Description

The 16ha Genevrieres vineyard is easily the top Premier Cru in Meursault with neighbour Perrieres not far behind. Latour-Giraud Genevrieres comes off a sizable 2.5ha which is great news for lovers of this style. Latour-Giraud Genevrieres is round, smooth, elegant. It has depth, and finesse. It is a happy blend of drink now appeal and ability to age.

“A softly wooded and slightly more elegant nose displays a subtle exoticism on the cool acacia blossom, lemon, Asian-style tea and white fruit aromas. There is a lovely sense of underlying tension to the more evidently mineral-driven flavors that don’t possess the same richness or volume but are markedly finer on the highly persistent if ever-so-mildly warm bone dry finish. This isn’t quite as fine as the Bouchères but offers slightly better overall depth and persistence.” 93 points. Allen Meadows, Burghound June 2019

Jean-Pierre Latour defines his style: “richness, purity and elegance, so that wines finish fresh”. Jean-Pierre is the main man at Latour-Giraud. A family estate started in 1953 and in his hands since 1993. White wines are the focus. Latour-Giraud’s main work is five Premiers crus of Meursault: Les Genevrières, Les Charmes, Les Perrières, Les Bouchères and Le Poruzot. Five of the best sites in Meursault. This is an estate to buy from because you love Chardonnay that is mineral at its core, with a great richness of flavour. These are wines that improve with time in the bottle.

Of the 2017 wines, Jean-Pierre says: “Casual consumers will like the fact that the whites will be both approachable and enjoyable young as there is good mid-palate fat and the acidities are adequate but not really high. By contrast, connoisseurs will admire the wines for their elegance, finesse and transparency to the underlying terroir. Either way, to me they are concentrated, serious and ageworthy.”

Burgundy

The classic part of Burgundy known as the Cote D’Or (the slope of gold) is essentially one vineyard that is 60km long and maybe 5km at its widest. From this limestone ridge, some of the most complex, long-lived and aromatic wines are produced from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Cistercian monks who owned the land codified the entire region and so each small plot has a name.

Meursault

Traditionally the sturdy, rich, oaky, hazelnutty neighbour of Puligny and Chassagne. A lighter, modern style is evolving, both are equally delicious and charming.

Chardonnay

The grape that you can plant anywhere, in any climate and do anything to and it will still taste like an OK wine. When people hit the sweet spot of site, climate, cropping and winemaking, Chardonnay becomes a magical wine that will age gracefully but charm you at any age. Chardonnays can range from cool-climate lean and citrusy to warmer climate tropical and overt. Oak and lees can add flavouring as can malolactic fermentation.