One of the highlights of my trip to Meursault is seeing Jean-Pierre Latour of Latour-Giraud.

22/07/25

Jean-Pierre Latour

As you drive along the road from your hotel in Beaune to Meursault, you always look forward to seeing Jean-Pierre.

His manner never changes. As you pull into the domaine, you know that he’ll be there waiting to greet you, and the morning’s tasting will have been organised. Jean-Pierre belongs to a stable of winemakers who believe that manners maketh the man, timekeeping and courtesy are essential to him.

Jean-Pierre has always been a fan of selling every bottle he produces, so he keeps his pricing embarrassingly low. Compared to many others in the village, he could charge double if he wished, but he is of an age where he has seen the difficult times in Burgundy too, so the extraordinary price of wine and land is of no interest to him. He focuses on winemaking; hence the wines are so gorgeous. He prefers to sell out… and he does.

His Charmes and Genevrières are incredible. We opened some bottles of his 2022s recently at one of our tastings in Wimbledon, and they were off the charts. Still young, but full of flavour. We are pleased to offer his 2023’s.

Producers note: Jean-Pierre Latour described the 2023 growing season as “one that began with a so-so spring that wasn’t particularly warm but at least we avoided any frost damage. The flowering passed well, and we enjoyed a generous fruit set. Conditions were quite warm and dry though not to the same degree as those of 2022 and without much disease pressure of significance. We did though suffer a July 13th hailstorm that, depending on the sector, cost us up to 30% in potential volume. While July was largely hot, this was not all bad as it did allow the hail-damaged berries to dry up and fall off the bunches.

The first half of August was frankly not great, and I started to worry whether the fruit would adequately ripen. The second half of August those was blazing hot and maturities raced forward, indeed to the point where we began picking quite early, which is to say on the 24th of August. The chardonnay was at least quite clean though yields weren’t particularly good as they came in on average no better than 25 hl/ha. Potential alcohols were good though at between 13 to 13.5% with reasonably good acid levels. Even though we had no trouble with either fermentation, I honestly did not like my wines early on very much as I was all but certain they would be heavy and lacking in elegance.

Happily, enough, my concerns turned out to be completely unfounded as they changed enormously during the élevage and now, I really quite like them, particularly for their freshness, verve and excellent transparency.” I have said this before but if you’re not searching out these wines, you’re missing out on one of the best kept secrets in Meursault.

They, along with domaines Henri Germain, Ballot-Millot and Michel Bouzereau, consistently offer outstanding quality for quite reasonable prices. Either way, the Latour 2023s are first-rate, and every wine is highly recommended. Latour noted that some of his 2023 whites were bottled in January and February 2025.

2023, Meursault Les Narvaux, Domaine Latour-Giraud

In 2023, the Narvaux lieu dit performed exceptionally once again. Beautifully expressive but also super serious, packed with intense aromatics of green apple, caramelised citrus, figs, grilled nuts, peach confit, and grapefruit marmalade with a salted pistachio hint. Fresh, taut, and crystalline with a very focused pristine structure, majestic purity, subtle layers of brûléed oak, tangy acids and a ripe melon preserve and savoury peach intensity on the long finish. True finesse and a finely balanced texture with power and precision.

Wine Safari Score: 93-94+/100
Drink: now – 2035+.

Greg Sherwood MW)

Tasting Note: A paler lemon colour. More chiselled on the nose than the village blend. A little whiff of coconut from the oak. A more cerebral wine. Every bit as much intensity, arguably more, in a linear style with the energy growing steadily to the back of the palate. A fine long white fruit finish, the oak entirely integrated. Persistent. The vines are in Les Gorges de Narvaux.

Drink from: 2027–2032
100pt score: 90–92

Jasper Morris MW

Tasting Notes : Here too there is a smoky character to the cool and pure aromas of Granny Smith apple, white flower, lemon zest and wet stone nuances. There is even better volume to the concentrated, even powerful, larger-scaled flavors that also brim with minerality on the lemony, bone dry and youthfully austere finale. This is excellent for its level though not that it’s sufficiently compact to need at least a few years of keeping first.

Drink from: 2029+
100 pt score: 90

Burghound – Allen Meadows

2023, Meursault Charmes 1er Cru, Domaine Latour-Giraud

Once again, the Les Charmes vineyard yields a more restrained, elegant, mineral-tinged aromatics with pithy lemon and lime, dried herbs and limestone spice. Very rich, broad and refined, the wine shows the class of the Charmes site but also its depth and breadth with great elegance while still packing a Premier Cru punch. An incredibly refined and sophisticated wine, this speaks of the true pedigree of Meursault terroir. .

Wine Safari Score: 94-95/100
Drink: now – 2035+

Greg Sherwood MW

Tasting Note: Half and half between upper and lower Charmes. A bright rich lemon colour. Attractive but not especially demonstrative. Offering breadth and depth, there is no edge to the fruit, a significant mouthful of white orchard fruit, mostly at the back of the palate, intelligent oaking, correct acidity, and very persistent. I find more character in one or two of Jean-Pierre Latour’s wines but this is properly Charmes.

Drink from: 2029–2036
Tasted: Oct 2024
100pt score: 91–94

Jasper Morris MW

Tasting note: Smoky aromas of vaguely exotic passion fruit, white peach, spice, acacia blossom and plenty of just sliced citrus serve as an elegant introduction to the succulent but energetic flavors that aren’t as dense or powerful as those of the Poruzots but do offer equally good depth and even better persistence on the impeccably well-balanced finale. This is terrific and a wine that should age gracefully.