Maison Louis Latour, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2018

Overview of the Wine
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.

Louis Latour has been a leader in the environmentally responsible winemaking for over 15 years. Louis Latour has had ISO 14001 accreditation for Environmental Management Systems since 2003 and has been a member of the European association FARRE since 1998- a group of like-minded companies who seek to develop and promote sustainable methods of agriculture.

Grape / Blend
Chardonnay

Origin
Côte d'Or, Burgundy, France

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Corton-Charlemagne 2018 is a powerful, complex wine. Its nose is intense, with notes of white stone fruits such as white peach, fresh hazelnut, vanilla, and almond paste. The wine is full-bodied for the palate, and the vanilla is complemented by aromas of fresh almond and lime blossom. The experience ends with a very fine aromatic aftertaste that has subtle saline notes.

#6 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2021

97 Points - James Suckling
Open and aromatic with honeysuckle flowers, dried apples and mangoes, as well as white peaches and stone. Full-bodied, this grows slowly on the palate with an intense, powerful finish. Lots of cream, cooked apples, lemons and light oak at the very end. Tight and right. Try after 2023.

95 Points - Wine Spectator
Fresh and fruity, with aromas and flavors of lemon, pear, white flowers and stone, showing great tension and an underlying mineral component that gives this energy and length. The lemon theme continues on the lingering aftertaste, along with butter and pastry accents. Best from 2022 through 2029.

93 Points - Decanter
Despite the heat of the vintage and serious ripeness (14.5% alcohol), this is surprisingly elegant and nuanced. There is a pleasant lemony accent to the ripe tropical flavours coloured with hints of cream, butter, and spice. On the palate, the wine dense but not lacking in freshness. Pleasant now, this will age well.

Product size: 750ml