IN THE WINERY
For us, the difference between a great wine and an exceptional one lies in the skill of the winemaker—both artist and interpreter of ever-changing nature. Each vintage is a unique journey, shaped by the climate's unpredictability and the terroir's subtle nuances, never quite the same as the last. With patience and precision, the winemaker observes, analyzes, and memorizes each phase, refining their craft to create blends of perfect harmony—an authentic expression of the year’s unique character.
THE DEFINING MOMENT,
HARVEST
The harvest marks the culmination of a year’s meticulous work—an intricate and delicate stage where a single mistake in timing can jeopardize the balance and quality of the future wine. That’s why we take the utmost care in picking our grapes at peak maturity.
As this critical period approaches, we walk our vineyards daily, assessing the ripeness of the berries with precision. This rigorous monitoring combines sensory evaluation with regular sugar level measurements—sometimes multiple times a day—to ensure we begin harvesting at the perfect moment.
KEEPING ONLY THE BEST
During the harvest, the grapes undergo a meticulous double-sorting process on a vibrating table, ensuring only the finest berries are selected. This careful approach guarantees that only fruit of impeccable quality is used in crafting our wines.
A PLOT-LEVEL FOCUS
Each plot on our estate is unique, with its own distinct characteristics and needs. To honor this individuality, each plot is vinified separately, allowing us to tailor every step of the process to the specific requirements of the vines and their fruit.
Upon arrival at the winery, the carefully sorted grapes are destemmed, gently crushed, and placed into temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. A cold maceration, maintained below 10°C, is carried out for about a week. This gentle, natural process allows us to extract the fresh, vibrant aromas of the fruit.
A DELICATE EXTRACTION OF AROMA AND COLOR
Over the next three weeks, we alternate between gentle punch-downs and pump-overs. The fermenting must is drawn from the bottom of the vat and delicately poured over the cap of grape skins to keep it moist. This technique ensures optimal extraction of tannins, color, and aromatic compounds while preserving finesse. It is also during this time that alcoholic fermentation takes place.
Once this phase is complete, we move to the drainage stage: the free-run juice is separated from the pomace, which is then pressed using a pneumatic press. This delicate pressing yields a juice rich in both aromas and tannins. The two juices are then blended in precise proportions before being transferred to stainless steel vats, where they await the natural onset of malolactic fermentation.
SELECTING THE CUVÉES
Once vinification is complete and malolactic fermentation has finished, the aging phase begins. At this stage, we identify the vats destined for our Astéria cuvée, as well as those for our other cuvées. This process is based on a detailed analysis of each vat, assessing the evolution of both analytical and sensory characteristics since their arrival at the winery and their potential to develop into something truly exceptional over time. Only the most promising vats are chosen for our rare cuvée, which represents less than 10% of our total production and is crafted only in the finest vintages.
BARREL AGING TO REFINE AND ENHANCE COMPLEXITY
The selected wines are racked, typically between January and February, transferring them from stainless steel vats to French oak barrels. Barrel aging is a crucial stage, refining the wine’s structure and enhancing its aromatic complexity. This process lasts between 12 and 24 months, always respecting the wine’s natural rhythm. Our cellar master conducts meticulous, barrel-by-barrel monitoring to track and manage every analytical parameter.
SUBTLE YET ESSENTIAL MICRO-BLENDS
For us, blending is the most pivotal moment in the creation of our wines. The final wine isn’t the result of a simple mix at the end of the process but a delicate symphony of micro-blends, crafted as the wine evolves. This approach, a hallmark of Château Latour-Monplaisir, requires a sharp eye and a sensitivity to every transformation, every nuance of aroma and texture. The winemaker who can capture these subtleties throughout the wine’s alchemical journey—without losing or diluting the richness of each juice—creates a wine that truly reflects the depth of the vintage.
WHERE INTUITION MEETS MASTERY
For the winemaker, each vat represents a world of its own, and the first blends—fleeting and delicate—already reveal the potential of each plot, guiding the creation of future masterpieces. These initial, almost imperceptible unions shape the wine's character long before the final blends are crafted.