Maison Louis Latour - Morey Saint-Denis 2018

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

A showcase of the best Village wine from the Côte de Nuits: a very lovely, complex nose, with even a hint of smokiness that clearly signals its origin; excellent balance and a lovely finish—highly recommended.

About the estate:

This family-owned estate, founded in 1797, is primarily associated with the Côte de Beaune, where it owns the bulk of its vineyards, culminating in a magnificent plot on the famous Corton hillside. Louis-Fabrice, the eleventh generation of the Latour family, chairs the family’s board of directors and has complete confidence in his excellent winemakers. The reds have undergone extended fermentation, giving them more body and substance; the whites are less reductive and more harmoniously oaked than in the past, with a constant pursuit of balance that sometimes leads to them being underestimated in their youth, but they age magnificently. The 2017 vintage follows in the successful footsteps of the 2010 and 2015 vintages for both reds and whites, but we have more confidence in the wines made from the estate’s own vineyards than in certain purchased grapes—especially the whites, which are too diluted.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

A family-owned estate that has always remained independent, founded in 1797 and run successively by 10 generations of the Latour family. A key player in Burgundy’s wine industry and the largest owner of Grand Cru vineyards in the Côte-d’Or (28 hectares out of the 48 that make up its vineyard). The grapes are vinified in Aloxe-Corton, the family’s birthplace, and the estate has its own cooperage.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

Jancis Robinson

James Suckling

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The wine has a pale ruby color with subtle garnet highlights. The nose is refined and complex, offering a rich variety of aromas. On the initial nose, there is a floral bouquet that combines fresh flowers (a hint of violet, cornflower, and elderflower) with dried wildflowers, as well as subtle notes of aging (mushrooms, forest floor, and wilted flowers). Next come ripe and dried red and black fruits (dried raspberry, fresh wild strawberry, tart red cherry—both fresh and dried—and a hint of fresh blueberry and blackberry), along with spicy and woody notes (licorice, white pepper, ground cumin, clove, toasted notes), complemented by a herbaceous freshness (crushed mint, rosemary) and a subtle hint of graphite in the background. On the palate, the attack is very juicy, rich, and fruity. The wine expresses flavors of sweet wild strawberries, ripe raspberries, wild blackberries (in the background), blueberries, and tart red cherries. In the mid-palate, there are elegant woody notes (a hint of vanilla, toasted aromas, and café au lait) and spicy notes (cumin, clove), as well as hints of fresh flowers (peony, cornflower). The tannins are fine and silky, yet well-structured. It has lovely, refreshing acidity and a fairly persistent finish, with subtle tertiary notes that mirror the complexity on the nose. A balanced, complex, and refined wine.