At the northern gateway to the Côte d'Or, Louis Latour demonstrates with Marsannay Blanc 2020 how serious white Marsannay can be. This Chardonnay comes from an appellation that has only officially existed as an AOC since 1987, and it also marks the beginning of the Route des Grands Crus, just above Dijon. What is Marsannay? It is the northernmost village of the Côte d'Or and one of the few villages in the Côte de Nuits where white wine also plays a significant role.
Its origin immediately gives this wine a different profile than a broader Bourgogne Blanc.
- Location / Origin: Marsannay is located directly north of Dijon and forms the gateway to the Côte d'Or. This places this wine right at the beginning of the Route des Grands Crus, but within its own village appellation.
- Soil: The vineyards are situated on clay and limestone. This combination is well-suited for Chardonnay, providing both roundness and a fresh, crisp undertone.
- Vineyard: The average age of the vines is 25 years, and the yield is 50 hl/ha. This gives the wine sufficient concentration without losing sight of Marsannay's elegance.
- Vineyard & Harvest: The grapes are harvested by hand. This is typical for a white Burgundy, where selection and care in the vineyard are important for precision in the glass.
The cellar approach gives this Marsannay its broad, wood-supported style, without making it heavy.
- Fermentation: Fermentation traditionally takes place in oak barrels, with full malolactic conversion. This gives the wine more roundness, a softer texture, and a beautifully integrated oak tone.
- Aging / Oak Maturation: The wine then ages for 8–10 months in oak barrels from Louis Latour's own cooperage, made of French oak with a medium toast. This provides extra depth, vanilla notes, and a subtle nutty spiciness, while maintaining freshness.
Here, everything revolves around one grape that can yield a surprisingly broad and serious white Burgundy in Marsannay.
- Chardonnay – Marsannay: Chardonnay forms the complete basis and gives the wine its combination of floral finesse, roundness, vanilla notes, and fresh length.
- 4.0 stars, Vivino: A strong score showing that Louis Latour Marsannay Blanc 2020 is also highly appreciated by wine lovers. The number of ratings on the page is not reliably readable.
- 92 points, James Suckling (2020): A strong rating that fits well with the combination of breadth, freshness, and refined oak influence in this vintage.
- 86–89 points, Burghound.com (2020): A decent estimate indicating a solid Marsannay Blanc with good potential and clear village quality.
