Vincent Latour

History of Domaine Vincent Latour

The history of the Latour family in Meursault dates back to 1792, the year their ancestors first set their hands on the vines of Meursault. For more than two centuries, this lineage has perpetuated the art of producing one of the most admired white wines in the world, Meursault, on clay-limestone soils shaped by time.

It was in 1998 that Vincent Latour took the reins of the family estate, succeeding his father Jean, and created Domaine Jean Latour-Labille et Fils together with his mother. Where his father had sold part of the grapes to other négociants, Vincent made the bold choice to bottle everything under his own label, affirming from the outset a clear vision of the estate's identity.

In 2004, his wife Cécile joined him after obtaining a BPREA from the CFPPA in Beaune, bringing with her a complementary technical rigour. Together, they gradually expanded the estate by acquiring plots in renowned appellations: Pommard, Volnay, Saint-Aubin, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot, as well as several lieu-dits in Meursault such as les Narvaux and les Pellans. In 2008, to complete their range and meet growing demand, they founded Maison Vincent Latour, a négociant structure allowing them to offer wines from Puligny-Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne, and Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières. That same year, Cécile transformed their beautiful home into a three-ear Gîtes de France charming holiday cottage, with a panoramic view over the Meursault vineyard, welcoming wine lovers wishing to experience the territory up close.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Vincent Latour

The strength of Domaine Vincent Latour lies in the diversity and exceptional quality of its terroirs. Planted in the most renowned villages of the Côte de Beaune, the vines benefit from a characteristic clay-limestone soil, optimal exposure, and a continental microclimate that provides the grapes with the ripeness and aromatic complexity sought in the great wines of Burgundy.

In Meursault, the true capital of dry white wines, the estate's plots extend across several lieu-dits and emblematic Premiers Crus: les Perrières, les Charmes, le Poruzot, la Goutte d'Or, les Narvaux, les Pellans, le Clos des Magny, and les Grands Charrons. Each of these terroirs lends its wines a distinct personality: a sharp minerality for the Perrières, a buttery and hazelnut-tinged voluptuousness for the Charmes, structure and depth for the Poruzot.

In Saint-Aubin, the vines produce fresh and floral wines with an excellent quality-to-price ratio, notably thanks to Les Frionnes, an increasingly recognised Premier Cru. In Chassagne-Montrachet, the Morgeot Premier Cru plot yields powerful and full-bodied whites, while the Benoîtes deliver elegance and finesse. Further north, the Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, perched on the heights of Mont Corton, produces wines of extraordinary breadth and longevity.

On the red wine side, the Pommard, Volnay, and Meursault vines are planted on deeper clay terroirs, ideal for Pinot Noir. The Pommard Vieilles Vignes, sourced from aged vines, expresses the full fleshy power of the appellation, while the Volnay wines by Latour stand out for their finesse and refined elegance.

Winemaking at Domaine Vincent Latour

At Vincent Latour, winemaking is conceived as a dialogue between the vine and the winemaker, where every intervention aims to reveal the best of the terroir without ever masking it. The working philosophy rests on purity, straightforwardness, and minerality.

For the white wines, fermentation is conducted primarily in 600-litre demi-muids, these large oak casks allowing for gentle micro-oxygenation and favouring slow exchanges between the wine and the wood. This technical choice is deliberate: the use of very little new oak prevents the wood character from overwhelming the subtle aromas characteristic of Meursault. After fermentation, ageing continues on fine lees for 12 months, without systematic battonage, in order to preserve the freshness and purity of the fruit. This is followed by a period of 4 to 6 months in stainless steel vats before bottling. This method produces straight, elegant wines of fine tension, with a minerality that faithfully reflects the geological character of each plot.

For the red wines, the harvest is picked by hand, then fully destemmed. Fermentation takes place in open vats for 25 to 30 days, with a cold pre-fermentation maceration of 4 to 5 days to preserve the primary aromas of the Pinot Noir. Two pump-overs and a daily punch-down ensure a fine and balanced extraction. The wines are then aged in oak barrels for 12 months, with a low proportion of new wood (around 20%) in order to respect the fruity and silky texture of the wines.

The Cuvées of Domaine Vincent Latour

White Wines

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru: The flagship of the estate. Sourced from the heights of Mont Corton, this Grand Cru develops over the years a bouquet of striking complexity: roasted almonds, flower honey, mineral and iodine notes, with a broad, taut palate of remarkable aromatic persistence. A wine for long ageing par excellence.

Meursault Perrières 1er Cru: Considered the most mineral Premier Cru of Meursault, the Perrières by Latour stand out for a finesse and precision that make them one of the great whites of the Côte de Beaune. Pale gold robe, a nose of flint, citrus, and white flowers, a straight and persistent palate.

Meursault Goutte d'Or 1er Cru: This evocatively named Premier Cru offers round, opulent wines with beautiful notes of ripe exotic fruits, butter, and vanilla. The generous texture makes it an ideal pairing with fish in sauce, veal sweetbreads, or cooked-rind cheeses.

Meursault Charmes 1er Cru: One of the most celebrated Premiers Crus of Meursault. The Charmes cuvée from Domaine Vincent Latour seduces with its aromatic richness: white peach, hazelnut, acacia honey, with a velvety palate and a beautiful length. A superb expression of the lush terroir of this lieu-dit.

Meursault Poruzot 1er Cru: More structured than the Charmes, the Poruzot develops a taut and deep architecture, with aromas of beeswax, dried fruits, and a limestone minerality that is the signature of this lieu-dit. A wine that improves with age.

Meursault Les Narvaux: A lieu-dit situated at altitude, the Narvaux produces fresh, floral, and mineral wines with a lovely vivacity. The Latour style lends them exemplary purity and elegance.

Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot 1er Cru: Sourced from an emblematic plot of Chassagne-Montrachet, this Premier Cru combines power, richness, and complexity. Notes of white flowers, white-fleshed fruits, and gentle spices, with a generous palate and a long, savoury finish.

Chassagne-Montrachet Les Benoîtes: More airy than the Morgeot, this Chassagne Village wine charms with its finesse and aromatic freshness. A wine of immediate pleasure, which gracefully reveals the typicity of Chassagne's soils.

Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes: Sourced from old vines in one of Burgundy's most noble appellations, this Puligny expresses the full tension and mineral purity of Chardonnay. A nose of fresh citrus, chalk, and white flowers; a chiselled, taut palate of beautiful length.

Saint-Aubin Les Frionnes 1er Cru: This Premier Cru from Saint-Aubin rivals many Village wines from its more celebrated neighbours. Vinified with care, it offers lovely floral freshness and tension.

Red Wines

Corton Rognet Grand Cru: Rare and majestic, this Grand Cru red from the Côte de Beaune delivers a Pinot Noir of exceptional depth. Black fruits, spices, undergrowth, and floral notes compose a complex nose, extended by a full-bodied, silky palate of great persistence. A wine for long ageing.

Gevrey-Chambertin Cœur de Pinot: A cuvée from the appellation king of Burgundy reds, this Gevrey-Chambertin seduces with its classic structure and aromatic richness: black cherry, liquorice, faded rose. A refined interpretation of the Côte de Nuits by a winemaker from the Côte de Beaune.

Pommard Vieilles Vignes: Sourced from vines planted between 1965 and 1985 on deep clay soils, this Pommard embodies the power and structure characteristic of the appellation. Deep garnet robe, a nose of concentrated red fruits, spices, and damp earth; a dense and tannic palate, long and complex.