CHÂTEAU DE LA TOUR & DOMAINE PIERRE LABET 2019 VINTAGE EN PRIMEUR EXCLUSIVE TO CORNEY & BARROW IN THE UK AND SINGAPORE
CHÂTEAU DE LA TOUR & DOMAINE PIERRE LABET 2019
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INDEPENDENT WINE MERCHANT SINCE 1780
"A vintage with something more..." FRANCOIS LABET
CHÂTEAU DE LA TOUR & DOMAINE PIERRE LABET 2019
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INDEPENDENT WINE MERCHANT SINCE 1780
CHÂTEAU DE LA TOUR & DOMAINE PIERRE LABET The capital of the Labet empire is the ClosVougeot, but its tentacles reach north to GevreyChambertin and south to Beaune and Meursault. The Labet family touch runs through these two estates. Château de la Tour, established in 1890, was passed down from François Labet’s mother’s family. Domaine Pierre Labet, whose origins go way back to 15th century Beaune, was founded in its current form by François’ father. The unifying winemaking thread involves 100% whole bunch vinification and long élevage in barrel, in the dramatic vaulted cellars of Château de la Tour, one of only three buildings in the Clos-Vougeot. François Labet never seems to sit still. In addition to his presidency of the Vins de Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) since 2015, he was awarded the Légion d'honneur in 2019 for nearly 40 years of service to Burgundy. François and Myriam Labet’s son Edouard is now a key member of the team. When not in the vines, either pruning as pictured on the next page or recording pieces to camera, Edouard is proving as gifted as his father at working roomfuls of wine lovers. He charmed his way through the C&B tastings in London and Edinburgh last year. The highly regarded Sylvain Pataille is the family’s longstanding consultant winemaker. Corney & Barrow is exclusive agent for both Château de la Tour and Domaine Pierre Labet in the United Kingdom and Singapore.
GUY SEDDON January 2021
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CHÂTEAU DE LA TOUR & DOMAINE PIERRE LABET 2019
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Edouard Labet at work in the vines
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INDEPENDENT WINE MERCHANT SINCE 1780
2019 VINTAGE NOTES “2019 is a mystical continuity of all the vintages ending in 09 – you cannot go wrong!” François Labet December 2020 François Labet described 2019 as “a roller-coaster vintage, in line with the last few warm vintages… with something more though.” This ‘something more’ is key to a vintage which had spells of real heat but succeeded brilliantly in preserving acidity in the grapes and freshness in the wines. The year started with a mild and moderately rainy winter, followed by a severe frost on the night of 5th April that kept everyone awake, literally. The cold, rainy, windy spring resulted in a complicated flowering and consequently low yields and fairly loose bunches of small millerand berries. Fortunately, the summer brought with it warm – and then hot – temperatures, with rainy episodes in early August allowing the vines to re-energise and the grapes to ripen. The domaine started picking in mid-September, guided by constant ripeness controls in each plot and by instinct. François says, “We believe that in these warm vintages, the picking date remains the key to achieving and producing not only good, but great wines: a decision based on common sense, risk and audacity.” A demonstration of this ‘audacious’ approach is that the Clos-Vougeot Vieilles Vignes was picked five days before the Cuvée Classique. The volumes are lower than in 2018, but the real surprise is the beautiful freshness and tension in the wines, despite the varied growing season. The 2019s have, in François’ words, “typical Burgundy DNA”: the whites show a great aromatic intensity and taut acidity, whilst the reds are very elegant, with supple tannins.
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CHÂTEAU DE LA TOUR & DOMAINE PIERRE LABET 2019
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CHÂTEAU DE LA TOUR Château de la Tour, established in 1890, is the largest proprietor of the Clos-Vougeot, with 5.5 hectares, or 11% of the appellation. The domaine is owned by François Labet and his aunt Nicole Déchelette. The majority of the vines are grouped in two parcels close to the château building, with another smaller holding higher on the slope, bordering Echézeaux. This has been recently replanted, using massal selection as always here. The vines have an average age of nearly 70 years, with a one hectare plot planted in 1910 at their heart. The domaine has been organic since 1992. Yields are controlled by rubbing out every second bud, which gives a well aerated canopy and which François and chef de
culture Cyril Beutot prefer to green harvesting. Grape sorting with secateurs takes place one the grapes arrive from the vineyards, with whole bunches loaded into the fermentation vats and then cooled to around 6°C for a week. Fermentation starts spontaneously, following which a maximum temperature of 29°C is maintained. Once fermentation ends, the wine is racked off immediately into barrel to avoid any astringency in these most robust of Pinot Noirs. Around 50% new oak is used for the Cuvée Classique and 100% for the Vieilles Vignes and Hommage.
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THE WINES CLOS-VOUGEOT GRAND CRU, CUVÉE CLASSIQUE
CLOS-VOUGEOT GRAND CRU, VIEILLES VIGNES, HOMMAGE A JEAN MORIN
Deep ruby colour. An exciting nose, brimming with dark fruited, slaty intrigue and lifted by pretty tea leaf spices. The palate is resoundingly pure on the entry, showing dense yet nimble raspberry and blackberry fruit, framed by firm fruit-coated tannins on the mid-palate. Hints of coffee bean, bitter chocolate and cedar on the backpalate, with a fine grip pointing to a wine which will age majestically. This continues the theme of recent years of welcome approachability.
Since its first release in 2010, this has been made every year except 2011 and 2014. Named for François Labet’s grandfather, it is made from the first bunch on each cane which is judged suitable. These are the recipients of the best of the vines’ sap. An impressive step up in richness of aroma, this has a sweetness to the raspberry fruit which plays beautifully with the sappy spices from the 100% whole bunch fermentation. The theme of sweet, rounded generosity continues on the palate – the attack is intense and shockingly pure, essence of raspberry vying with liquorice, clove, fresh mint, crushed pepper and dark chalky minerality, the whole refreshed by that intricate sappy spice. Then a long, focused finish. Wonderful.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 - 18 Recommended drinking from 2026 – 2038 £695/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK £705/CASE OF 3 MAGNUMS, IN BOND UK £495/CASE OF 1 JEROBOAM, IN BOND UK
Corney & Barrow Score 18.5 - 19 Recommended drinking from 2030 – 2045 £1,600/CASE OF 3 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK £1,080/CASE OF 1 MAGNUMS, IN BOND UK £2,165/CASE OF 1 JEROBOAM, IN BOND UK
CLOS-VOUGEOT GRAND CRU, VIEILLES VIGNES This is a selection of old vines from the domaine’s two main parcels, including the 1910 plot at its heart. A minimum 70 years of age is the threshold here – over a third of the domaine’s holdings qualify. The nose is a show-stopper – a soaring, aromatic delight, of rose petals, wild strawberries, red cherries and exotic spices. The palate’s depth of flavour makes itself felt from the off and is quite something – profound blackberry and raspberry fruit, with lavishly fruit-coated tannins, the power of which is only fully felt on the finish. The sappy whole bunch fermentation character serves to lift the flavours and make them dance. Corney & Barrow Score 18.5 Recommended drinking from 2028 – 2040 £1,145/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK £1,155/CASE OF 3 MAGNUMS, IN BOND UK £795/CASE OF 1 JEROBOAM, IN BOND UK
Tasting Guide Our tasting notes provide full details but, at your request, we have also introduced a clear and simple marking system. We hope these guidelines assist you in your selection. For the benefit of simplicity, wines are scored out of 20. We will often use a range of scores (e.g. 16.5 to 17) to indicate the potential to achieve a higher mark. When a ‘+’ is shown it adds further to that potential. Wines from lesser vintages will, inevitably, show a lower overall score. Wines are judged, in a very broad sense, against their peers. Why? Well, you cannot easily compare a Ford with an Aston Martin, other than they are both cars and have wheels. It is not that different with wine. A score is a summary only. The devil is in the detail, so please focus on the tasting notes and, as always, speak to our sales team.
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CHÂTEAU DE LA TOUR & DOMAINE PIERRE LABET 2019
DOMAINE PIERRE LABET This family domaine dates from 15th century Beaune, when it was based on the city ramparts.
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600 years later, François Labet’s grandfather was mayor of Beaune between the two world wars. During this period, the holdings began to be expanded. Now, the domaine owns ten hectares of vineyards in Beaune, Savigny-lèsBeaune, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Meursault and GevreyChambertin. Given the geographical distance between Domaine Pierre Labet’s holdings, François has an operational hub in Beaune, a seven-person vineyard team and two permanent cellar hands, with another two during vinification. The wines are made at Château de la Tour. François started making wine in 1984, in the 1987 vintage changing from 100% destemming to 100% whole bunch handling. As he says, “you either do it or you don’t”. No sulphur dioxide is used at harvest, François choosing to protect the grapes using carbon dioxide (dry ice) at the top of the vats. Reds are given a short pre-fermentation maceration. There is no racking after malolactic fermentation. The wines are left to settle in vat after pressing. The white wines are given brief periods of lees contact following fermentation, but no batonnage (lees stirring). Whites are given a light fining, whereas there is none for the reds. None of the wines are filtered. The domaine is in the process of organic conversion and expects to receive certification from the 2021 vintage.
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CHÂTEAU DE LA TOUR & DOMAINE PIERRE LABET 2019
THE WINES REDS
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BOURGOGNE ROUGE
BEAUNE 1ER CRU COUCHERIAS
François and Edouard’s Bourgogne Rouge is all about the lush Pinot fruit and delicate exotic spice from its 100% whole bunch vinification. It comes from three different plots in Chorey-lès-Beaune, which has more clay than on the Côte. This is an outstanding wine for its level, crunchy red cherries and a surprising density and presence on the palate. 10% new oak gives a roundness and texture.
Here we are stepping up a notch to premier cru. Coucherias is in the centre of the Beaune commune, on the high slopes above Teurons, looking down on the city. It is a warm, south-facing site, just beneath the forest. As always, this is a peacock’s tail of a wine, soaringly aromatic on the nose, with rose petals, violets and delicate blueberry fruit. The palate has that trademark freshness of acidity and momentum, making for a lively, intricate wine of pure raspberry fruit, herbal spices and really fine tannins. Life affirming stuff, a pick! 25% new oak.
Corney & Barrow Score 17 Recommended drinking from 2022 – 2026 £150/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5+ Recommended drinking from 2023 – 2028 £275/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
BEAUNE CLOS DU DESSUS DES MARCONNETS
GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN VIEILLES VIGNES
Dessus des Marconnets is located in the northern part of Beaune, on the boundary with Savigny, beneath the Montagne de Beaune. Wild strawberries and blackberries on the nose, with a dark rocky minerality, rather serious. The palate has an intense core of dark, herby berry fruit and spicy undergrowth, with plushly fruit-coated tannins rounding out the flavours beautifully. A wine of assured presence, really good. 20% new oak.
Vieilles vignes here denotes well over 60 years of age. The domaine’s village Gevrey is made from three blocks, which are co-vinified: La Justice (north-east), Les Crais (south-east) and La Jouise (south-west, just below MazyChambertin), totalling 0.6 hectares. A more powerful nose here and a notch more oak (which will integrate). With time in the glass, the pretty wild rose aromatics emerge, as well as a wonderful purity of dark blackberry fruit. The palate is seated and classically proportioned, with juicy acidity and deftly fruit-coated tannins lending a plushness to the svelte raspberry flavours. 30% new oak.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 Recommended drinking from 2023 – 2028 £230/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5+ Recommended drinking from 2024 – 2034 £295/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
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WHITES BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY VIEILLES VIGNES
MEURSAULT LES TILLETS
The domaine’s whites are acidity-focused – this is the determining factor for picking, a sense of freshness being the goal. This is central to François and Edouard’s Bourgogne Chardonnay, which comes from two plots in Chorey-lès-Beaune. Freshly citrus fruited, it has a zesty, pithy approachability and a buoyant freshness. Vinified in large 350 litre barrels.
Although Les Tillets sits in the middle of the commune, François describes it as “more Puligny than Meursault”. The white marl soils tend to translate into a clipped precision. Ripe white peach on the nose, leading into a fleshy palate of succulent apricot and pear fruit, which builds quite powerfully on the mid-palate, the driving stony minerality, aided by fresh tensile acidity, making for a long, streamlined, saline finish, on which honeysuckle aromas linger. 30% new oak, around three quarters of which is large 350 litre format.
Corney & Barrow Score 16.5 Recommended drinking from 2021 – 2023 £150/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
Corney & Barrow Score 18 Recommended drinking from 2022 – 2027 £280/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
BEAUNE BLANC CLOS DU DESSUS DES MARCONNETS On the border with Savigny and at the beginning of the wooded Montagne de Beaune. Ripe white peach, apricot and pastry on the nose, with flashes of lime and quince. The palate is fresh and lifted, with a zippy momentum which carries through the expressive stone fruit flavours to a sustained finish. Chalky, salty mineral notes add a classy definition. Racked off its lees almost immediately, for maximum freshness. 18 months in 350 and 450 litre barrels, 30% of which are new, before four months in tank prior to bottling. Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 Recommended drinking from 2022 – 2025 £230/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
To Order LONDON
020 7265 2430 EDINBURGH
01875 321 921 sales@corneyandbarrow.com PLEASE NOTE These wines are released en primeur. Delivery dates to be confirmed. All prices are quoted in bond UK.
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CHÂTEAU DE LA TOUR & DOMAINE PIERRE LABET 2019
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INDEPENDENT WINE MERCHANT SINCE 1780
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