The Louis Latour Ardèche Chardonnay 2023 is a fresh, rounded white wine for those who enjoy Southern French ripeness with a sleek, polished style. Behind this wine is the Ardèche project by Maison Louis Latour, which has been bringing its Burgundian know-how to this region since 1979. The wine carries the IGP Ardèche designation. What is IGP Ardèche? It is a protected geographical indication that establishes the regional origin of the wine.
The origin gives this wine its unique balance between ripe fruit and fresh tension.
- Location / Origin: This wine comes from the Côteaux de l'Ardèche, within the IGP Ardèche in the south of France. According to Louis Latour, this region lies at the crossroads of northern and southern France, which says a lot about the character of the wine.
- Altitude: The vineyards are located at about 270 m above sea level. This helps to combine Mediterranean ripeness with the preservation of freshness.
- Soil: The subsoil consists of clay and limestone. This combination suits this style perfectly and gives the wine both roundness and a sleeker mineral line.
- Climate & Influences: Ardèche has a Mediterranean climate, but without extreme variations. It is precisely this combination of sun and balanced conditions that ensures consistent ripeness and beautiful balance here.
- Vineyard & Harvest: The vines are on average 25 years old, the yield is around 45 hl/ha, and harvesting is done mechanically. This provides Louis Latour with a reliable and precise basis for this cuvée.
In the cellar, Louis Latour consciously chooses purity and control here.
- Fermentation: Fermentation takes place traditionally in stainless steel tanks with temperature control and complete malolactic conversion. This keeps the aromatics clear while simultaneously adding suppleness to the structure.
- Maturation / Oak aging: The wine matures for 8–10 months in stainless steel. As a result, the style remains fresh, direct, and fruit-driven, without oak pushing the origin or fruit into the background.
Everything here revolves around one grape that receives a remarkably accessible and elegant expression in the Ardèche.
- 100% Chardonnay – IGP Ardèche: Chardonnay forms the entire basis here and gives the wine its combination of roundness, fresh citrus tension, and refined floral notes. In this region, this results in a style that feels ripe, yet remains beautifully balanced.
