I understand Latour’s reputation, but as a burg beginner, is it not better to start at the less impressive end? Is it worth it?
Here’s what I have to choose from, more or less. I’m looking for recs for a latour that would be a good intro to Burgundy (red or white, though I can’t cellar anything atm) and not a boring or poor QPR option.
Thanks for your help!
by lovelessowl
14 Comments
Going on those photos I’d probably start with the Fevre Chablis. Really good introduction to the style of Chablis as a whole, and if you like the villages 2020 you could buy a 2019 1er to lie down for a few years – from what I’ve read I think they’re taking a while to hit full maturity.
Latour also isn’t a bad place to start for Red and you have a good range of appellations there.
Your wallet will thank you if you don’t like any of these. Burgundy is a slippery slope!
Why would you only have access to LL?
Chablisienne is good price quality for Chablis. It is the big cooperative, but the wines are well made for the usually low price they ask.
Fevre is considered a very good house by many, though personally I am not that big of a fan and find it to be poor PQ.
Latour is my personal enemy, but you’ve got to start somewhere. Just don’t go for their more expensive options, then it’s worth looking for something better.
La Chablisienne is a great value produder, give them a try.
Burgundy makes damn great wine for sure- but I‘d argue there is better value for money out there that still tastes very, very good.
Latour reds arent the greatest place to start since they flash-pasturize all their reds. So while it might be decent or better red wine. Its not gona be good burgundy, espc for the price
learning Burgundy (or any region) through the lens of one producer can actually be a great way to get a sense of the different areas in an appellation. Genot-Boulanger is my hallmark for this opinion in burgundy because they make all their reds 100% the same and all their whites 100% the same. great way to “taste Terroir”. it is my understanding that Latour is more hands on in the winery and that practice probably does not translate but i can think of worse ways to “get burgundy” than slowly working though one producers offerings.
That said i always say to start on the most general category (in this case Bourgogne Rouge) and work to more specific (village, then climate).
What a horrible selection what is this
Buy the intro LL to try it, although I don’t think it’s a good representation of burgundy. I think their entry bourgogne rouge, is ok-ish for the price, but there are so much better out there.
Just don’t use it as a reference bourgogne.
I think Fevre is both a great representation of Chablis, at a solid producer at every price.
That’s actually a really solid place to start.
Louis Latour is quite a big house, so you’ll get a consistent style, which helps when you’re just getting into Burgundy.
If you can, try and compare a few from different villages or levels (like village vs premier cru) just to start getting a feel for how they change. That’s where Burgundy gets interesting.
Also, if you ever get the chance, it’s worth trying smaller growers as well. I found when I visited the region that some of the smaller producers had a lot more character compared to the bigger houses.
But honestly, you’re starting in a good place 👍
Are you in a place where it’s not too hot and not too cold and you can have wine shipped to you? I would look at other, better growers. Think Bouchard Pere et Fils. They’re a huge producer – at least by Burgundy standards – so not too hard to acquire, and not too pricey, but they make much better wine – at least in my opinion.
Just start buying different ones and make tasting notes. Nose, color, palate… Then grow from there. Make it fun. Like an adventure. As you grow then worry more on letting wines sit and mature.
As a wine professional working in the country you’re in (Vietnam), I’m sorry bro but you are not looking hard enough. The store you were in, [WINECELLAR.vn](https://winecellar.vn/en/wine/?filter_giong-nho=pinot-noir-en), also stocks great big producers like Faiveley and Bouchard, as well as mid range nicher stuff stuff like Laurent Ponsot, Billaud-Simon and Chateau du Marsannay.
Additionally, there are many other wine stores that can fulfil your needs. If you are in either Saigon, Danang or Hanoi:
– [Red Apron](https://redapron.vn/collections/burgundy?view=en) (HUGE Bourgogne collection, largest wine retail chain in Vietnam, sole proprietor of Comte Lafon, Louis Jadot, Laroche, and A LOT of expensive Bourgogne)
– [WeWine](https://wewine.vn/loai-ruou/red-wine/?giong-nho=pinot-noir) (Previously huge but now scaling down, sole proprietor for Albert Bichot and Maison Champy)
– [Warehouse](https://warehouse-asia.com/hn-tayho/red-wine.html?wine_region=burgundy) (Same as above, sole proprietor of Joseph Drouhin)
– [Monopole](https://www.facebook.com/share/1CZHQoWRbk/) (way nicher stuff, but very accessible price wise)
– [Wine Embassy](https://wineembassy.vn/) (as above)
Look, I know wine here are not made accessible (40% import tax on alcohol under 20 ABV, most of the websites above are borderline unusable, even when they do catalogues never show the whole thing), but our selection is plenty if you look hard enough. Enjoy exploring.
Never had a latour I liked