Domaine Latour-Giraud

For a period the domaine also operated as a negociant and a distiller, though both these other activities had stopped by 1949. The domaine operates out of the Giraud family premises – there have been Girauds in Meursaults since 1850 and Latours since at least the 17th century. The domaine now covers 11 hectares and is run by Jean-Pierre Latour. He joined his father in 1983 and took over 10 years later. The domaine is farmed organically, without certification.

The whites are direct pressed, settled if necessary, then encouraged to start to ferment in tank before transfer to barrel, with 20% new wood for the village wines and no more than 25% for the whites, all in the traditional 228 litre size. There is some lees stirring. The wines are racked to tank after 11 months and bottled early the following year. The reds are entirely destemmed (though Jean-Pierre’s father left all the stems in), given a cool pre-maceration, then fermented with some punching down for a total of up to three weeks in the vats.

The approach in both colours is classical but not hidebound. Jean-Pierre is very aware that words like classical or traditional can be taken pejoratively. He remains open to change but I suspect rarely needs to do so as his formula works very well to make un-showy but intense and intricate white wines, along with some attractive, fruit-laden but adequately structured reds.

White Wines

Red Wines