fruits, citrus and boxwood, with a touch of minerality.
Mouth : Aromatic, with a nice richness and freshness. Predominant flavors of tart, crisp fruit.
Marie-Christine, the daughter of Henri Ducourt, purchased this prestigious left-bank property in 1979, which lies on the border of the Graves appellation.
The 60-hectare vineyard was rapidly replanted and the château building, which dates from 1348, was restored.
Our family now produces three different-colored wines there: red, white and rosé.
Grown on loamy-clay soil.
Harvest : Machine harvesting in the cool, early morning
Maceration : Skin-contact maceration for several hours, depending on ripeness, and pressing
Fermentation : Beginning of the cold alcoholic fermentation (12°C / 53°F) then an increase in temperature to finish the fermentation at 20°C / 68°F.
Enjoy this wine as an aperitif or during the meal with fish, seafood or chicken salad.
Marie Christine, the daughter of Henri Ducourt, purchased this prestigious left-bank property in 1979, which lies on the border of the Graves appellation. The 60-hectare vineyard was rapidly replanted and the château building, which dates from 1348, was restored. The family now produces three different-colored wines there: red, white and rosé.
In 1858, Ducourt family settled at Château des Combes in Ladaux, a small rural village in the south east of Bordeaux, in the heart of Entre-Deux-Mers area. Over time, new generations have followed in their footsteps; a passion for wine has become a profession, and their knowledge and the estate have grown ever greater as they have been passed down the line.
Pierre Ducourt, then his children and his grand-children farmed several hectares of vines that belonged to the estate. The arrival of the grandfather, Henri Ducourt, at the property marked an important turning point in the family business. He, with the help of his three children (Marie Christine, Philippe and Bernard), decided to drastically revitalize the company and turned the family vineyard into one of Bordeaux’s largest winemaking facilities, with 450 hectares of land and 14 chateaus in 6 different AOC's.
The crocodile is the emblem of Henri Ducourt’s vigorous business spirit, which lives on today, as strong as ever, in each family member. And what better ambassadors could exist to remind people that Entre-Deux-Mers is where this family adventure began?
In 1962, Henri Ducourt, a young winemaker, used to work 14 hours a day managing the 20 hectares of vines he had inherited from his father. He had a good friend, his neighbor, who owned 14 hectares and used to work with his two sons. At this time, suffice to say that running a vineyard was not the career that parents wished for their children, preferring instead to steer them towards more stable jobs. Some though, including Henri, were obstinate and unwilling to part from the vineyard. So, hard-working and hard-headed, Henri Ducourt slowly but surely bought the land and the vines of the neighboring producers and found himself by the mid-80’s at the head of almost 300 hectares of vineyards! One day, as much to poke fun as through admiration, the son of his friend drew a crocodile on a sign to represent the tenacity, lucidity and cold-blooded business spirit of Henri Ducourt, then planted this sign among the far-reaching vines of his neighbor.
Amused by the gesture, Henri Ducourt was inspired by the crocodile when he rebuilt the winery and asked that the new vats were decorated with this symbol. Today, Henri’s children and grandchildren manage 450 hectares of vineyards, always persistent, ready for new challenges, and faithful to what their parents have built. The crocodile has since become the emblem of the family.
Graduated as Oenologist in 2002 (University of Toulouse).
Before joining Ducourt in 2014, he worked for various estates :
- Domaine de l’Hortus in Pic Saint Loup
- Les caves de Sieur d’Arques in Limoux
- Chateau Carbonnieux, Grand Cru Classé in Pessac Léognan
The Ducourt's have always known that quality grapes are essential for making a good wine. Therefore they take the utmost care in the vineyards, to get the best from every plot of land. The size of the business also allows them to make numerous investments in the latest tools, which enable to unite traditional knowledge with the latest technologies, and therefore become ever more precise and respectful of the environment in their work.
The latest equipment
They regularly invest in new equipment for two main reasons : a desire to constantly evolve and improve quality while reducing the amount of strenuous and dangerous work undertaken by their co-workers.
With the development of the vineyard's surface, the harvests are now carried out with the help of the latest generation of harvesting machines, which make it possible to collect the grapes in the cool of the morning. Harvest is quicker offering more flexibility and quality improvement.
Among the latest acquisitions is a machine that allows to plant using a GPS guidance as well as an innovative and precise spraying system and flexible frames that allow to reduce waste and the amount of treatment products used.
A Grand-Cru-worthy setup
The family invests in equipment that is worthy of a Grand Cru, and therefore push further in the constant quest for quality, which applies to the entire range of wines.
The new pressing system allows them to press the grapes in a completely inert environment to prevent any oxygenation of the juice and to preserve the aromas of each varietal, to obtain more intense and fresher wines. The wineries and the stainless-steel vats are thermo-regulated in order to keep the juice in the best conditions possible and to maintain complete control over the entire fermentation process. They have also invested in a cross-flow filtration system for filtering wines before bottling, which ensures optimal quality and no waste. Finally, to improve safety for the co-workers they also regularly invest in new equipment such as carbon-monoxide detectors, helping to prevent accidents including asphyxiation during the cleaning of the vats. The most recent investment to date involves the bottling line that was set up with the collaboration of the employees in order to reduce their workload.
6 generations of shared experience
They have the good fortune to be able to build on several generations of winemaking experience and produce wines that respect their local typicity. They frequently organize tastings of two old vintages so as to improve their understanding of the wines’ evolution over time, and so as to be able to really tell people when is the best time to drink the wines.
Larroque Bordeaux Blanc is made from 73% Sauvignon Blanc and 27% Colombard.
No oak.
Color : Pale yellow with green tints.
Nose : Complex aromas of white flowers, exotic fruits, citrus and boxwood, with a touch of minerality.
Mouth : Aromatic, with a nice richness and freshness. Predominant flavors of tart, crisp fruit.
Marie-Christine, the daughter of Henri Ducourt, purchased this prestigious left-bank property in 1979, which lies on the border of the Graves appellation.
The 60-hectare vineyard was rapidly replanted and the château building, which dates from 1348, was restored.
Our family now produces three different-colored wines there: red, white and rosé.
Grown on loamy-clay soil.
Harvest : Machine harvesting in the cool, early morning
Maceration : Skin-contact maceration for several hours, depending on ripeness, and pressing
Fermentation : Beginning of the cold alcoholic fermentation (12°C / 53°F) then an increase in temperature to finish the fermentation at 20°C / 68°F.
Enjoy this wine as an aperitif or during the meal with fish, seafood or chicken salad.
Larroque Bordeaux Blanc is made from 73% Sauvignon Blanc and 27% Colombard.
No oak.
Color : Pale yellow with green tints.
Nose : Complex aromas of white flowers, exotic fruits, citrus and boxwood, with a touch of minerality.
Mouth : Aromatic, with a nice richness and freshness. Predominant flavors of tart, crisp fruit.
Marie-Christine, the daughter of Henri Ducourt, purchased this prestigious left-bank property in 1979, which lies on the border of the Graves appellation.
The 60-hectare vineyard was rapidly replanted and the château building, which dates from 1348, was restored.
Our family now produces three different-colored wines there: red, white and rosé.
Grown on loamy-clay soil.
Harvest : Machine harvesting in the cool, early morning
Maceration : Skin-contact maceration for several hours, depending on ripeness, and pressing
Fermentation : Beginning of the cold alcoholic fermentation (12°C / 53°F) then an increase in temperature to finish the fermentation at 20°C / 68°F.
Enjoy this wine as an aperitif or during the meal with fish, seafood or chicken salad.
Larroque Bordeaux Blanc is made from 73% Sauvignon Blanc and 27% Colombard.
No oak.
Color : Pale yellow with green tints.
Nose : Complex aromas of white flowers, exotic fruits, citrus and boxwood, with a touch of minerality.
Mouth : Aromatic, with a nice richness and freshness. Predominant flavors of tart, crisp fruit.
Marie-Christine, the daughter of Henri Ducourt, purchased this prestigious left-bank property in 1979, which lies on the border of the Graves appellation.
The 60-hectare vineyard was rapidly replanted and the château building, which dates from 1348, was restored.
Our family now produces three different-colored wines there: red, white and rosé.
Grown on loamy-clay soil.
Harvest : Machine harvesting in the cool, early morning
Maceration : Skin-contact maceration for several hours, depending on ripeness, and pressing
Fermentation : Beginning of the cold alcoholic fermentation (12°C / 53°F) then an increase in temperature to finish the fermentation at 20°C / 68°F.
Enjoy this wine as an aperitif or during the meal with fish, seafood or chicken salad.
Chateau Castegens Cotes de Bordeaux Castillon is made from 80% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The wine boasts an intense, deep and lively red color. The nose offers black fruit, blackberry, cigar box, licorice, some delicate and integrated oak flavors as well. The mouth is full of fruit flavors, spice and fine toasty flavors. The structure is rich, but the tannins are well integrated already. The finish is long and a slight mintiness give the wine a great length and some purity.
Pairs great with meat and vegetables on the grill.
Chateau Pitray Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux Le Grand Vin is made from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.
Notes of candied fruit, dried figs, currants marked by their delicacy despite the sensation of great maturity. On the palate, we find this aromatic range with present but very velvety tannins.
Ageing: partially in new oak barrels, partially 1 and 2 years old barrels and stainless steel tanks.Vinification: thermo-regulated concrete tank.
2 other grape selection including one handed, before filling the tanks.
Harvest: last generation harvesting machine with on-board grape selection.
Chateau Pitray Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux Les Prairies is made from 75% Merlot, 23 % Cabernet Franc and 2 % Malbec.
Notes of ripe fruit and black tea leaves, it is a young but accomplished wine, ready to drink, whose tannins are already very well integrated.
Exceptionally aromatic with aromas of violets, hints of blackberry, blackcurrant and black plum on the nose. There is some spice that is balanced with fresh acidity and minerality. A long finish with ripe but firm tannins.
Dow's Senhora da Ribeira can be enjoyed anytime and pairs wonderfully with chocolate desserts and soft cheeses like creamy Stilton or Roquefort.
Review:
Rich and fruity, this wine is packed with intense black-currant flavors. It is perfumed, ripe with a good tannic background. The density of the wine and the firm structure point to a long aging process. Drink this beautifully structured wine from 2026.
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
Winemaking:
Senhora da Ribeira has one of the most advanced specialist wineries in the Douro, combining the best of traditional winemaking practice, evolved over centuries, and the latest state-of-the-art automated systems. Three granite ‘lagares’ for foot treading are complemented by three ‘robotic’ lagares, designed by the Symington family and installed in the quinta’s winery in 2001.
It has long been recognised that traditional treading produced some of the finest Ports, but there are some drawbacks involved in traditional treading; temperature control is difficult, there is a limit to how long people are willing to tread and they need to sleep. The winemaker’s options are therefore limited, he or she cannot order treading at different times through the night, or pull people off the picking team at will. Furthermore, emptying the traditional lagar takes a long time; in the meantime the fermentation process is accelerating away. A further handicap arose over recent years, when an increasing scarcity of labour obliged producers to look for less labour-intensive vinification solutions. The Symingtons opted to devise a mechanical means of replicating the proven method of foot treading. The result was the Symington ‘robotic lagar’, an automated treading machine which exactly replicates the gentle action of the human foot and which has revolutionised winemaking in the Douro Valley. This equipment is very expensive but the results have been so good that an increasing proportion of Dow’s finest wines are now made in these automated lagares. Approximately half of the wines for Dow’s much praised 2003 Vintage were vinified in them.
The Senhora da Ribeira’s Quinta Vintage Ports have amassed a highly impressive number of awards: three Gold Medals at the International Wine Challenge, (2008, 2006 and 2001, for the 2005, 2002 and 1999 Vintages, respectively) as well as seven Silver Medals and two Gold Medals at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (London, 2008 for the 2005 Vintage and 2002 for the 1998 Vintage). In September 2006, Jancis Robinson MW wrote, “One very exciting new bottling is Dow’s Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira 2004...this single quinta bottling demonstrates superb quality with wonderful vibrancy. Great wine in any context - not that unlike some California reds! This is definitely a wine to look out for when it is released.”
Wine Profile
The very hot climate through the summer at this vineyard results in highly complex and concentrated wines but very low yields. Colours of the musts in the fermentation tanks are always purple-black due to the very high skin to juice ratio. The old vines add further to the intensity of the wine as they make up a very large percentage of the vineyard. The resulting wine can be described as being the essence of Vintage Port, with powerful wild red-fruit flavours, leading into rich black chocolate notes, the whole balanced by complex, attractive and peppery tannins.
One of the Douro’s most beautiful vineyards, Senhora da Ribeira is located 24km (15 miles) upriver from Quinta do Bomfim in the remote Douro Superior. The vineyard commands a magnificent north bank position, overlooking a broad sweep of the Douro, directly opposite another famous Symington owned vineyard: Quinta do Vesuvio. Senhora de Ribeira was built close to an ancient river crossing, guarded by two 12th century castles on either side of the river built by the Moors during their centuries long occupation of Iberia. A small chapel dedicated to the ‘Lady of the River’ (literally: Senhora da Ribeira) has stood here for centuries and gave the quinta its name. Travellers would pause here to ask for a safe river passage and onward journey.
Senhora da Ribeira’s wines are some of the finest in the Douro and they complement those from Bomfim in the composition of Dow’s classic Vintage Ports. The quinta’s high proportion of old vines (45% are over 25 years old) is of critical importance. The old vines are very low-yielding, producing on average less than 1Kg of grapes each, giving intense and concentrated musts which are ideal for classic Vintage Port. The remainder of the vineyard was replanted as follows: 21% in 2001 and 34% from 2004, the latter involving mainly Touriga Nacional vines. This grape variety - very important for Vintage Port - now represents almost exactly a third of the total planted at the quinta. The entire vineyard has the maximum ‘A’ rating.
As with Bomfim, the consistency of the climate plays a key role, although the rainfall is only half of that experienced at Bomfim: 448mm is the 10 year average. This more extreme climate, hot dry summers and cold, equally dry winters results in wines with unique depth of colour and complexity.
As with Quinta do Bomfim, the best Ports from Senhora de Ribeira are used to make Dow’s Vintage Ports in the great and rare ‘Declared’ years. In the good year’s when Dow’s does not ‘declare’ a Vintage, the best wines of ‘The Lady of the River’ are bottled as Dow’s Quinta de Senhora da Ribeira Vintage Port. They will tend to mature a little earlier than the very rare ‘Declared’ years, but can be every bit as good as some other Vintage Ports.
Verite Le Desir Red is made from 83% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 5% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon.
2019 Le Désir has a rich violet hue, ringed by a slender rim of incandescent purple-ruby color. Beautifully characteristic of Cabernet Franc, the aromatics of this wine are expressive and exotic, showing fresh rose petal perfume, fresh cherry blossom, California bay laurel, crushed pomegranate, blackberry coulis, and well-integrated French oak aromas of ground cinnamon, and brown buttered toast. On the palate, a robust structure defined by powdery tannins and lively acidity delivers a very fine balance, with an exceptionally long finish.
Review:
Sublime cabernet franc aromas of currants, flowers and citrus. Full-bodied with incredible purity of fruit and length. You don’t feel the tannins, but they are there. The acidity gives you dynamic reality and perfect length. A truly great wine. 83% cabernet franc, 8% merlot, 5% malbec, and 4% cabernet sauvignon. Best from 2026.
-James Suckling 100 Points
The 2019 Le Désir is just as stunning as the first time I tasted it from bottle. It's pure and layered, with alluring scents of Morello cherries, dried mushrooms, cigars, sage and aniseed wafting from the glass. The palate strikes a fine balance of concentrated fruit, loads of powdery tannins, and energetic bursts of fresh acidity. It has a deep core of concentrated, perfumed fruit with the first faint touches of umami character and a long finish driven by floral and iron tones. I can't get enough of this wine!
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 100 Points