Chateau de la Tour

Wine Region

Burgundy, France

Vineyard

5.5 hectares

Château de la Tour, established in 1890, is the largest proprietor of the Clos de Vougeot, with around 5.5 hectares of vines, representing 12% of the total appellation. The vines are in two parcels, close to the château building, which is one of only three buildings in the Clos de Vougeot. The average vine age is 50 years old. Today, Château de la Tour is run by François Labet and his son Édouard.

In addition to overseeing Château de la Tour, François and Édouard own holdings in Beaune, Meursault and Gevrey-Chambertin. These wines, bottled under the name Domaine Pierre Labet, are produced organically, and although François and Édouard have an operational base in Beaune, élevage takes place in Château de la Tour’s cellars.

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The Clos, in total, is extraordinarily large by Burgundy standards, some 5.5 hectares, all designated grand cru yet with many different quality levels. This family-owned domaine accounts for around 12% of the appellation, on very fine, complementary sites. Château de La Tour was constructed in 1890 by one Monsieur Baudet of Beaune.

His daughter married a gifted Olympian, Jean Morin, and Morin’s daughters then married into the Labet and Déchelette families. François Labet, Morin’s grandson, oversees both Château de La Tour and the vineyards of Domaine Pierre Labet.

The family’s holdings comprise essentially two parcels, one close to the château itself, with another smaller holding (relatively recently replanted) higher on the slope, bordering Les Échézeaux. The vines have an average age of 70 years, with a one-hectare plot planted in 1910 at their heart.

The domaine has been organic since 1992, François is assiduous in ensuring the very best possible harvest, preferring strict pruning to later green harvesting. He is also a fan of whole clusters, naturally fermented which make for particularly characterful wines, when allowed to age.

The Labet family approach involves a high proportion of whole-bunch vinification of Pinot Noir as well as relatively early picking of Chardonnay.

The vines have an average age of nearly 70 years, with a one-hectare plot planted in 1910 at their heart. The domaine has been organic since 1992. Yields are controlled by rubbing out every second bud, which gives a well aerated canopy and is preferred to green harvesting.

Grape sorting with secateurs takes place once the grapes arrive from the vineyards, with whole bunches loaded into the fermentation vats and then cooled to around 6℃ for a week.