Louis Latour 1999 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 100
by Michael Apstein
With their almost eleven hectares, Domaine Louis Latour is the largest owner of Corton-Charlemagne, the roughly 73 hectares Grand Cru located on the hill of Corton. (Bonneau du Martray is second with just under 10 hectares). Year in and year out, be the harvest perfect and “easy” or disease-laden and “difficult,” Latour consistently produces one the best Corton-Charlemagne. Two reasons combine to explain their consistent quality. Firstly, Latour got “the pick of the litter” of vineyards since they purchased all their holdings over 130 years ago, in 1891, when they acquired the Château and Cuverie Corton Grancey. Secondly, their extensive holdings allow them to discard less than perfect grapes. Indeed, Bruno Pépin, Latour’s longtime Commercial director, attributes Latour’s consistency to highly selective sorting of the grapes, discarding unhealthy ones, prior to pressing. Latour is truly a master with this acclaimed Grand Cru. Their 1999, which was dazzling upon release, continues to astonish today, at two and half decades of life.
But first, some background. Nine lieux-dits, spread over the three communes of Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses and Ladoix-Serrigny, comprise the Corton-Charlemagne appellation. These lieux-dits form a J-shaped band that can be divided into three groups depending on their exposure. East-facing, just under the forest, are Le Corton and Les Renardes, Basses Mourottes, Hautes Mourottes and the upper part of Le Rognet et Corton. The south-facing lieux-dits include Les Languettes, Les Pougets, and Le Charlemagne. En Charlemagne completes the band and faces southwest. The higher concentration of limestone in the soil of these lieux-dits that lie high on the hill make them especially well-suited to Chardonnay.
The location of Latour’s vines and their steely wine making style is a match made in heaven. Almost all (90 percent) of Latour’s parcels of Corton-Charlemagne lie in the south-facing lieux-dits, allowing for ideal ripening. Latour’s overall vibrant style balances the richness inherent in grapes from these locales with a bracing acidity. Latour’s remaining parcels lie in the east-facing Le Corton and Les Renardes. Pépin believes the Chardonnay coming from these parcels bring “tension and balance” to the blend. That combination, coupled with their compulsive selection and winemaking, helps explain why Latour consistently excels with their Corton-Charlemagne.
I’ve been lucky to have a vast experience with Latour’s Corton-Charlemagne since a close friend, Sam Seidman, was Latour’s longtime importer in New England. Sam would routinely put down 25 cases of Latour’s Corton-Charlemagne for his own use and generously share it. Every year, for example, over the Labor Day Weekend—the 1st Monday in September in the U.S.—he would line up the last 20 vintages or so on the patio for tasting with lobster. His generosity was not limited to a once-a-year tasting. He seemingly used Latour’s Corton-Charlemagne as his “house wine.” The late Louis Fabrice Latour, who led the company after taking over from his father in 1999 until his premature death in 2022, once remarked to me that I’ve probably drunk more of his Corton-Charlemagne than he has. I believe it. I must have tasted—and drunk—this 1999 thirty times since its release. I recount this not to boast, but rather to emphasize that I’ve had an extensive ongoing knowledge of Latour’s Corton-Charlemagne.
Though an orange-y yellow glistening color of the 1999 Corton-Charlemagne announces its two and half decades of age, freshness on the nose belies it. Luxurious richness intertwined with a distinct mineral component for which Corton-Charlemagne is known is front and center but even at 25+ years of age, it still expands with time in the glass. Mint-like herbal notes also appear, adding complexity, as the wine breathes. The message here: despite its age, it grows in the glass, so there’s no rush. Unlike many mature wines, this one does not fade and die soon after opening. A firm and uplifting acidity in the finish amplifies the wine’s appeal. This 1999 Corton-Charlemagne displays the near magical combination of refinement, depth, and energy. In my experience, it’s been at its peak for two decades and shows no sign of fading, just like a great red wine. Although quality and quantity usually do not go together, Latour produced about 15 percent more in 1999 than their 40-year annual average of 48,000 bottles. Drinking window: 2025-who knows?
August 4, 2025