Nicolas and Vincent Laroche
This traditional family of independant wine-growers since 1780 has been producing great chablis wines since the end of the XVIIIth. After Henri, Ulysse and Roger, Claude the great-grand-son founded the Domaine de la Meulière. The arrival of Nicolas and Vincent, his sons, has opened a new way of working with new winemaking techniques, but always with the know-how of four generations.
THE PRODUCTION
Our Domain applies a moderated viticultural policy.
We use some natural control mechnisms to reduce the yields. The organic fertilization made according to the analysis of petiols, the balance and the control of the nutritional value of the vine according to the analysis of the soils, the withdrawal of persistent weedkillers, the return of the ploughing ……. ensure the protection of the environment, the respect of our soils, and your health.
Today the manual wine harvest ( grapes picked by hand ), the wine-making and the maturing of our wines with the traditional methods used at the end of the XVIII century combined with new equipments and new disciplines allow you to discover the character and the prestige of our wines of « terroirs ».
Each stage is a combination of natural processes and human intervention, requiring patience, knowledge, discernment and flair. There are as many individual wines as there are individual wine-makers. It is important for us to work in harmony with nature and save the patrimony for our future generations and never forget the notion of « terroir ».
THE WINEMAKING
The vinification begins with the manual harvest by the selection of the best grapes within each plot. Because of our manual wine-harvest, our vinifacation is natural and healthy.
The light and moderate pressing in a pneumatic press, at low pressure with drains inside ensures a very good extraction of the juices without oxydation or trituration.
Then follows a racking of the must during 12 to 15 hours in stainless steel tanks.
The alcoholic fermentation is made in fermenter at 18°c and after the malolactic fermentation which is systematically natural.
After these fermentations, the wines are fined with bentonite.
The tartaric precipitations are systematically made at low speed and at –3°c.
Then just before the bottling, we have a tangential filtration.
All our wines come from the Domain; they are matured and bottled inside the Domain by the LAROCHE family.
PETIT CHABLIS AND CHABLIS
Best about 10° to 12°, our wines are a perfect acco mpaniment to oysters, shellfish, seafood, but also pork, ham of Chablis, goats cheeses and gruyère.
Wines of pleasure and conviviality, you can drink them with food or simply as an aperitive.
PETIT CHABLIS
It comes from portlandian soils. That type of terroir gives the driest and the lightest wines of Chablis. Best drunk when young.
CHABLIS
Our Chablis vineyard extends over the limestone slopes. The marly limestone soil combine to mould the unique character of Chablis wines. Clear, fresh and light, it will soon develop its aromas. Should better be drunk when young, but can be kept 5 years.
CHABLIS VIEILLES VIGNES, CUVEE FLEURS DE CHENE
Our parcels are about 40 years old. The give a concentrated and well constitued wine.
We have married the woody and the typical minearlity of Chablis.
The maturing in old oak barrels lasts 12 to 18 months.
Best drunk after 2 years ; can be kept 6-8 years.
CHABLIS PREMIERS CRUS
Like all our vineyards, our Chablis 1ers crus extend on the right side of the river Serein, on a marly limestone soil. The taste is full with a long finish. The aromas are intense, fruity, and the mouth is full-bodied.
Their keeping period varies from 3 to 10-12 years for the best vintages.
They go very well with fish prepared with sauce, shellfish or poultry. The old vintages are a perfect accompaniment to "foie gras" and other refined meals.
Best drunk about 12° to 14°.
CRU LES FOURNEAUX
South/south-east exposure. The soils are very sloping and the sunshine is permanent and exceptional, so the grapes are quickly matured.
Can be drunk after two years. It is full with aromas of flowers and great minerality, with a very expansive bouquet. A very delightful wine!
CRU VAUCOUPIN
Southwestern exposure. The vineyard extends over a limestone soil. It develops a great minerality. Typical for the Chablis wine lovers.
Its taste is fresh, soft in the mouth, full, with a long finish. Its aromas suggest sometimes vanilla, anise and apricot.
CRU FOURCHAUME
Southeastern exposure. The area of production extends on the left of the Grands Crus.
The vineyard lies on a blue clayed soil which gives a very rich and supple wine. Very complex, it suggests aromas of undergrowth and mushrooms. Best after 5 years.
CRU MONTS DE MILIEU
The area of production extends over six specified parcels closed to the other well-known 1 cru "Montée de Tonnerre". The vine plants are from 35 to 60 years old.
Exposure : south, hot in summer with great sunshine.
The Monts de Milieu is vigorous, full-bodied, flinty, rich, with varied aromas of fruits and flowers. It harmonizes the power and the delicacy.
Great keeping qualities.
