Domaine Laroche : Chablis 1er cru "Les Fourchaumes Vieilles Vignes" 2023

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Chablis 1er cru "Les Fourchaumes Vieilles Vignes" 2023 from Domaine Laroche

Tasting

Colour
The wine displays a pale gold colour with bright highlights.

Nose
The bouquet is elegant and expressive, unveiling delicate scents of white flowers accompanied by notes of summer fruit. The pronounced minerality characteristic of the terroir is expressed with intensity.

Palate
On the palate, the wine seduces with its distinction and elegance. The mineral structure unfolds smoothly, supported by aromas of white fruit and a persistent freshness that accompanies a long and harmonious finish.

Food and wine pairings

This Chablis Premier Cru pairs ideally with a lobster salad enhanced by lemon and coriander. It also goes brilliantly with seafood platters and noble shellfish.

Service and cellaring

The Chablis 1er cru "Les Fourchaumes Vieilles Vignes" 2023 is best served at a temperature between 12 and 14°C. This wine has a cellaring potential until around 2033.

An exceptional Chablis Premier Cru from old vines

The estate

Domaine Laroche in Burgundy has its roots in a family tradition dating back to 1780, when the family began producing Chablis wines. The commercial structure was established in 1850. Owned by the Advini group and managed by Antoine Leccia, the estate cultivates 90 hectares in Chablis and vines at Mas La Chevalière in Languedoc. Committed to sustainable viticulture, Domaine Laroche is distinguished by its vinification in French oak barrels, perpetuating an authentic Burgundian tradition.

The vineyard

The Les Fourchaumes climat, considered one of the most prestigious Premiers Crus in Chablis, covers 103 hectares, 2.44 hectares of which belong to Domaine Laroche. The vines, aged around 70 years, benefit from a south and west exposure, sheltered from north winds and open to the Serein valley. The Kimmeridgian limestone soil confers the wine its characteristic minerality and its unique expression of the Chablis terroir.

The vintage

The 2023 vintage in Burgundy is characterized by its generosity and high quality. The vineyard required sustained protection from winter to spring against climatic and sanitary pressures. A heatwave at the end of August favored ripening before the harvest. Plot-by-plot harvesting preserved freshness and minerality despite rapid ripening. The first juices revealed rich and balanced aromatics. The potential proves comparable to that of the 2020 vintage, with yields returning to historical averages.

Vinification and aging

Manual harvesting is followed by rigorous sorting of the bunches upon arrival. Pneumatic pressing is carried out at low pressure with separation of juice fractions, only the heart of the press being kept to ensure delicate extraction. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations take place entirely in French oak barrels in the historic cellars of the Obédiencerie in Chablis as well as in foudres. The barrels used, aged 1 to 7 years and of varied capacities (228, 300, 400, 500 and 600 litres), bring structure and complexity while preserving aromatic purity. The aging of the Chablis 1er cru "Les Fourchaumes Vieilles Vignes" 2023 lasts up to 12 months between fermentation and bottling.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay.