2016 Maison Louis Latour Beaune 1Er Cru Vignes Franches

2016 Maison Louis Latour Beaune 1Er Cru Vignes Franches

2016 Maison Louis Latour Beaune 1Er Cru Vignes Franches Of a deep garnet color, the Beaune 1er Cru “Vignes Franches” 2016 reveals a complex nose of toasted hazelnuts, black cherries and liquorice. The liquorice is felt in the mouth with blackcurrant notes. A round and fresh finish with a hint of chlorophyll. Pair with Beef “Bourguignon”, duck breast, woodcock, Camembert or soft cheeses.

94 James Suckling: Even today, Beaune is frequently underrated despite being within Burgundy. And this wine shows what nonsense that is. Great aromas of black fruit and concentration with beautifully integrated tannins. A long and complete finish, making this rather exciting. Drink or hold.

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.”

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 of the confines of Burgundy. These wines from the Ardèche and the Côteaux de Verdon are slowly gaining esteem for their unmatchable quality outside of Burgundy.

All of 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.