2018 Louis Latour Les Pierres Dorees Pinot Noir Burgundy 750 ml

Maison Louis Latour is synonymous with first-class Pinot Noir—from 100-point reds grown on tiny Grand Cru plots to stellar values from ahead-of-the-curve terroirs—and this is pure Latour. From domaine-grown Pinot Noir, it’s proof that the savoir-faire that has landed Louis Latour a 100-point Grand Cru extends to their grand values.

Maison Latour has a knack for sniffing out terroir—places that might be insider-only at the moment but will be household names in a few decades. That’s what brought them to these vineyards outside of the villages of Theizé and Morancé in Beaujolais, where we gazed out on the vines that have produced Latour’s Pierres Dorées Pinot Noir since its first vintage in 2015.

This is Latour from the ground to the glass, and it’s easy to see where the Pierres Dorées (“Golden Stones”) site got its name: from the rich ochre-colored soil we found ourselves breaking in our hands, revealing the fossilized oyster shells that lend minerality to wines from Chablis, Champagne, and some of the best sites in Burgundy. This area is also bathed in beautiful southern-Burgundian sunshine, which leads to exquisite ripeness, balanced with freshness fostered by the 1,000-foot-plus altitude of the vineyards.

The final product from this unexpected site is something totally predictable: a stellar value Pinot Noir bearing the name of one of the most reliable producers in Burgundy. Whether you’re a fan of their bargains or a devotee of their Grands Crus, this is a Latour to keep stocked at all times.