2020 VINTAGE: The harvest 2020 in Vaudevey started on September 1st. The harvest yields were impacted by drought, particularly for the certain plots that were well exposed to the sun. The ripening of the grapes was slow, which helped aromas to concentrate and acidity to be kept.
GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Chardonnay
VINEYARD: Domaine Laroche is one of only three proprietors in Premier Cru Les Vaudevey, owning 24.61 acres of the 102.13 acres premier cru vineyard. Planted on steep slopes of 30-50% at 640 to 771 feet with an eastern to southeastern exposure, the vines enjoy morning to early afternoon sun. The coolest valley of the Domaine Laroche vineyard—always the last one to be harvested.
VINE DENSITY: 5,880 vines per hectare (2,380 vines per acre); massal selection from Laroche old vines for the new plantings VITICULTURE: One man, one plot: There are more than 30 people who are dedicated to caring for the 90-plus hectares (222.39 acres) of Domaine Laroche vineyards, with each person responsible for only one plot. This tailor-made approach allows them to manage the vineyards with precision, speed and accuracy.
PRESSING: The grapes are harvested and sorted by hand. Whole bunches are pressed in a pneumatic press, and then the must settles for 12 hours at 10° C to 12°C (50° F to 54° F) in large vats.
FERMENTATION: The must ferments for 3 weeks, 74% in stainless steel vats and 26% in French oak barrels.
MATURATION: Nine months in 72% stainless steel tank, the rest in barrels. only 5% new oak in total. FILTRATION: Minimal filtration is used to preserve and maximize the natural character of the wine. ALCOHOL: 12% TASTING NOTES: Bright gold in color. Hints of minerality layered with citrus notes of lemon peel. Nervy, racy and lively. You can enjoy it by the glass, with oysters, seafood and smoked salmon. Also, pairs well with Asian food and light cheese.
A heavenly, full-bodied dry Riesling with forceful minerality from 100-year-old vines grown in the blue slate soil of Graach.
Graach is a small village in the Mosel valley. It’s steep slate slopes produce wines that combine elegance with rustic strength. Grosses Gewächs (GG) is the designation for an estate’s best dry wine from a Grosse Lage (grand cru) vineyard. This limited-production wine was fermented with indigenous yeasts and kept in the barrel, on the full lees, for a year before bottling. The extended maturation time allows the wine to develop greater texture and a deeper natural harmony. This is a fully ripe wine, with vibrant aromatics and a pronounced acidity that gives it a brilliant structural precision.
Review:
Convincing proof that 2020 is an excellent vintage for dry GG on the Mosel! Cool and stony with delicate white-peach and white-currant aromas. Really takes off at the intensely slatey and racy finish.
-James Suckling 95-96 Points
Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Alte Reben Riesling Grosses Gewachs is made from 100 percent Riesling.
This is one of the greatest vineyards in the Middle Mosel. This precipitously steep, rocky vineyard consistently yields some of the most elegant and sophisticated white wines in the world. Citrus and white peach flavors predominate when the wines are young, turning to a pure expression of the mineral soil as they age.
El Pino Club Sea Floored Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Sea Floored opens with aromas of cherry cola, dried cran-raspberries, and classic Sta. Rita Hills black pepper. On the palate, deep flavors of Chambord, red pomegranate and cranberry fruit are framed by moderate tannins and food-friendly acidity, finishing with hints of tobacco and oak-roasted coffee bean.
Review:
This special bottling from the Foley family packs a lot of complexity into the nose, offering aromas of bay leaf, toasted wood, light cannabis and brisk pomegranate. The palate is firm in texture and covers a wide range of fruit, from dark berry to bright red fruit, though it may be the graphite-like minerality that sets it apart.
-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
The 2023 Far Niente Chardonnay enchants with a bouquet of citrus, white floral, and hints of honeydew melon and nectarine. Its silky texture and bright, refreshing palate dance with flavors of lemon/lime zest and lemon verbena, culminating in a long, juicy finish that leaves the palate yearning for more.
Review:
Pure aromas of lemon confit, poached Asian pears, pastry and lanolin. The palate is medium-bodied with focused acidity and a creamy texture, giving notes of lime curd, orange blossoms, yellow apples and flint. Very well constructed and polished.
-James Suckling 93 Points
Faust Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, complemented with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
Cabernet’s classic aromas and flavors star in the 2022 Faust Napa Valley. Delicate violet notes lift the dark fruit on the nose—black currant and briary blackberry—layered with pungent forest botanicals, leafy tobacco, graphite, and toasted spice. The velvet of fine-textured tannins backs expressive red fruit flavors on a complex palate, both sweet and savory with mocha and minerality, juicy ripe fruit and freshness.
A deep and rich hue of golden straw gives the first clue that this is a serious Chardonnay. Aromas of pear, green apple, and lime peel jump out of the glass followed by more nuanced fragrances of orange blossom, ginger root, and brioche. The sensation on the palate casually demonstrates both broad depth and laser like focus. An assertive core of acid and saline minerality rests completely ensconced in rich flavors of pie crust, clotted cream, and burnt caramel. Drink now for fresh vibrance, or in ten years for wild complexity. This wine is a perfect white to be enjoyed year-round.
Review:
The 2021 MFN Blanc Chardonnay is very ripe in style with scents of banana chip, apple pie, jasmine, allspice and brown sugar. The full-bodied palate is packed with ripe, spicy fruits and plenty of refreshing acidity, and it finishes long with a satiny, mouth-coating texture. It's an old-school style reminiscent of Napa that fans of ripe, oaked Chardonnays will enjoy.
-Robert Parker 97 Points
Baron Ermengaud Faugeres Rouge is made from 80% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 5%, Mourvèdre and 5% Carignan.
The Baron Ermengaud cuvée is named after the lord Ermengaud de Fouzilhon. In the 12 century, the Lord gave land, which was located in Laurens Village, to monks, who built a monastic barn. The monks (Benedictine and then Cistercian) used to cultivate the vineyards, using techniques that were quite wise and modern at the time. The people of Laurens enjoyed and benefited from learning their methods.
This Faugeres is dark red with shades of black cherry. A large complexity of aromas allows us to savor a mix of sun fruits and spices. This powerful and full-bodied wine, with a deep consistency, offers an intensity of ripe fruits. It has a long, rich palate on velvety tannins with raised hints of pepper.
Pairs with roast saddle of lamb with juniper berries; peppered venison with pears.