Maison Louis Latour

The story of an exceptional Maison viticole

The origins of Maison Louis Latour date back to 18th century Burgundy, when Denis Latour, from a family of coopers, purchased his first vineyards in Côtes de Beaune. In 1768, Jean Latour bought several plots in Aloxe-Corton and laid the foundations of the family estate.

Louis Latour founded the Maison Viticole in his name in 1797, exporting his wines to the UK from 1815. His son continued to develop the reputation of Louis Latour wines abroad, with sales in the United States, Buenos Aires, Java, Bucharest, London and Brussels. They are served on the world's greatest tables at the royal courts of Austria, England and Russia. During the 19th century, Maison Louis Latour was even known as an important supplier to princes and kings.

In 1867, the company expanded its activities by becoming a wine merchant, setting up offices in Beaune. These premises are still the company's headquarters today. This period also marked a turning point in production and marketing techniques, with the adoption of innovative practices for vinification and the sale of wine in bottles rather than barrels.

The Louis Latour vineyards are hit hard by Phylloxera, as are most Burgundy estates and many French vineyards. Louis Latour was tireless in replanting his land, taking part in the fight against the devastating insect, and striving to preserve winegrowing traditions during this very difficult period for the sector.

The development of Domaine viticole Louis Latour

1891 marked a major development for the company, with the acquisition of the historic winery, Château Corton Grancey and several dozen hectares of vines, including some 15 in the Grands Crus of Corton.

The purchase of promising land continued with other Grands Crus plots in prestigious appellations, in Côtes de Nuits, such as Chevalier-Montrachet "les demoiselles" for example, but also from 1979 onwards in other regions, notably the Ardèche, then the Var 10 years later.

In 2003, Maison Louis Latour bought Maison Simonnet-Febve, producer of Chablis, Yonne wines and Crémant de Bourgogne. In 2008, Maison Henry Fessy, with its 70-hectare estate and Beaujolais and Mâconnais wines, also became part of the Louis Latour company.

Today, Maison Louis Latour has six estates, in Burgundy, the Var, Ardèche, northwest of Lyon with the Domaine des Pierres Dorées, in the Yonne and Beaujolais regions.

The estates and wines

Maison Louis Latour vineyards have long been developing environmentally-friendly practices and are committed to eco-responsible viticulture.

This commitment took concrete form in 1998, when the estate joined the Forum de l'Agriculture Raisonnée Respectueuse de l'Environnement (FARRE), a network of farms practicing sustainable agriculture. In 2003, Maison Louis Latour also obtained ISO 14001 certification.

Today, Louis Latour wines are available in a wide range of appellations, with over twenty Grands Crus, around fifty Premiers Crus, IGP wines and numerous regional wines.

This large-scale production in no way detracts from the quality of the cuvées produced, with some outstanding successes, as attested by the numerous awards and distinctions won by Louis Latour wines.