Louis Latour Corton Grand Cru 2011 Revisited
Bright medium ruby, medium rim. Reveals aromas on the nose of liquorice, cherry, tar with persistent meat tones. Giving a full structure(acidity, alcohol, soft tannins) and varietal expressiveness(floral, red cherries, red plums), lurking behind is the gentle wooded notes(10 to 12 months ageing in French oak barrels, 15% new; medium toast). This wine may not have the complexities of some of the Grand Crus, but it drinks smooth and well now and will have 4 to 5 years to go. Gamey and savoury, with a medium finish. Decant for even more complexity.
Corton Reds represent typically tremendous value, and a Louis Latour Corton Grand Cru 2011 priced like this is almost a give-away. This re-tasting confirms that:
It is a Beaune and is softer, less structure than a d’Or Cru. It is a Grand Cru though, albeit a ‘second division’. Apparently, not all grapes are from the top-top Corton Charlemagne, such as Les Bressandes and Les Pougets. The fruit is from a mix of Grand Cru patches including Les Brassards, Les Chaumes, Les Pougets, Les Perrières and Les Grèves on the of Marl-based soil with limestone and so it tastes diffused in stylistics.
The top quality one from Louis Latour is not this one, but Romanee- St. Vivant and the Chambertin. It’s a good enough wine, but as responsible tasters and professionals, we need to handle our expectations.
Louis Latour is a 'negoce'. It uses high-temperature fermentation and pasteurisation, so higher alcohol at 14% even for a greener vintage and may be too clean. Pruning works better for maturing grapes. Keep calm-let the alcohol work a little before drinking it.
Cost performance aside, this Corton Grand Cru label and its stardust will give you lots of 'face' as well, if you bring this friend out for dinner with friends. All of us need a Grand Cru wine and its label for meals sometimes.
Vines are over 35 years old; they are managed traditionally and handpicked by the Louis Latour team which carries out strict pruning to produce later harvests thus ensuring a reasonable degree of maturity in the grapes. The grapes to produce this wine are from the hill of Corton in south-easterly facing parcels from Clos du Roi, Les Bressandes, Les Grèves, Les Perrières. Production is small; level is low at 35 hl/ha.
It is WE94 and JS92.
