Laurus
Côtes du Rhône 2018

The 2018 vintage was atypical in many ways. This vintage required a constant presence, from the vineyards to the cellar. After a mild Winter, a wet and rainy Spring gave way to a beautiful Summer, favoring a steady ripening of the grapes.
September ushered in an Indian Summer that proved to be more than ideal for the harvest, with cool nights and warm & sunny days. The harvest lasted for a total of 8 weeks, under ideal climatic conditions.
The result is an elegant vintage with a particularly aromatic profile and a superbe balance.

The selected parcels originate from two distinct terroirs. One located in the East Gard area, on the right bank of the Rhône river, where the alluvial terraces, hard limestone, large river stones and sand provide finesse, acidity and elegance. The other in the Vaucluse, on the left bank, where the rich clay and limestone pebbles provide an overall opulence.

The harvest started early, between August 22nd and Septembre 5th. The Viognier grapes first underwent a pre-fermentation cold soak on the skins while the remaining varieties were all pressed immediately upon arrival at the winery. The Roussanne, Viognier and part of the Marsanne started their fermentation in stainless steel tanks before being transferred to barrels to finish fermenting. 50% of the cuvée was then aged in 275 liter oak Laurus barrels for 8 months (a part of Viognier and Roussannes) with regular stirring of the lees for the first 3 months. To retain fresh acidity, the cuvée did not undergo malolactic fermentation.

Best served at 10-12°C

Enjoyment: between 2019 and 2024