Beyond the smoky, toasty, resinous top notes from its 50% new barrels, the Latour 2006 Meursault Gouttes d’Or offers lime and honey in a surprisingly generous, soft expression of this usually overtly mineral site. In the long, polished finish, savory, saline and stony notes emerge to give a sense of this place and the inherently complex potential of its wines. Louis-Fabrice Latour and oenologue Jean-Charles Thomas presented a 2006 collection that displayed the opulent richness that one would anticipate from such a ripe vintage, and from the Latour house style. Sometimes these wines want a bit for clarity, definition and distinctiveness – occasionally they are rather obviously marked by dairy flavors from their malolactic conversion – but the best of them have much to offer. Since I did not have opportunity to include in my issue 179 report notes on the Chablis bottlings of Simmonet-Febvre – a domaine Latour purchased in 2003 (and which also bottles some lovely sparkling wines) – I have made note of them here. Louis Latour has numerous importers throughout the U.S.

The 2003 Meursault Goutte d’Or (white) sports a nose of grilled minerals. On the palate, this sappy effort offers a light to medium-bodied personality filled with satiny waves of minerals as well as pears. Its finish is long, filled with fruit, and silky. It should be consumed over the next 4 years. Maison Louis Latour has numerous importers across the United States.

White pepper-laced minerals can be found in both the nose and flavor profile of the 2002 Meursault Goutte d’Or. A lively, light to medium-bodied, focused wine, it has outstanding depth and concentration. Projected maturity: now-2010. Maison Louis Latour has a different importer in each state.

The spice, pear, and white peach-scented 2000 Meursault Goutte d'Or is a velvety-textured, medium-bodied wine. Soft and plush, this fat, palate-coating offering displays loads of minerals and candied apples in its flavor profile. Drink it over the next 7 years. Maison Louis Latour has a different importer in each state.

The 1997 Meursault Goutte d'Or offers wonderfully ripe aromas of poached pears, hazelnuts, and hints of minerals. This medium-to-full-bodied and layered wine is densely packed with candied white fruits and boasts a long finish. It is rich, thick, and mouth-coating, yet appears to have the requisite balance for up to five years of cellaring. Louis Latour is represented by a different importer in each state.