Louis Latour Rully Rouge 2014
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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.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Exclusive for its bright and charming whites, Rully is optimally situated in the northern part of the Côte Chalonnaise where light and sandy soils create fresh Chardonnays. Here they have perfumes redolent of acacia or honeysuckle, with bright peach and lemon flavors and a flinty finish. With time, Rully whites evolve to fuller flavors of honey, quince and dried apricot.
Rully is also one of the best sources of premium sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne and while over two-thirds of Rully’s production is white grapes, its reds are also worth seeking out, especially as an introduction to Burgundy Pinot Noir. Rully reds express pleasant aromas of rose, licorice and have ripe, red cherry fruit on the palate. Grésigny, Rabourcé, and Les Cloux are its most popular Premiers Crus.