Winemaker Notes
Luscious, aromatic nose of raspberries and strawberries. Fresh in the mouth with a well-balanced, full, and lively middle palate, and a spicy, lingering finish.
Pair this wine with seafood, pasta, risotto, chicken, pork and barbecued meats. Serve chilled.
Blend: 40% Grenache, 40% Carnignan, 20% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2023 Laroque Rosé is a lovely pink wine for food-pairing. This wine brings aromas and flavors of savory spices, tart raspberries, and fresh garden herbs. Pair it with a charcuterie tray of mild cheeses and fresh berries. (Tasted: September 18, 2024, San Francisco, CA)
The Laroque vineyard is planted around the ancient region of Carcassonne, which is known for its famous medieval citadel (UNESCO listed). Laroque (from latin ‘roqua’) derives its name from the Menhirs (a single standing stone that dates back to the middle of the Bronze Age) which used to be found in the vineyards of Carsac and Limoux.
Located between the Pyrenees and the Black Mountains, Carcassonne enjoys a privileged climatic position where the excesses of the Mediterranean climate are tempered by the softness of the Atlantic climate. This results in sunny, hot, and dry days, but also in cool nights. This extraordinary harmony in nature creates wines that are fresh, elegant, and balanced.
The hillside vineyards have a double climatic influence with two alternating winds. One comes from the Mediterranean Sea bringing warmth and humidity and is softened by the “Cers” wind coming from the North West of Narbonne. The other one comes from Atlantic Ocean which is dry and temperate.
The vineyard is located around the villages of Carsac and Limoux. The average age of the vines is 25 years with a density of 4500 to 5000 vines/hectare. Grapes are picked up in September and fermented in temperature controlled tanks for 20 days. Wine is pumped over 3 times daily until the end of fermentation. It is then aged for few months and is bottled early Spring .
The property makes Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and a limited release Rosé.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
A catchall term for the area surrounding the Languedoc and Roussillon, Pays d’Oc is the most important IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée) in France, producing 85% of this country’s wine under the IGP designation. (IGP indicates wine of good quality, not otherwise elevated to the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status.)
The near perfect Mediterranean climate combined with dry, cool winds from the north, optimal soils, altitudes and exposures make Pays d’Oc an ideal wine growing region. Single varietal wines and blends are possible here and while many types of grapes do well in Pays d’Oc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Grenache and Cinsault are among the most common.