Score: 88/100
The Albarino (or Alvarinho as it is know in Portugal) was first brought to the Galicia region of Spain by the French monks from Cluny, France along the route os Santiago de Compostela many centuries ago (represented on the wine’s label).
Laurent Miquel’s pioneering adventure to repatriate the mythical Albarino grapes back to France came to life when he discovered vineyards on a property he had just acquired high above the village of Lagrasse in the Corbières area of Languedoc.
Limestone soils coupled with a unique local cool microclimate and access to water seemed the perfect place for this audacious project.
Laurent decided to plant more Albarino on his estate and produce a balanced white with minerality and a new expression of freshness for the region that the new grape allows. This is how Laurent Miquel Albarino was born.
It is made in stainless steel tanks with juice selection, must clarification at low temperature, fermentation at 16-17°C, and maturation on lees.
But What Does Laurent Miquel Albarino Taste Like?
Tasting Notes
This Southern France Albariño comes in a lemon-yellow color of medium intensity, not very intense, but far from pale, bright and shiny with slight gold hues.
The aromatic profile is rather intense, floral, flowery, also with stonefruit scents, spicy white pepper and touches of grassiness. Fresh and zesty (yes, you could add some lime to its descriptors), it is lively to smell!
The palate follows suit with crisp and mineral acidity, well balanced on the dry and zesty side of things. Bursting citrus flavors fill up the flavor space, and are backed up towards the finish by delicate vegetal touches of acacia leaves and acacia honey.
It’s all subtle and elegant, but more importantly salivating and refreshing, yet with some depth and solid length.
Overall
An excellent and serious crisp white wine rather dense and packed full of fresh flavors, that delivers much of what you expect from a solid white, yet that feels you can enjoy it lightly without complications.
Enjoy 🙂
Check Out my Last Visit at Laurent Miquel in Video
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