Winemaker Notes
Maison Louis Latour is one of the most highly-respected négociant-éléveurs in Burgundy. Maison Louis Latour is the producer of some of the finest Burgundian wines but has also pioneered the production of fine wines from outside Burgundy's confines. These wines from the Ardèche and the Côteaux de Verdon are slowly gaining esteem for their unmatchable quality outside Burgundy.
All the grapes from the vineyards owned by the Latour family are vinified and aged in the attractive cuverie of Chateau Corton Grancey in Aloxe-Corton. The winery was the first purpose-built cuverie in France and remains the oldest still functioning. A unique railway system with elevators allows the entire wine-making process to be achieved by the use of gravity. This eliminates the threat of oxidation from unnecessary pumping of the must. Since 1985, Louis Latour has been selling the wines of its own vineyards under the name Domaine Louis Latour.
Louis Latour has been a leader in environmentally responsible winemaking for over 15 years. Louis Latour has had ISO 14001 accreditation for Environmental Management Systems since 2003 and has been part of the European association FARRE since 1998- a group of like-minded companies who seek to develop and promote sustainable methods of agriculture.
France’s Burgundy region sets the benchmark worldwide for legendary Chardonnay, but charming examples at approachable price points can be found throughout the country.
Burgundy’s cool, continental climate and Jurassic limestone soils are perfect for the production of elegant Chardonnays of various styles. Chablis, the northernmost region of Burgundy, is a paradise for any lover of bright, firm and often age-worthy versions. The villages of Côte de Beaune in the Cote d’Or offer rich and complex but vibrant examples at premium price points, which also can handle decades of aging.
The Mâconnais in Burgundy’s south and the Languedoc to its southwest produce fruity, soft, value-driven Chardonnay. France’s mountainous Jura shines with its offbeat styles ranging from the everyday, fruit-forward and fine, high quality examples to Cremant (sparkling) and Macvin (a fortified wine).