RESILIENCE, CARE AND PRECISION: THESE WERE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF MAISON LANGLOIS THROUGHOUT THE 2023 HARVEST. SEVERAL CLIMATIC TWISTS AND TURNS SHAPED THIS VINTAGE, REQUIRING CONSTANT ATTENTION ACROSS ITS BEAUTIFUL LOIRE VALLEY TERROIRS. BUT THE EXPERTISE AND PERSEVERANCE OF ITS TEAMS MADE IT POSSIBLE TO REVEAL THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE VINEYARDS. FOLLOWING A METICULOUS SELECTION PROCESS, THE HARVESTED GRAPES PROMISE THE EMERGENCE OF EXCEPTIONAL WINES…
A vintage in which the Loire Valley vineyards were put to the test
April 2023: in the Maison Langlois vineyard, gently shaped by the Loire River, the growing season began early. A sunny start to spring triggered rapid vine development.
However, this warm and dry weather soon encouraged the appearance of powdery mildew, a fungal disease that can affect the quality and flavour of the grapes. Then, heavy rainfall at the beginning of summer brought with it the threat of downy mildew, another major vine disease. Throughout these uncertain months, the Langlois teams had to remain extremely vigilant to protect the grapes.
At the end of July, the long-awaited summer heat finally returned, accompanied by regular rainfall: grape growth accelerated significantly, and the berries soaked up the sun’s life-giving rays…
Dive into the heart of the Maison’s 2023 harvest: a vintage in which the patience of the Langlois teams revealed remarkable grapes…
Remarkably expressive Chenins,
born from meticulous care
Following this unstable period, heavy rainfall arrived in mid-September — particularly on the 11th, 12th, 17th and 21st of the month. These conditions raised concerns about dilution in Chenin Blanc, the signature grape variety of Langlois wines. Once again, the Maison’s teams had to demonstrate patience, allowing this delicate grape the time needed to reach optimal ripeness. Chenin is naturally more productive than many other grape varieties and therefore ripens later. The Maison’s resilience was ultimately rewarded: the warm weather that settled in until early October helped offset the effects of the rain. After meticulous hand sorting, the finest Chenin grapes were ready to reveal their superb aromas within the Langlois cuvées.
A 2023 vintage favourable
to early-ripening grape varieties
The climatic conditions of this vintage proved particularly favourable to the earliest-ripening grape varieties cultivated by the Maison. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were therefore harvested between August 29 and September 4.
Cabernet Franc grapes, meanwhile, were picked a few days later, between September 5 and 15. Showing remarkable richness, these grapes will reveal their aromatic intensity in the blends of several Langlois Crémants de Loire, as well as in its Saumur Rosé AOP wine.
The harvest of the red grape varieties used for Saumur-Champigny took place in early October, after two weeks of meticulous hand removal of grapes that had not reached perfect ripeness.
Completed in October, the Langlois harvest has now given way to vinification. This equally decisive stage will offer a first glimpse into the personality of the 2023 vintage. Maison Langlois looks forward to sharing its first impressions with you very soon in future news updates…
