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Château de la Tour Winery Guide

Cellar Tours Insight — Since 2003, Cellar Tours has planned private wine journeys through the world’s leading wine regions, pairing tailor-made itineraries with VIP winery visits, fine dining, and expert regional guidance.

Winery Overview

This grandiose, imposing Burgundian Château is a fitting testament to the renown and might of the Clos Vougeot, the largest single Grand Cru vineyard in the Côte de Nuits designation. It is one of the Burgundy wine region’s most historic walled vineyards, created by Cistercian monks in the 12th century. Vougeot was the Cistercians’ flagship vineyard and remained in church hands until the French Revolution took all land belonging to the church in the 19th century. Today, it has many proud owners, including Château de la Tour, which boasts an unparalleled view of the former Cistercian manor. With 6 hectares under their control, Château de la Tour is the largest leaseholder of the Clos Vougeot and has long been renowned for its wine’s intensity, strength, and perfume. Under the Labet family’s careful direction, its reputation has remained strong as one of the most reliable and impressive sources of Clos Vougeot in the Cote de Nuits.

Château de la Tour boasts a long history from the late 19th century. The original building was constructed in 1890 by a merchant whose daughter married a local estate owner, Jean Morin. He was a local legend, famous for his wine and passion for sport; Morin took part in both the Summer and Winter Olympics in 1948. One of his daughters married into the Labet family, who remain the current owners today in the shape of Francois Labet. Francois is one of the region’s most influential figures, producing both the Château de la Tour wines and Domaine Pierre Labet, making great use of the Château’s imposing winery and cellar.

As Clos Vougeot is divided amongst several producers, the inquisitive wine lover can undoubtedly find several good examples of this delicious wine from various outfits. But none can quite match Label’s wines for their finesse and concentration – top vintages will last for decades. His prized possession is one hectare of ancient, low-yielding Pinot Noir vines planted in 1910. The incredible fruit they give is reserved for the estate’s limited edition Vieilles Vignes cuvée, a red Burgundy of dazzling perfume and flavor. However, Labet’s precious vines are treated with the utmost care and attention; the property has been farmed organically since the early 1990s, and yields are strictly controlled to ensure optimum fruit ripeness and quality. This meticulous approach is evident when the excellent taste of the Château’s vintages. There can be no better introduction to the magic of Clos Vougeot than the beautifully crafted wines of Francois Labet. Visit Château de la Tour on our private, exclusive wine tours of Burgundy! Contact us for more information.

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Further Reading

Author

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James Lawrence

With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.

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