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2024

Chardonnay

Chardonnay
IGP Pays d'Oc, France

The vintage

The 2024 vintage begins with a significant deficit in vine reserves. Growth is weak at the start of the season but picks up thanks to life-saving rains at the end of April. Phenological development is very heterogeneous, even within the same plots. In early May, a few millimeters of rain fall, June is warm, and growth is active. The summer of 2024 is not as hot and dry as 2023, which is good news for the vegetative development of the vines and the ripening of the grapes. The harvest of whites and rosés takes place at the end of August, and a 15-day wait is required before starting the red harvest in mid-September. The ripening process took its time, but once achieved, the quality of the grapes was excellent.

Location

The estate is nestled in the rugged hills just behind the Mediterranean coastline of Narbonne, in the South of France.

Terroir

The soils are very shallow and rocky on the slopes, and deeper and sandy on the plain. Yields are voluntarily kept very low in order to preserve the vines and ensure the production of high quality grapes. This Chardonnay comes form the coolest plots of Val de l'Ours and selected neighbouring terroirs, in order to obtain a wine with distinctive freshness.

Winemaking

Grapes are harvested before daylight when temperatures are at their lowest. After a few hours of cold maceration, they are pressed and fermented at low temperature in stainless steel tanks to preserve their aromatic potential. The wine is partly aged on lees in order to obtain a good balance between roundness and freshness.

Grapes

100 %
Chardonnay

Tasting

Cristal clear with pale yellow reflections.
The nose is indulgent with notes of pear and white peach.
The lively attack marked leads to a generous palate balanced by a beautiful tension, revealing citrus aromas.
The delicate finish brings a saline touch to the wine's fresh fruit aromas.

More about the domain

See Lafite’s website

Lafite.com

Meet the family on Instagram

Instagram

Val de l'Ours