“De La Chevalière” is “of the knight’s lady,” a reference to  “Mas La Chevalière” which is literally the “farmhouse of the knight’s lady,” the name of the Laroche property in southern France. Although the farm is historic, the winery is an ultra-modern, temperature-controlled facility designed by Michel Laroche. Mas La Chevalière is considered a reference point in the region for the quality of its winery equipment, which allows for the precise expression of each grape variety and vineyard parcel.

Sourced from the Languedoc region: Syrah from the Cévennes; Grenache from Béziers and the Cévennes. The Cévennes is a maze of deep valleys with winding rivers of clear waters, steep slopes covered in forests and jagged rock cliffs and ledges. More than a mountain chain, the Cévennes are, in fact, a multitude of many-sided open spaces which form the southern part of the Central Massif as it veers toward the Languedoc. Maritime and mountain influences provide cooler nighttime temperatures. Vineyard exposure is south and southwest slopes; elevation 100-300 meters (328-984 feet); the soil is predominantly clay and limestone.
Cultivation: Sustainable farming
Size: 15 hectares (37 acres) from grower/partners
Vine Age: 25 years
Soil: Predominantly clay and limestone
Density: 4,500 vines/hectare (1,821 vines/acre)
Training: Cordon Royal pruning with two levels of trellising

The 2016 vintage experienced a mild winter with very little rain, followed by a cold spring. This enabled the start of the vineyard vegetative season to develop regularly and homogeneously. The dry and hot summer prevented diseases from appearing. At the time of the harvest, the vineyard was sane, balanced with tiny grapes. A very promising vintage
Harvest Dates: Early September; grapes are harvested at night and kept at cool temperatures to preserve the aromas
Yields: 70 hectoliters per hectare (5.18 tons per acre)

Pressing: Gently whole-bunch pressed in a pneumatic press; four hours skin contact
Fermentation: 10 to 12 days fermentation at 12° to 17°C (53° to 63°F) in stainless-steel tanks
Malolactic: None
Aging: 3 months in stainless-steel tanks; no barrel aging
Filtration: Minimum Kieselghur filtration to preserve natural character to the maximum
Fining: Bentonite
Bottled: Under low pressure on a bottling line designed to protect quality

Appearance: Light pink color
Aroma: Strawberries and tropical fruit aromas
Taste: Delicate red berry flavors on the palate, combined with a zesty finish