Solas Albarino 2024, Laurent Miquel

Albarino grown in the south of France rather than Galicia, which should not work as well as it does. In Corbières, at Château Auzines, the terroir is also limestone, but there is a unique micro climate (high humidity, very large temperature differences between day/night). At 350 m altitude, in the foothills of the Pyrénees Laurent has planted 27 hectares of Albarino – the first French winemaker to plant Albarino in France in over 400 years! White wines thrive here owing to the cooler mornings and the breezes that come down from the mountains, which result in a vibrant and lively acidity in the wines. Details of production; 'Solas' is the Irish for 'light', and in French means 'joy', 'pleasure' and 'enjoyment'. Laurent Miquel's Solas wines reflect the purity, balance and light-handed approach that characterises Laurent's approach to winemaking. To make the Solas Albarino, they used night-time harvesting, press with juice selection, must clarification at low temperatures, fermentation at 16-17 °C and maturation on lees in stainless steel tanks. Tasting notes; Solas Albarino has aromas of tropical fruit and citrus with delicate floral and mineral overtones. The palate is refreshing with generous exotic fruit character and a hint of lime to the finish. A soft yet crisp and aromatic white, it illustrates Laurent's signature style of clean, pure fruit. Blend of grapes; 100 % Albarino