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Burgundy 2017s from Maison Louis Latour
18 January 20192017 is an early vintage of high quality, which marks a return to more usual volumes. The wines are balanced and expressive, with freshness and fruity aromas prevailing. An outstanding vintage is developing.
Christophe Déola, Director of Domaine Louis Latour, has sent us this statement:
“The year 2017 is characterised by a warm climate, low rainfall and sunshine. This ideal season allowed the vines to grow in harmony while minimising the attack of mildew and growth of weeds.
Despite this “easy” year, some important climatic events have affected the development of the vine. Following an historically early étalement bourgeon (4th April, as in 1943 and 1989) due to a very mild March, we came close to a frost disaster between 25th and 29th April, when temperatures dropped drastically. To avoid any loss of grapes, we criss-crossed the vineyard for several nights, especially on 26th April when we decided to light candles in Corton-Charlemagne.
At the beginning of May temperatures rose sharply allowing the vine to grow very quickly and causing an intensive pace of work. Flowering took place on 30th May as in the legendary year of 1947.
A perfectly timed period of light rainfall allowed complete vine growth (70 mm between bunch closure and veraison). In August, despite Coulure (poor fruit set) affecting the whites, the harvest was predicted to be bigger than in previous years. At the end of the month the vines suffered from drought which prevented phenolic maturation. Fortunately the situation was ameliorated when 15mm of rain fell on 31st August. Harvest began on 4th September.
The ripening of the grapes differed greatly from parcel to parcel. Indeed, the vines reacted differently to hydric stress depending on the nature of the soils. This year in particular it was vital to control phenolic development in each plot, to help organise picking (by analysis and tastings of berries).
Thus, the harvest of the different Charlemagne parcels was spread from the 4th to 16th September. The grapes were magnificent: their sanitary state was perfect, with high sugar levels and great acidity (mainly tartaric). The situation was similar with the reds. The harvest took place over 14 days from 4th to 17th September. The quality of our grapes was exceptional. Vinification takes place serenely and our wines have beautiful maturity. The Chardonnays are very balanced, fruity and powerful with nice tension. The Pinot Noirs have vibrant, strong colours with intense aromas of red and black fruit together with silky tannins. They are well-balanced and show great finesse and elegance.”
Here are some of our favourites:
Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 'Caillerets'
The name Chassagne has its roots in the Latin word casanea meaning oak grove or oak tree wood. Oak trees have always been popular and had symbolic meaning for both the Gauls and the Druids. Cailleret is derived from cailles a French word for stone and is a reference to the chalky rock debris and small stones in this parcel.
Jancis Robinson MW: 16.5 “Cask sample. Some savour and excitement on the nose. Firm and confident. Tastes like interesting white burgundy! Real structure and length.” Drink: 2020 – 2027
Meursault Premier Cru ‘Château de Blagny’
Exclusive and emblematic of Louis Latour, this wine is exclusive to the House and comes from a stony vineyard that lies high on the hillside over looking the villages of Puligny and Meursault. Blagny is an important commune and the monks who established themselves here in the 12th century played an important role in the development of viticulture in Meursault, Puligny and Chassagne.
Bill Nanson Burgundy Report Jan 2019: “A tight nose. Wide, complex - rather tasty and certainly a little ginger-spiced flavour-profile. Lovely classic, delicious flavoured. Excellent!”
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Domaine Louis Latour
Corton-Charlemagne and Louis Latour go hand in hand. At the end of the 19th Century when vineyards across France were decimated by the phylloxera epidemic the Latour family took the unusual decision to replace the Aligoté and Pinot Noir vines on the Corton hillside and replace them with Chardonnay. This decision led to the creation of one of Burgundy’s most celebrated wines. Today the Latour family own 11 hectares which make them the biggest owner in the appellation. All Latour’s vineyards are located on the prime South-East facing section of the Corton hillside where maximum exposure to the sun guarantees ripeness.
Jancis Robinson MW: 17 “Cask sample. Racy and fine and a good expression of the appellation. Polished and lightly almondy. Clean, fresh and relatively light.” Drink: 2023 - 2032
Tim Atkin MW, Decanter. Score: 94 “Nobody owns more Corton-Charlemagne than Louis Latour, whose ten parcels are spread across 9.95ha in Ladoix and Pernand-Vergelesses. This is a textbook interpretation of the grand cru in a vintage which has produced some impressive wines across the appellation. It’s spicy, plush and powerful, with some white pepper notes, vivid acidity and sweet, toasty oak.” Drinking Window 2020 - 2025
Bill Nanson Burgundy Report 2019: “This is a lovely fine and ripe lemon nose, Full, weight of concentration, plenty of structure - this is a wine to wait for. Full flavoured though and with muscle. Great length here.”
Chevalier-Montrachet 'Les Demoiselles' Grand Cru, Domaine Louis Latour
Les Demoiselles is named in honour of the two sisters, Adèle and Julie Voillot, who inherited the plot from their father in the early 19th century. Louis Latour has owned this vineyard since 1913 when they purchased 0.51 hectares from the widow of Léonce Bocquet who initiated renovation of the Clos Vougeot Château. The vineyard sits at an altitude of 265-290 metres above sea level on the hillside above Montrachet in the village of Puligny-Montrachet. The soils are thin and stony derived from marls and marly-limestones.
Tim Atkin MW: 95 “Score: 95 “This 0.79ha parcel has been part of the Louis Latour portfolio since 1913 and is always vinified separately. Rich, leesy and comparatively late picked in 2017, this has the weight and texture to handle its 100% new wood, plus plenty of taut, refreshing minerality” Drinking Window: 2021 - 2032
Bill Nanson Burgundy Report January 2019: “Uber attractive nose here. Structured - like the Charlemagne - but a little less burly, more a line of flavour. Simply a great finish, simply great...”
Beaune Premier Cru ‘Vignes Franches’, Domaine Louis Latour
Vignes Franches sits on the hillside below Clos des Mouches and is named because historically these lands were exempt from tax. Today this is a very important part of Domaine Louis Latour. The soils are scattered with small pebbles which allow good water drainage. The wines have the same oppulence as the neighbouring Pommard vineyards combined with pleasing forward fruit, even when young. This is one of Beaune’s best premier crus and capable of long ageing.
Jancis Robinson MW:16.5 “Cask sample. Very charming, winning fruit on the nose. Fairly light bodied. But easy and flattering. Sweet.” Drink: 2020 – 2027
Pommard Premier Cru ‘Epenots’, Domaine Louis Latour
The name Epenots is derived from epine which was a name given to places with thorny trees and shrubs. Pommard is sandwiched between Beaune and Volnay and tends to give firmer more structured wines than its two neighbours and has more similarities with wines from the Côte de Nuits. Pommard Epenots is firm in its youth and needs time to mellow before revealing its full glory.
Jancis Robinson MW: 16.5 “Cask sample. Mid crimson. Firm with Pommard tannins and pretty charming fruit.” Drink: 2024 - 2032
Château Corton Grancey Grand Cru, Domaine Louis Latour
This wine is exclusive to Louis Latour and is a blend of wines from four Corton Grand Crus: Bressandes, Perrières, Grèves and Clos du Roi. All the vineyards form part of Louis Latour’s Domaine and the proportions used vary depending on the character of the vintage. Each Cru is aged individually and then blended to create the final wine. Barrels judged to be of insufficient quality are declassified. The wine’s name comes from the Latour family’s Aloxe-Corton home which was purchased by the family in 1891.
Jancis Robinson MW: 17 “Cask sample. Mid smudgy crimson. Light, rather indistinct nose. Lots of charm and sweet fruit on the front palate. Juice and charm in spades. Eerily approachable, with just a hint of ripe tannins on the back palate.” Drink: 2020 – 2027
Tim Atkin MW, Decanter: 94 “Taking an approach that owes as much to Bordeaux as it does to Burgundy, Louis Latour blends four different Corton climats (Bressandes, Perrières, Grèves and Clos du Roi) to produce this stylish, age-worthy Corton. Fine, scented and well balanced, it’s refreshing and gently oaked, with good palate length and a nip of tannin.” Drinking Window 2024 - 2032
Bill Nanson Burgundy Report Jan 2019: “Actually quite floral perfume here - it’s very Perrières this year. Big in the mouth, great shape and structure = tannin so fine but present without astringency. Very wide, pure fruit finishing - super Grancey to wait for - but only if you must!”
Echézeaux is situated above Clos Vougeot between Vosne-Romanée and Vougeot. The name is derived from chesaux, a word of Gallo-Roman origin meaning a group of dwellings, presumably referring to an ancient hamlet. Echézeaux wines are robust and harmonious and benefit greatly from ageing.
Jancis Robinson: 17 “Cask sample. Dark crimson. Concentrated, appetising fruit on the nose. Lots of juice and charm, with a few (not unpleasant) raw edges at the moment but real drive and energy.” Drink: 2024 - 2032
Bill Nanson Burgundy Report Jan 2019: “Hmm, now that has lovely depth and complexity of aroma. Round and deep, mobile - a bit of gas - but really fine intensity, lots of salinity, complex, long. Such a tasty wine!”
For the full list and pricing, please contact your Account Manager or email us here.