90 BH

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. Burghound 90 Outstanding Top Value!

Producer: Domaine Latour-Giraud is a family property in Meursault, today directed by Jean-Pierre Latour. The domaine’s holdings are centered on Chardonnay in Meursault, with an especially strong collection of Premier Cru vineyards including Genevrières, Perrières, Charmes, Poruzots and Bouchères, alongside village-level parcels such as Les Narvaux. Jean-Pierre’s wines are made in a classical Meursault framework, using barrel fermentation and élevage while keeping enough freshness and mineral definition for individual vineyards to remain recognizable. The domaine has attracted increasing critical attention in recent years; Allen Meadows of Burghound has repeatedly singled it out as an estate worth seeking, particularly for the quality delivered throughout the range. Jean-Pierre described 2023 as beginning with a relatively cool spring followed by successful flowering, generous fruit set and a warm, mostly dry growing season. A July 13 hailstorm reduced yields in some sectors, but disease pressure remained limited and the domaine brought in ripe, healthy Chardonnay.
Vineyard: Les Narvaux is a highly regarded village-level lieu-dit situated above the Meursault Premier Cru slope, at higher elevation than many of the appellation’s village vineyards. Jasper Morris specifies that Latour-Giraud’s vines are in the Les Gorges de Narvaux sector. The elevated position and limestone-rich hillside give Narvaux a cooler, firmer profile than the broader and more immediately generous expressions associated with lower portions of Meursault. Although it remains classified as village Meursault, the site has long been prized for producing Chardonnay with notable mineral drive, concentration and aging ability. Those qualities are especially clear in 2023. Morris found the Narvaux more chiseled and linear than Latour-Giraud’s blended village Meursault, with intensity building toward the back of the palate. Burghound likewise noted unusually substantial concentration and pronounced minerality for its classification. The combination of a generous vintage and this higher, cooler site produced a wine with both volume and a distinctly firm mineral core.
Winemaking: The 2023 is 100% Chardonnay and follows Jean-Pierre Latour’s traditional white-wine approach, with fermentation and maturation in French oak barrels. The oak is clearly present during élevage but is handled in a way that becomes integrated into the wine rather than defining it; Jasper Morris specifically remarked on the complete integration of the wood in his October 2024 tasting. Latour-Giraud’s cellar work is designed to give Chardonnay sufficient time in barrel to develop breadth and texture while preserving the acidity and mineral line supplied by Narvaux’s elevated position. The finished wine is 13.5% ABV. Both major Burgundy critics assessing the 2023 found considerably more concentration than its village classification might suggest: Burghound described a larger-scaled, powerful palate with a dry, mineral finish, while Morris emphasized its linear shape, increasing energy and persistence.
Technical Details: Meursault AOC; Les Narvaux lieu-dit; 2023 vintage; 100% Chardonnay; vines situated in the Les Gorges de Narvaux sector; village-level single-site Meursault; high-slope vineyard position; limestone-rich Meursault terroir; barrel fermented and matured in French oak; 13.5% ABV; 750ml bottle. Jasper Morris recommends drinking from 2027–2032, while Burghound suggests 2029+, indicating that despite its village classification, the 2023 has the concentration and structure to benefit from several years in bottle.
Food Pairing: Butter-poached lobster, seared scallops, Dover sole, turbot, roasted halibut, monkfish, crab risotto, roast chicken with morels, veal medallions, mushroom tart, Comté, Beaufort, and Gruyère. Narvaux’s mineral backbone and citrus freshness work naturally with shellfish and firm white fish, while the wine’s concentration and barrel-developed texture can comfortably accompany poultry, veal and mushroom-based dishes.