Tasted in Vougeot with Eduard & François Labet, 24 November, 2020.
Chateau de La Tour / Domaine Pierre Labet
Rue de la Montagne
21640 Vougeot
Tel: +33 3 80 62 86 13
www.chateaudelatour.com
More reports for Domaine Château de La Tour & Pierre Labet
François & Eduard on 2020:
“We had thought to harvest about the 20 August but the drought brought some blockage of maturity and in the end, it’s the maturity that decides the date – we had 20mm of rain 28th August the day after we started in the old vines of the clos de Vougeot, then 4-5 days later we continued with the Clos after Côte de Beaune and the difference of the vines and the appearance of the grapes was so much better. It was the whites that we harvested last – contrary to normal. It was Gevrey where we actually finished. We were very happy with what we harvested in the end – great acidities. Lots of colour that extracted easily – no worries about over-extraction I think – the Gevrey, for instance, we already doing the decuvage after only 7 days. In terms of ambience, raw materials, organization and vinifications – it’s my best vintage.”
François & Eduard on 2019:
We started about 12th September, lasting about 10 days, the grapes very clean and no problems with vinifications. We’re still not planning to bottle before June – the 2018s were only recently done, in September. We see a little more charm in 2019 versus 2018, let’s say Sharapova vs Schwarzenegger… But 2019 is half a harvest here, a bit less – the same in 2020 apart from the whites…
Eduard is doing a lot of his own experimentation right now trying to understand the new oak, the whole clusters – just like his father did…
The wines…
Early in their elevage the reds showing the family nose of whole clusters – their individual personalities will slowly come more to the fore. Some super energy in the whites and, as usual, some great Clos de Vougeot!
2019 Pierre Labet, Bourgogne Rouge Vieilles Vignes
From Chorey, from 46-year-old vines. ‘For me Bourgogne is not about a specific expression of terroir but it should be juicy!’ As always whole-cluster. Has been declared as Bourgogne Côte d’Or at the harvest
A deeply perfumed nose – darker fruit. Open, complex, deeply fruited, really some intensity here, slightly herbed but also powerfully put together. For the medium-term.
2019 Pierre Labet, Beaune Clos de Dessous de Marconnets
The domaine has 2 plots; red and white, plus another block waiting to be planted. The vines are close to the autoroute.
Much in common with the last wine but the perfume is a little fresher and brighter. More vibrant energy here – though no less concentrated. Wide, layered finishing. There’s class here – this is completely excellent.
2019 Pierre Labet, Beaune 1er Coucherias
Higher toned again, a freshness of whole cluster slightly more visible here. More tannin at the base – but there’s no grain. Super energy, there’s depth to this flavour too – yes another step up – deeply flavoured – so far all the wines seem fro the longer-term wines.
2019 Pierre Labet, Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles-Vignes
Crais, Justice and Jousie vinified together – about 1 ha of 60-year-old vines on average.
Width, spiced width, also with a common perfume vs the others. Mouth-filling, mouth-watering flavour. Long – delicious and deeply flavoured at the same time…
2019 Château de la Tour, Clos de Vougeot
Lovely depth of aroma – the family aroma but with a fine floral top note. Zip, energy, plenty of freshness, structural but not too much and a flavour that clings to the palate – flavour that’s also a little perfumed. The structure is very well wrapped by the rest of the wine this vintage.
Since 2015 the old vines cuvée is not made only from the one block of 1910 vines as in previous years.
Narrower, fresher top notes, more depth, a clarity here too. More energy and apparent structure – more clarity also in the flavours, very long, that’s a great wine this vintage, subtly mouthwatering for a considerable time in the finish.
Same as for the Vieilles-Vignes, not all from the single block of 1910 vines this year.
Deep colour but a color of clarity all the same. Similar to the vv but the floral, perfumed, top notes just a little wider and more accessible. Extra width, a little extra tannic texture – though no grain. A fuller, extra depth of flavour, Just accented a little extra with the tannin. Oh to taste these wines with 25 years of cellar time! Bravo!
Les Blancs…
No sulfur for any of these wines at this stage. There will be an adjustment at racking and bottling for instance, but currently, they are all ‘nature’ – no sulfur after malos. The whites have a March-April bottling is the current plan. Natural, Portuguese cork used for them:
2019 Pierre Labet, Bourgogne Chardonnay Vieilles-Vignes
Côte de Beaune and Chorey declassified. Declared as Côte d’Or – but Francois still not sure where he would find place for the extra words on his label.
Deep, ripe pineapple. Mouth-filling, a little richness but still with energy too. The same pineapple as the nose here, and of super intensity and energy – yum!
2019 Pierre Labet, Beaune 1er Clos de Marconnets Blanc
Less overtly of ripe fruit – a little more freshness of aroma too. Extra fresh, mineral – I love the energy here – that’s excellent and completely delicious with that 19 classic of finishing tannin.
Medium width but still plenty of depth to this nose. Bright, vibrant to the next level, the depth of energetic flavour – the more citrus style is top here. That’s a really great bundle of energy.