• “La Chevalière,” or “the knight’s lady,” is a reference to “Mas La Chevalière,” literally the “farmhouse of the knight’s lady,” the Laroche winery in southern France that was created by Michel Laroche. Surrounded by a wall, just like the “clos” enclosures in Burgundy, Mas La Chevalière is a place of history and character where the “jardins à la française” offer a Mediterranean accent.

Vineyard Profile

• The Pinot Noir grapes come from our vineyard partners in two distinct regions of the Languedoc: the Cévennes foothills in the Northern Gard region (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 towards the Languedoc.); and from Limoux, in the hills south of Carcassonne in the western Languedoc, where the influence of a maritime climate provides cooler, fresher conditions. The soils are varied, with clay and limestone predominant.
• Viticulture: “Lutte raisonnée,” or “reasoned protection,” (using chemical intervention only when required); cordon pruning, fruit thinning and high trellising in the vineyards
• Size: 30 hectares (74.13 acre)
• Vine Age: 20 years old
• Density: 4,000 vines per hectare (1,600 vines per acre)

Vintage Report

• The 2020 vintage was a year with an exceptionally rainy spring which evolved into a warm summer. There were a few days with temperatures above 30°C. From the end of June, the rain subsided, and the presence of wind helped to reduce the pressure of mildew. The rains at the end of August and the temperature differences between day and night were favorable to the phenolic ripening of the reds. The vintage will be balanced for both the whites and reds, with a particularly good ripeness on the Pinot Noir.
• Harvest Date(s): End of August

Vinification

• Fermentation: 12 days at 26° to 28°C (78° to 82°F) in stainless-steel tanks with daily pump overs to increase skin contact and aerate the wine
• Malolactic: 100%
• Filtration: Bottled with minimum filtration to preserve the natural character of the wine

Technical Information

• Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
• Production (in cases): 25,000 12/750ml
• Alcohol: 12.5%
• TA: 3.26g
• p H: 3.2

Tasting Notes

• Bright ruby color. Ripe and pulpy cherry aroma on the nose. Juicy mouthfeel combined with supple, velvety tannins. Enjoy it with salt crust baked chicken, stuffed mushrooms or soft cheese.