Only produced in limited quantities in occasional vintages where all of the stars line up, the Vin de Laurence is created from a painstaking double fermentation. First the Sercial, harvested before it ripens; then the Muscat is added to the acid Sercial wine for a second fermentation. The Muscat is harvested much later, in October when the sun has baked it to near caramel before it’s crushed.
When picked, the Muscat alcohol potential is close to 20°C.
Once blended, the Vin de Laurence is then aged for 8 to 10 years in five to six years old oak barrel!
The result of this Franco-Portuguese alchemy is a fleshy, rich amber colored wine, incredibly complex, where the Muscat’s sweetness merges with the Cercial’s acidity, to tease and delight your palate. It ends with the candied characteristics of the over-ripe grapes predominant.