More stuff I can't afford -- Big, French, and White edition

Over the weekend, I had the distinct opportunity to pour some amazing, no wait, AMAZING white Burgundies to several hundred of Connecticut's wine industry "players" (and player-haters) at the Mohegan Sun casino. Before CT's who's who of wine got into the tasting, I just may have had a few sips myself. Since most of us will never acquire a bottle of this stuff, let me allow y'all to live vicariously...



Louis Latour has been in the wine business for over 200 years. They are members of the elite club of Henokiens, a club of about 30 other companies who, as leaders in their respective fields, have been run by the same family for at least 200 years and still retain the name of their founder. One must admit, that this is pretty cool; most companies would've sold out to a huge conglomerate by now. Father and son, father and son, besides the family business, a true passion for the art of winemaking is passed down.
This passion is evident in Corton Charlemagne.
Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne 2004 ($$$$) offers a nose of green apple, cooking spices, and exotic tropical fruits followed by a full bodied flavor and a powerful, dramatic finish. The 2004 vintage will not be one of the extremely sought-after wines at future auctions. Do not, however, believe for one second that this limits this wine. The taste and mouthfeel of this wine are like a song that you hear, that sticks with you and haunts you until you finally find it in the import bin at a specialty record store. It was something I will never forget.
Hopefully, that description intrigued you. If it did, and you have a proper cellar (sorry New Haven apartment dwellers -- myself included), than this wine is for you. Please, please, please do NOT stop there -- pick up a bottle of Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne 2005 ($$$$$) as well. It shows signs of age-ability (there must be a correct spelling for that word) for at least the next 10 to 15 years (Latour says upwards of 20 years for this one). This wine is a masterpiece that will fetch hundreds, if not thousands in future auctions. Roasted nuts and smokehouse aromas are matched by buttercream and vanilla on the nose complemented by mango and banana, quite a jump from the '04 vintage. The taste was a bit "green" for me, but I can only imagine what this wine will be like after decent aging in a proper (read: out of my financial reach) cellar. This wine currently retails for around $150, well out of my reach, but if you can afford it, this makes a wonderful addition to any cellar, or the ultimate gift to any wine collector. Have a boss or client who knows more about wine than the rest of us? This is your "in".

For the rest of us, I offer up two Ardeche Chardonnays well within our budgets.
Louis Latour Chardonnay d'Ardeche ($) and Louis Latour Chardonnay Grand Ardeche ($) are two fruit forward Chardonnays that should be purchased together. Both bottles can be had for around $20. The Ardeche is aged in stainless steel, while the Grand Ardeche is aged in French Oak. I recommend purchasing both because even a novice can pick out the differences in the two aging techniques. This makes a fun experiment for yourself, or a great evening amongst friends (read: fellow winos).