Laureano is a force of nature.
Even though I still don't understand why he has some cabernet or merlot ( I think his brother had something to do with it) he has pure enthusiasm. Energy. Earnestness.
I found myself taking notes on many Lareano-isms. I like this one in particular. ++Every plant has his own life form. You can't treat a vine like a human being but you have to respect each one just the same. "What do you want?" I ask the vine. "Harvest?"After that making wine is easy.
His cave is on street level and it is quite warm, really warm. Tasting with Laureno is a roller coaster ride. The man makes more than 15 different cuvees, there are few similarities. Some are made in a reductive way, most are made in an oxidative, some have a flor.
YESS He uses a solera system here and takes the ends from all of his wines, and in wartime fashion, nothing goes to waste. 09 has wine from 2007 & 2008 and has a distinct Jura like voile thing going on. Delicious. Great aperitif wine.
2008 Mendall L'Abeurador Macabeau Two days of maceration, lots of fennel and slite fizz.
2009 Mendall L'Abeurador Earthier vintage, unripe peaer, a little radish and then it bursts into melon. 2009 Carabonica This is a cab/merlot/carignan blent. He starts the carbonic for a week then presses off, finishes with a normal alcoholic.
NV Mal de Sofre This is the one that the Diana Krall trio calls Gangsta Blanca. Do I have my own tasting notes? No. Why? I cannot imagine. Other than Laureno started to open wines with his shoe and I became distracted.
2006 BB Escollades This one is wild. It's Garnacha blanco and it has a story. It was very oxidated. quickly. He decide not to sell it. His wife used the wine to cook. One day she tastes it and it's not bad. She says to him, Laureano, why don't you sell it? Everyday she takes some and she says, "Laureano, this is really good!" "My wife likes normal wines, not artificial so he doesn't know what to think. I taste. It's not 'oxidated' anymore. " It sure wasn't. The wine was waxy, riesling-like, nutty, interesting, slite honey with a long beeswax fresh, rain water finish.
With that, Laureano left for home at about 5 in the morning. I was in bed before the departure. We left the rental house such a wreck we ran like thieves, to catch the last Laureano vineyard and head off to Barcelona. Next Stop Jura.
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