Domaine Louis Latour, Grand Cru Corton Clos du Roi (Burgundy, France) 2009

 This is a great wine.  But that’s what you’d expect from a fabulous vintage, a superb locale (you think the king gets the second best plot in Corton?) and a conscientious and talented producer.  Although Latour is one of the region’s most prominent négociants, this wine comes exclusively from estate-owned plots they purchased over 100 years ago.  Tightly wound at this stage, its succulence and richness takes time to unfold in the glass.  But succulent and rich it is.  It has a lovely firmness and structure to support its generous core of plump dark fruit.  Those who believe (mistakenly) that Latour’s reds lack substance need only to sample this wine. Expect on cellaring it for a decade or so.