2014 Louis Latour Marsannay Blanc AC Cote-D' Or 750 ml

The largest landholder of Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy, Louis Latour makes its most coveted wines off world-famous plots like Batard-Montrachet and Corton-Charlemagne—bottles of exquisite mineral sophistication that can easily run up to $400. But Latour head winemaker Jean-Charles Thomas is canny enough to also tend grapes in quieter AOCs like Marsannay, the “Golden Gate to the Côte de Nuits,” where fantastic small-production Chardonnays can be had for under $30. 

Wine Spectator gave the 2014 harvest the highest-ever rating for the region, with an incredible 2015 on its heels. “If you love white Burgundy, buy as many of the top wines from these two years as you can,” advises Spectator. The opportunity doesn’t get much better than this. 
 
This  2014 Louis Latour Blanc hails from Marsannay, the northernmost appellation of the Côte d’Or, just a few kilometers above the illustrious slopes of Gevrey-Chambertin. It’s the only AOC village with the versatility to produce reds, whites, and rosés. Winemaking here dates back to the 7th century, and the wines of the region were favorites of bishops and royalty like Louis XIV and Louis XVI. Higher elevations, cooler temperatures, and chalky limestone soils make for Chardonnays of Chablesian cut and riveting energy.
 
The AOC performed like never before in 2014, so uniformly excellent that Antonio Galloni’s Vinous declared: “For lovers of classic white Burgundies, 2014 is clearly a vintage to buy.” In the glorious first weeks of September, the densely planted rows produced berries of sensational quality, as sugars spiked while acids remained firm. Four years later, the wine made from that season’s magic grapes can be on your doorstep, while our allocation lasts. This will undoubtedly go down as one of the best values of the vintage.