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La Tour Melas

Ripe blackberry and dark fruits go head to head in a graphite-scented bouquet that is an absolute beauty. 

La Tour Melas 2020

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Tasting Notes

The 2020 La Tour Melas offers nuance, depth, and great persistence. It is a wine of perfect harmony, with deep flavors and elegant layers that are apparent even from a young age.

Intense aromas of cassis and licorice intermingle with savory notes of sage and thyme; the 2020 continues to unfold as notes of dark chocolate, graphite and fresh tobacco mingle with the fresh fruit. Precise and dense, the wine shows supple tannin that play with flavors of black berry, dark chocolate and eucalyptus. The seduction/harmony continues with a perfect balance of fresh acidity followed by bright fruit and creamy at the finish that portends unparalleled aging potential.

Soil

Clay and limestone. Organic and biodynamic farming
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Blend

60% Cabernet Franc / 40% Merlot

Yield

30hl/ha

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping, intra-parcellation
  • The different micro-lots ferment in open top barrels with wild yeasts
  • Malolactic fermentation in barrels
  • No finning, no filtration, total sulphites <80mg/l

Decanter World Wine Award 2014

Silver for La Tour Melas 2011

Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2013

Bronze for La Tour Melas 2010

China Wine and Spirits Awards, Best Value, 2014

Gold Medal for La Tour Melas 2011

Sommelier Wine Awards 2013

Silver for La Tour Melas 2008

Sommelier Wine Awards 2013

Silver for La Tour Melas 2010

International Wine & Spirit Competition 2013

Bronze for La Tour Melas 2010

WHERE TO BUY
Discover The Vintages
2019

La Tour Melas 2019

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Tasting Notes

Deep ruby in color. The floral dominated nose accompanied by dark cherries, boysenberry, and dark cocoa. On the palette elegance and power are in balance, full bodied, fresh, and rich with velvet tannins and a long finish filled with layers of black berries and spicy flavors. This wine could be aged for at least 10 years before popping a cork.

Soil

Clay and limestone. Organic farming
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Blend

65% Cabernet Franc / 35% Merlot

Yield

30 hl/ha

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping, intra-parcellation
  • The different micro-lots ferment in open top barrels with wild yeasts
  • Malolactic fermentation in barrels
  • No finning, no filtration, total sulphites <100mg/l
2017

La Tour Melas 2017

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Tasting Notes

Intense nose of black fruits with notes of eucalyptus and violets, here again the Cabernet Franc excels with its purity. Tension and structure give exceptional freshness and length to the wine. The abundant but refined tannins and the high level of savoury fruit bound together in a velvety and deep structure.

Soil

Clay and limestone. Organic farming

Total precipitation

550 mm (considered sparse) mainly during spring and early summer

Age of vines

5-17 years
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Blend

60% Cabernet Franc / 40% Merlot

Yield

30 to 38hL/ha

Date of picking

Merlot: 09 - 20/08/17 - Cabernet Franc 17/08 - 13/09/17

Bottle sizes

75cL and 150cL

Bottled

4800 bottles 75cL - 180 bottles 150cL

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping, intra-parcellation
  • The different micro-lots ferment in open top barrels with wild yeasts
  • Malolactic fermentation in barrels
  • No finning, no filtration, total sulphites <100mg/l

Ageing

22 months in 225L barrels, 100% french oak, 70% new oak
2016

La Tour Melas 2016

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Tasting Notes

Very deep ruby color, with black reflections and an intense brightness. Intense nose, first with the freshness of cedar, eucalyptus and vanilla, then with notes of white chocolate and mocha, blending with liquorice and kirsch flavors. At first, full medium bodied, that carries on with fleshy and powerful sensation. Acidity is well balanced, with signs of ripped tannins and flavors. Finally, long aftertaste of molasses and cherry. Oak is still very pronounced, but will transform to complexity with age.

Soil

Clay and limestone

Total precipitation

401 mm. A lot of snow during winter. Cool summer

Age of vines

4-16 years
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Blend

60% Cabernet Franc / 40% Merlot

Yield

35 hl/ha

Date of picking

Merlot: 08-19/08/16 - Cabernet: 21-13/08/16

Bottle sizes

75cl and 150cl

Bottled

5100 bottles - 260 magnums

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping, intraparcellation
  • Separate vinification of the different grapes and with wild yeast
  • Oak vinification 90%
  • Malolactic fermentation in barrels
  • No filtered, no finned, total sulphites <100mg/l

Ageing

20 months in 225 ltr barrels, 70% new
2015

La Tour Melas 2015

Soil

Clay and limestone

Total precipitation

857 mm. Rains during harvest

Age of vines

6-15 years
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Blend

56% Cabernet Franc / 44% Merlot

Yield

43 hl/ha

Date of picking

Merlot: 18-27/08/15 - Cabernet: 01-27/09/15

Bottled

4600 bottles - 260 magnums

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping, intraparcellation
  • Separate vinification of the different grapes and with wild yeast
  • Oak vinification 70%
  • Malolactic fermentation in barrels
  • No filtered, no finned, total sulphites <100mg/l

Ageing

19 to 21 months in 225 ltr barrels, 75% new
2014

La Tour Melas 2014

Soil

Clay and limestone

Total precipitation

511 mm. Rains on during harvest

Age of vines

5-14 years
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Blend

53% Cabernet Franc / 47% Merlot

Yield

40 hl/ha

Date of picking

Merlot: 17-28/08/14 - Cabernet: 1-25/09/14

Bottled

4070 bottles - 250 magnums

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping, intraparcellation
  • Separate vinification of the different grapes and with wild yeast
  • Oak vinification 50%
  • Malolactic fermentation in barrels
  • No filtered, no finned, total sulphites <100mg/l

Ageing

20 to 22 months in 225 ltr barrels, 90% new
2013

La Tour Melas 2013

Soil

Clay and limestone

Total precipitation

666 mm

Age of vines

6-13 years
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Blend

54% Cabernet Franc / 46% Merlot

Yield

30 hl/ha

Date of picking

Merlot: 03-15/08/13 - Cabernet: 20-29/08/13

Bottled

4050 bottles

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping
  • Destemming by hand
  • Separate vinification of the different grapes with wild yeast
  • Oak vinification 40%
  • Malolactic fermentation in barrels
  • No filtered, no finned, total sulphites <100mg/l

Ageing

21 months in 225 ltr barrels
2012

La Tour Melas 2012

Soil

Clay and limestone

Total precipitation

969 mm July and August very hot (>45oC) and dry. Flowery period very rainy

Age of vines

5-12 years
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Blend

58% Cabernet Franc / 42% Merlot

Yield

28 hl/ha

Date of picking

Merlot: 09-23/08/12 - Cabernet: 24-29/08/12

Bottled

4600 bottles - 280 magnums

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping
  • Destemming by hand
  • Separate vinification of the different grapes with wild yeast
  • Oak vinification 10%
  • Malolactic fermentation in barrels
  • No filtered, no finned, total sulphites <100mg/l

Ageing

24 months in 225 ltr barrels
2011

La Tour Melas 2011

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Tasting Notes

Very deep ruby color, with black reflections and an intense brightness. Intense nose, first with the freshness of cedar, eucalyptus and vanilla, then with notes of white chocolate and mocha, blending with liquorice and kirsch flavors. At first, full medium bodied, that carries on with fleshy and powerful sensation. Acidity is well balanced, with signs of ripped tannins and flavors. Finally, long aftertaste of molasses and cherry. Oak is still very pronounced, but will transform to complexity with age.

Soil

Clay and limestone

Total precipitation

900 mm

Age of vines

6-11 years
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Blend

52% Cabernet Franc / 48% Merlot

Yield

38 hl/ha

Date of picking

Merlot: 28/08/11-07/09/11 - Cabernet: 14/09-18/09/11

Bottled

4700 bottles - 100 magnums

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping
  • Destemming by hand
  • Separate vinification of the different grapes with wild yeast in inox vat
  • No filtered, no finned

Ageing

16 to 20 months for Merlot, 23 months for Cabernet Franc in 225 ltr barrels
2010

La Tour Melas 2010

Soil

Clay and limestone

Total precipitation

879 mm

Age of vines

5-10 years
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Blend

35% Cabernet Franc / 65% Merlot

Yield

30 hl/ha

Date of picking

Merlot: 12-17/08/2010 - Cabernet: 28/08-01/09/2010

Bottled

4800 bottles

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping
  • Destemming by hand
  • Separate vinification of the different grapes with wild yeast in inox vat
  • No filtered, no finned

Ageing

18 months for Merlot, 20 for Cab in 225 ltr barrels + 2 months in inox vat
2008

La Tour Melas 2008

Soil

Clay and limestone

Total precipitation

538 mm

Age of vines

4-8 years
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Blend

46% Cabernet Franc / 54% Merlot

Yield

35 hl/ha

Date of picking

Merlot: 12-16/08/2008 - Cabernet: 2-7/09/2008

Bottled

3900 bottles

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping
  • Destemming by hand
  • Separate vinification of the different grapes with wild yeast in inox vat
  • No filtered, no finned

Ageing

19 months in 225 ltr barrels + 2 months in inox vat
2007

La Tour Melas 2007

Soil

Clay and limestone

Total precipitation

697 mm

Age of vines

7 years
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Blend

40% Cabernet Franc / 60% Merlot

Yield

35 hl/ha

Date of picking

Merlot:19-22/08/07 - Cabernet: 5/09/07

Bottled

3000 bottles

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping
  • Destemming by hand
  • Separate vinification of the different grapes with wild yeast in inox vat
  • No filtered, no finned

Ageing

20 months in 225 ltr barrels + 4 months in inox vat
2006

La Tour Melas 2006

Soil

Clay and limestone

Age of vines

6 years
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Blend

60% Cabernet Franc / 40% Merlot

Yield

30 hl/ha

Date of picking

Merlot: 10-12/08/06 - Cabernet: 25/08/06

Bottled

1500 bottles

Wine-making

  • Hand cropping
  • Destemming by hand
  • Separate vinification of the different grapes with wild yeast in inox vat
  • No filtered, no finned

Ageing

18 months in 225 liters oak barrels