WINERY Michel Laroche was one of the pioneers in the resurgence of quality winemaking in the south of France in the early 1980s. In 1996, he created Mas La Chevalière, a state-of-the-art winery on the grounds of a splendid 18th-century guesthouse, with the goal of producing wines that truly reflect the diversity of the Southern French varietals, climate and terroir.

WINE A flagship wine of Laroche in the Languedoc, the Chardonnay comes from a wide range of origins to build complexity in the wine, including: Minervois, Béziers, Agde, Bédarieux, Montpellier and Nimes. A classic signature of Laroche, always delivering fresh and elegant white fruit flavors and delicious acidity.

The Orb Valley, in which Mas la Chevalière is located, has various landscapes coming one after another, and they have been all shaped and cultivated for centuries. Vine has been paramount since Antiquity with well-designed plots. The 15-25 year old vineyards are moderated by a maritime influence which provides cooler, fresher conditions. The soil is varied, with clay and limestone predominant.

2023 was marked by a drought, especially in Hérault, Audois coast, and Pyrénées Orientales. However, Mas partnership areas (Limoux, northern Hérault, and Gard) were spared. Harvest began on 16 August 2023, early morning with Chardonnays. Pre-harvest temperatures, cool nights, and moderate days, retained grape acidity. Despite midAugust heat, our responsive team (night harvesting, plot selections) and cold-pressing maximized juice potential. Our cool, high-altitude terroirs shone, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir offering diverse aromas. Overall, 2023 produced homogeneous wine qualities: fine balance in whites and good concentration in reds, respecting grape variety expression.

Supervised at the property of origin by the Laroche team; whole bunches are crushed in pneumatic press, then 24 hours settling at 12°C to 15°C (53°F to 59°F) to allow the aromas to be absorbed into the must. 12 days of fermentation at 15°C (59°F) in stainless-steel tanks. No malolactic fermentation. Minimum filtration to preserve maximum natural character of the wine, then bottled under low pressure on a bottling line designed to protect quality.

The 2023 Chardonnay has a bright gold color. The nose has hints of white-fleshed fruit and citrus. It is fresh and fruity on the palate with a salty finish. A straightforward Chardonnay with good acidity and minerality.