2016 Latour-Giraud Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes

Latour-Giraud

France / Burgundy / Latour-Giraud

Volnay's 1er Cru vineyards begin in the mid-slope, sitting on shallow soils rich in iron on a rocky subsoil, producing intense wines that are deep in colour and rich and complex in flavour. The vineyards of the Clos des Chênes, named for the oak groves that were once found here, make up the largest of Volnay's premiers crus, occupying 15.5 ares at the top of the village. Domaine Latour-Giraud owns 26 ares near the top of the hill. The clay contained in this patch adds strength and body to the delicacy of this wine, complemented by a silky palate and lovely woody notes on the bouquet.

June, 2018

Allen Meadows

Burghound

91 points

This too is quite deeply colored. Notes of both wood and menthol set off the liqueur-like aromas of black pinot fruit, spice, newly turned earth and a floral nuance. The concentrated, powerful and imposingly-scaled big-bodied flavors possess a supple mid-palate that contrasts considerably with the tight, mildly austere and impressively long finish where an interesting hint of anise appears. This will need at least a few years of bottle age first, though that is virtually always the case with a well-made Clos des Chênes.

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About Latour-Giraud

It was a memorable tasting in Meursault in the European spring of 2018. Jean-Pierre Latour stood back and left the whites to press their irresistible case: aromatically enticing, seductive, resonant and mineral-inflected. Jean-Pierre's oldest known ancestor living from the vine was Jean Latour-Boillot, born about 1680, while the Giraud family were distillers in Meursault. The two domaines were united in 1958 with a marriage between the two families. These days production of the 10-hectare domaine is a little over 80% white, with the majority of vines across five premiers crus of Meursault: Les Genevrières, Les Charmes, Les Perrières, Les Bouchères and Le Poruzot. days production of the 10-hectare domaine is a little over 80% white, with the majority of vines across five premiers crus of Meursault: Les Genevrières, Les Charmes, Les Perrières, Les Bouchères and Le Poruzot.

About

Jean-Pierre Latour first got his hands dirty in the cellar back in 1983, then took the helm in '93. It’s really since the mid-2000s that he feels he’s nailed this style of white Burgundy - which he defines, justifiably, as “richness, purity and elegance, so that the wines finish fresh”. The whites are whole-bunch pressed, receiving a first racking at the end of August, when Jean-Pierre looks at the quality of lees to take forward. Bâtonnage is often part of the equation, but close observation of the vintage dictate frequency and duration. The wines are raised in oak for 11 to 12 months, with about 20% new oak for Bourgogne and village, and 25% for the premiers crus. Lovely reds from Pommard and Volnay are further evidence of Jean-Pierre’s sureness of touch.