About
Domaine Latour-Giraud
Domaine Latour-Giraud is a family estate in Meursault, Burgundy. Jean-Pierre Latour is the winemaker who cultivates 11 hectares of holdings according to organic concept, but without certification.
Jean-Pierre Latour makes un-showy but intense and intricate white wines, along with some attractive, fruit-laden but adequately structured reds.
The top wines of Domaine Latour-Giraud are: Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières Cuvée des Pierre, Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières, and Meursault Premier Cru Les Bouchères.
Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières Cuvée des Pierre 2002 scored 93-95, Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières 2007 scored 93, and Meursault Premier Cru Les Bouchères 2007 scored 92.
Robert Parker comments on Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières Cuvée des Pierre 2002: “Fashioned from Latour’s finest parcel of Meursault Genevrieres (with vines over 50 years old), the 2002 Cuvee des Pierre was produced entirely in new oak barrels. Spicy oak-laced pears are intermingled with minerals in its boisterous aromatics. A huge, medium to full-bodied wine of breadth, depth, and concentration, it coats the palate with velvety layers of toasty spices and poached pears. It is rich, intensely flavored, and reveals a long, suave finish. Projected maturity: now-2013”.
History
Since 1993 Domaine Latour-Giraud has been managed by Jean-Pierre Latour, who had been working for 10 years before together with his father.
Until the 1949 Domaine Latour-Giraud was a négociant and distiller.
The domaine’s vineyards are located in Meursault, like Les Vireuils, Les Pelles, Les Corbins and Le Carrouge.
The domaine is named after the two grandfathers of Jean-Pierre Latour: Charles Giraud and Maxime Latour.
Approach
Organic without certification
Jean-Pierre Latour follows the organic approach, but without certification.
The whites are pressed, and if necessary, are settled before the fermentation. The wines are matured in barrels with 20 to 25 percent new wood. There is some lees steering. The wines are racked to the tank after 11 months. The wines are bottled early the following year.
As for the reds: the grapes are completely destemmed, given a cool pre-maceration, then fermented for 3 weeks with some punching down.