Tasted in Meursault with Vincent Latour, 04 November 2019.
Domaine Vincent Latour
6 Rue du 8 Mai 1945
21190 Meursault
Tel: +33 3 80 21 22 49
www.domaine-vincentlatour.com
Vincent on 2019:
“This year was complicated by the fact that I’m between 30 and 50% down in volume. Fortunately, together with 2017 and 2018, we have a proper volume for 3 vintages. The year started chaotic with frost and then 3 cold weeks for flowering. Afterwards, the vines quickly caught up with the warm weather, but oïdium was always a worry. In the end we had no rain, so there wasn’ much juice, but I haven’t seen degrees like that since I was doing a stage in 1989; 14° was common, usually the highest degrees were from the first harvested grapes. But the fermentations are calm so let’s see. ”
Vincent on 2018:
“We started with a wet winter, the vines had their feet in the water to start. All year the vines looked good, long bunches with big grapes like I’ve not seen since 2007. We worked as we should though, and there was little pressure from disease – all harvested by early September – the year lacked nothing. I can’t really say that the fermentations were particularly long as we usually have long fermentations here. I find the wines have the same line as 2017 though the 17s are more structured. We have good wines for reds too.”
The wines…
Vincent is using DIAM Origine more and more, it’s the third year now. “I always though that I could taste the glue in the original DIAM. I did our first tests here in 2006 and these wines are still good – unlike many from that vintage with cork. Not all 1ers are sealed this way yet, but maybe with the Origine 30…”
Another super range of wines chez Vincent Latour – fabulous entry wines, more than competent mid-range then some great wines again to finish the range – and that’s just the whites. Well done!
Starting with the whites, lots in tank for the Bourgognes, but some kept longer in barrel this year. Nothing to be bottled before February:
2018 Bourgogne Chardonnay
A forward, fresh, ripe citrus nose. Supple, easy and delicious, growing with a wide citrus finish – long too.
Two old vine plots, planted by Vincent’s grandfather in the 1950s at the limit of Meursault villages – Dressoles und Malpoirier. Foudre elevage plus new and older demi-muids, slightly less rendement than the first wine.
Ooh, finer, more line and aromatic definition. Bigger, more energy, layered, complex, layered again – great Bourgogne!
Bought in must, foudre and barrel elevage. A contract since 2915
Higher toned, a little less volume and attack. More intense, ooh that’s great again, sinuous, slightly saline – love!
A mix of domaine and purchases made at the time of the harvest.
A similar, smaller, yet deep nose. Extra intensity again, almost a faint phenolic texture with this one, beautiful citrus again – such a super range here.
2018 St.Aubin 1er Les Frionnes
These were harvested in St.Aubin 15 days later – 17 Sept.
Deep, composed, almost a little ripe lime. Some gas, complex, delicious, depth of flavour, beautifully energetic wine.
2018 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Benoittes
Deep, cushioned with a touch of oak. Fuller, more structural, more depth to the flavour – width too, layered, long, slowly fading, delicious wine.
2018 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Morgeot
Near the Abbaye, the 3rd vintage here. To be bottled in January, not yet fined.
More width, a little more freshness. Some gas, lots of citrus energy, depth of delicious fruit too. Long. Very fine differences between the wines here this year, but each village with its own character.
2018 Meursault St.Jean
A mix of vineyards – Crotots, Vireuils and the villages part of Meix sous Château
Wide, attractive with good weight of aroma. Ooh, tastes like Meursault too, with depth and layers to the tasty flavour – faintly saline. Delicious!
2018 Meursault Clos de Magny
‘More traditional and ripe’
Wide and fresh again, the extra intensity of citrus, more richness of mid-palate flavour. Yum!
2018 Meursault Les Pellans
Hmm a little tighter despite good width. More intensity, more high toned, a Puligny side of Meursault, yet still with Meursault richness – long chewy tasty wine.
2018 Meursault Narvaux
A little high tones mixed with a faint reduction. Direct, fresh, energetic and mineral. Intense, classic, delicious, Narvaux.
2018 Meursault Meix Chaveaux
A smoother, rounder nose. Gas. Plenty of volume in the mouth, citrus energy again – a cushioned Narvaux style to this wine.
Fresher, more mineral, love the invitation. Ooh, energy, depth of mouth-watering flavour. Thats very delicious for Poruzots. Bravo!
2018 Meursault 1er Charmes
Mix of high and low parcels, harvested at the same time and pressed separately. Part in foudres now.
Much more perfumed, quite floral. More concentrated, more richness of texture too, also floral in the mouth. Finishing depth, though could do with more energy today though…
2018 Meursault 1er Genevrières
A wide and silky nose, less energy but with a finer texture, some oak. Ooh, thats lovely in the mouth, direct but fresh, wide too, complex, packed with vibrant finishing flavour – the wine is great here!
All 600 l barrels for elevage.
Yes – such a super nose – pure, exciting, slightly mineral Meursault. Intense, super mouth-watering, extra juicy wine. Bravo great Gouttes!
2018 Meursault 1er Perrieres
A different nose, wide yet a little compact, some oak perhaps rounding the aromas. Beautiful shape, open, changing, floral again, mineral, structural but no sharp edges. Wide finishing. Super!
Les rouges:
That’s right – it’s not yet over!
2018 Bourgogne Rouge
Racked only a couple of weeks. All vines in commune of Meursault
Bright, pure, high-toned ripe fruit. Attack, energy, great but balanced acidity, dark, juicy fruit. Delicious.
2018 Meursault Vieilles-Vignes
From Malpoiriers and Dressoles again.
More colour. Wide, airy, finer nose. Structural, melting with fresh fine fruit, complex, a little floral, modestly structural. Top villages!
2018 Volnay Cuvée Nathan
A more compact nose with good purity of darker fruit. More structural with a little more depth of flavour. Drink the Meursault while waiting for this, but this has a greater finish!
2018 Volnay Cuvée Elegance
In Serpentière just under Mitans
A much more open and complex fresh nose. Attack, driving, direct, super energy and matching complexity. Excellent wine!
2018 Pommard Vieilles-Vignes
From Les Riottes and near the ‘station’ in Pommard. Destem all, vibrating table plus triage table followed by ‘a little’ cold soak, delestage not pigeage for 4-5 days – really separating the juice from the solids for 5-6 hours – a more standard approach after.
Deep but also wide dark fruit. Fresh, good attack, depth of flavour, perfumed mid-palate, a faint tannin to finish. Excellent fresh, fine, villages.
2017 Meursault 1er Les Cras
The only red from here that I know – the vines are almost but not quite in Santenots – just 20-30 metres away. Vincent recounts that this was hardly sellable as a white in the 50s, so his grandfather changed the colour! ‘The vines suffer here, planted on the rock, hardly half a harvest usually.’
Ooh, that’s a deep, concentrated, but absolutely inviting nose – super. Open, super volume, fresh but with depth, very classy, some
tannin. A rare wine and one worth searching for – maybe not the widest in the finish, the minerality just overtakes the fruit. The flavour fades only very slowly. Super!
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