1949 Louis Latour Pommard Les Epenots 1er Cru

BY NEAL MARTIN | APRIL 25, 2022

During Les Grands Jours week in Burgundy, I had the pleasure of sitting next to owner Louis-Fabrice Latour. Though I have been critical of some recent releases, Latour was chatty, amiable and talking a lot of sense. Part of the reason why I wish Latour would up their game is because I know, first-hand, the brilliance of their wines from the past. That is to some extent because, in those times, Latour had access to fruit from top producers that subsequently became stars in their own right.

The 1949 Pommard Les Epenots 1er Cru was served the following night after meeting Louis-Fabrice Latour. Presented blind by our generous host, this bottle with great provenance has been acquainted with just two owners over its 73-years. It is everything you could wish for in a mature Burgundy. There is only light bricking on the rim, so much so that I guessed it was half its actual age. The nose is ethereal with pixelated red fruit, crushed rock and a hint of tomato vine. Magically, it gains depth and intensity in the glass, reaching for ever-higher heights. The palate is blessed with beguiling symmetry, the tannins chiselled by time and lace-like. This is a paradigm of transparent Pinot Noir, a Pommard imbued with tension from start to finish. Utterly divine. 98/Drink 2022-2032.

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