In eager anticipation of our upcoming Burgundy trip, I couldn’t wait and decided to “warm up” by opening a bottle of Chardonnay from my cellar. I picked a rather down-to-earth representation, the 2020 Bourgogne Blanc by Maison Louis Latour, one of the bigger players in the region.
The vintage 2020 closed out the 2018-20 trio of hot years in Europe. However, unlike 2019, temperatures didn’t go extreme for the most part. There were some cool nights and there was enough rainfall to produce healthy and juicy grapes by picking season. I’m not so sure the grapes for this wine were picked at the right time though. While the official vintage report by Louis Latour states they started harvesting on 19 August already, I still get plenty of ripe aromas, slightly on the flabby side.
On the smell, I get a floral and buttery impression. This dominates the stony minerality and freshness that I would have preferred, although there are hints of lemon alongside the riper fruit notes of apricot and white fruits.
In the mouth, everything is “medium”, it seems. It is positive that the wine is not too broad-shouldered, which could happen in a warm year like 2020. On the other hand, the flavours are a bit short-lived, making this Bourgogne Blanc seem watered down. I know this is an entry-level wine. Still, I would have expected just a little more profile from a well-known Grand Cru producer like Maison Louis Latour. DM85.
