The current owners of Château Laroze, the Meslin family, are direct
descendants of the founders, Mr and Mrs Georges Gurchy.
The Meslins come from a long line of winegrowers – records show the Gurchy
family were producers in the hamlet of Mazerat, Saint-Emilion as early as 1610.
Between 1882 and 1883, Mr and Mrs Georges Gurchy combined three small
estates to create a 15-hectare (37-acre) vineyard.
Two years later, in 1885, they built the chateau with its cellars and vat house.
They were succeeded by their son Maurice, then their granddaughter Andrée, who
later married a doctor Meslin.
Their son Georges took charge of the running of the estate for 40 years,
reorganised it under his own name and ensured its development. His efforts and
those of earlier generations were rewarded in the 1955 Saint-Emilion classification.
The location of the vineyard and the quality of its wines earned Château Laroze
Grand Cru Classé status.
On the retirement of his father, Guy Meslin has been in charge of the family
estate since 1986. He has modernised the vineyards, buildings and technical
facilities. The style of the wines has changed and the professionalism and quality of
work carried out by the team in place have enabled the wines produced at Laroze to
reach levels of subtlety, concentration and fruit never achieved before.
THE VINEYARD
Area : 27 hectares (66,7 acres) in one single parcel. Drainage : A drainage system evacuates the ground
water lying on the layer of clay soil, enabling the vines'
Location : Foothills of the plateau to the West of roots to penetrate deeply.
St Emilion
Treatment products : The utmost effort is made to avoid
Terroir : Ancien sandy soils on the slopes over a chalky- using chemical products. No synthetic chemical
clay sub-soil at the very foot of the slope. treatment have been used against rot since 1992 nor
A 1 to 2 metre deep layer of clayey soil extends all over any weedkiller.
the vineyard.
Thinning out : This is carried out where necessary in
Grape varieties : 68 % merlots - 26 % cabernet franc August so as to control yields and stimulate concentra-
6 % cabernet sauvignon tion of the fruit.
Density of planting : Leaf-removal : The whole of the vineyard undergoes leaf-
5900 vines per hectare (2387.7 per acre) removal so as to encourage ripening of the grappes and
prevent botrytis.
Average age of the vines : 20 years.
Harvesting : The grapes are picked by hand and, if it
Ameliorants : Organic compost prepared on site for guarantees a harvest of the fruit at optimum ripeness, in
revitalising the soils. several goes.
Chemical fertilisers are not used. Handpicking in small crates of 30 Kg (2002).
Crop practices : The focus is on the plant in its Sorting : Leaves, stalks and parts of grape bunches, if
environment in order to provide it with the balance and damaged, are disposed of.
harmony that are necessary for it to bloom. One of a its kind and new a berries' qualitative sorting by
The winegrowing estate has followed Bio dynamic rules gauging.
from 1991 to 1998. Only healthy and berries are kept for making the
wine. Since vintage 2002, we calibrate the berries depending
of their shape before to go in the vats. So, we fill
from vats at a time, which is very unique.
Average yield : 4000 litres per hectares.
THE WINEMAKING PROCESS
Only perfectly healthy and ripe grapes are used for making the wine.
Vat house : Refurbished in 1995.
The small volume vats (containing 10 600 litres) are made of stainless steel.
The number of vats was increased in 1999 with small concrete vats (6 000 litres capacity)
for refining.
the selection of wine plot by plot.
Pumping over : Frequently carried out, in short bursts. Semi automatised since 1997. One pomp per vat.
Fermentation temperature : 30° to 32° C
Maceration : To give it structure, tiny bubbles of oxygen are fed through the wine ("micro bubbling")
Length of alcoholic fermentation : Around three to four weeks.
Pressing : Slow and used in moderation. A horizontal pneumatic press is used.
Malolactic fermentation : Carried out in vats and new barrels in an air-conditioned cellar and in stainless steel vats.
AGEING
Estate manager : Guy Meslin
Ageing is the combination of three different factors : Fining : with egg -white, in the vats, after blending.
- relation of the wine with the oxygen,
- relation of the wine with the wood,
- temperature and humidity of the cellar. Bottling : The wine is bottled at the Château, 18 months
after the harvest.
Duration : 18 months, of which between 12 and 14
months takes place in barrels.
Type of bottle : heavy, traditional.
Barrels : Chêne Merrain,
50 % of barrels are new,
50 % are one year old. Corking : Vacuum-sealed since the 1993 vintage.
The bottles are kept upright following corking, for around
They are medium-toasted and supplied by 5 to 6 minutes
seven different coopers.
Corks : Three different suppliers are used depending on
Percentage of wine aged in barrels : their expertise in the matter, which goes from the cork-
Around 80 to 90 %. oak to the cork.
The cellars are air conditioned (since 1998).
Bottle storage : The bottles are stored in ou new
Wine and oxygen : Two different technics are used : air-conditioned cellars (since 1996).
- traditional decanting,
- micro bubbling of oxygen.
Blending : Blending is carried out several times during
ageing.
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