Product Description
See in each wine both an exceptional grape and an amazing terroir, breathe the vibrant character of the wines, reveal outstanding emotions through the wines.
The Laroche family has been making wine in Chablis since 1850. Michel Laroche, the fifth generation, arrived in 1967 to continue a long tradition of allowing the wine to express its unique origin: The True Chablis. Michel has witnessed significant changes in Chablis and is the first generation to make a living exclusively from producing and selling wine.
Domaine Laroche is one of the largest vineyard owners in Burgundy, with offices located in the birthplace of Chablis: a ninth to sixteenth century listed monastery called l’Obédiencerie, where monks made the first Chablis.
www.larochewines.com
French Wine Producer of the Year 2014
- Guild Hall, City of London, November 12th 2014
"Your support enable Domaine Laroche to constantly seek for perfection in order to produce wines of an extreme purity which reflect their own terroir. Thank you for all your confidence."
- Thierry Bellicaud, Domaine Laroche
The history of Domaine Laroche starts in 1850 and is closely related to the development of Chablis and its vineyard.
At that time, there is neither legal delimitation of the vineyard, nor growth classification: wine producers have to explore the vineyard to find the best places and, doing so, they are the heirs of the Cistercian monks. Laroche was among these pioneers.
One century later, Laroche uses technical innovation to reveal the distinctive profile of its terroirs and their remarkable Chablis personality. The endless seek for great terroirs has been a landmark for the past 20 years: in Languedoc, Chili and South Africa, the first step of Laroche is always the discovery of exceptional terroirs and setting of state-of-the-art wineries.
Demanding climate, limestone soil with multiple nuances, various valleys that offer contrasting micro-climates, Chablis is a mosaic of terroirs.
The diversity of Premier and Grand Crus is a challenge for us. The balance between soil and micro-climate differs everywhere. You can observe it at harvest time, when a plot can achieve ripeness 3 weeks after the first one.
First of all, you have to understand what happens in the vineyard, where terroir comes to life, by observing the wine and bringing all needed care to help the grapes ripen. Ripeness is essential to transfer the terroir to the glass. In the winery, all the characteristics reveal themselves. The final wine can testify.
Domaine Laroche employs more than 30 people all year round, each responsible for a given plot over the 90 hectares of vineyards. The approach of viticulture is based on observation. The core aim is to get small concentrated bunches with berries able to reveal the terroir in the glass. No need to say that there is no useful general rule: each plot has its own character, sometimes in contrast with the next one. Attention to detail for all these nuances make the difference in the wines.
Laroche can adapt the viticultural practice to each growth or plot characteristic that can give wine structure, finesse and minerality. All premier and grand crus are harvested by hand and sorted in the winery, in order to keep the potential of the grapes at its best and make terroir expression possible.
The ageing of premiers and grands crus takes place in the cellars of the Obédiencerie. With each of its partner vinegrower, Laroche builds long-term relationship. Working close to them enables grape quality at harvest time.
