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Louis Latour的大名無人不知，葡萄園遍佈整個布根地，更早於1979年便在隆河谷一帶生產品質優異的白酒。不錯，是白酒，是一款足以擊敗很多布根地白酒的Grand Ardeche Chardonnay，《蘇富比葡萄酒百科全書-》如是說：「這豐厚而優良的Chardonnay令很多昂貴的木桶陳化布根地酒感到慚愧！」（Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia: "This rich and classy Chardonnay puts many far more expensive oak-aged Burgundies to shame."）

Louis Latour生產兩款隆河谷Chardonnay，包括Ardeche和高一級的Grand Ardeche。我於去年喝過兩次1998年份Grand Ardeche，當時已覺此酒物超所值，憑小弟微末的道行，以往不時買了很多貴而不好喝的布根地白酒。與這些名不符實的布根地相比，Grand Ardeche真的出眾，但說令人慚愧卻是言重了！而踏入2001年，我也先後喝過三次1999的Grand Ardeche，質素同樣令人滿意，只有一次在珠海泡溫泉時喝，因過度冰鎮而失去應有的果香，是人為錯誤，非酒之罪。

Grand Ardeche帶有誘人的鳳梨、檸檬和乾果香，口感屬中度豐厚，但有很滑的奶油味和有熱帶水果味，有新世界Chardonnay的豐腴，但也有很平衡的果酸，令人舒暢而不膩，餘韻令人滿意，口腔內留有陣陣的果仁味。總概來說，Grand Ardeche是很穩定的產品，又是一支非常物超所值的白酒，香港Remy只售$100港元左右。試想在高酒稅的香港，以$100元能買到優質布根地白酒嗎？答案顯然而見。還是回說酒，否則我又禁不住炮擊香港政府是井底之蛙，幼稚得以為用防空洞做酒窖，便可帶動香港的葡萄酒貿易，簡直妙想天開！

Vin de Pays des Coteaux de l'Ardeche是其法定產區，才疏學淺的我從未聽過Ardeche這個產區，也不知他在那裡，翻查Louis Latour的網頁，才知這個Coteaux de l'Ardeche原來位於法國南部的隆河谷的西面，Louis Latour更是首個將Chardonnay引入Ardeche的酒商。這裡炎熱的天氣和土壤與布根地很相似，能夠種稙出很成熟的葡萄，而釀造Grand Ardeche的葡萄更是經過精挑細選，利用乳酸發酵，並在木桶內至少陳化12個月。酒莊視Grand Ardeche的質素等同Cote-d’Or 的Grand Cru。而很多評酒人都十分讚賞Grand Ardeche。酒莊網頁指1996, 1997, 1998 的Grand Ardeche 現時已達適飲期，但仍有1至3年的陳年潛質。

Louis Latour的試酒筆記
Grand Ardeche 1998 tasted April 11th 2000
The rich lemon gold hue invites you to sniff the ripe open nose of fresh tropical and citrus fruit aromas with integrated smoky vanilla oak flavours. In the mouth, a warm creamy texture coats the mouth with layers of ripe fruit balanced by freshness and a long smooth finish.

GUIDE HACHETTE 2001 - The French Wine Bible
Grand Ardeche Chardonnay 1998**
The negociant house of Louis Latour was founded in Beaune, Burgundy in 1797. It began making wines in the Ardèche in 1979, and they have been consistently successful. The richly hued Chardonnay 98 has golden highlights, and a powerful vanilla and mineral nose. On the palate, it is balanced and full-bodied, and has some of the class of a far grander wine.

1995世界侍酒師比賽冠軍Mr Tasaki Shinya
The colour is pure lemon gold, with a warm viscous appearance. The nose is peachy with intense honeyed fruits and a toasty nutty oak complexity. On the palate it is rich and fruity with balanced acidity and a long fresh finish.

The Wine Magazine (UK)
Grand Ardèche 1996　　87 points
Another wine from Louis Latour, from an equally classic Burgundian grape, Chardonnay. Nice soft fruity apple flavours. A pleasantly floral nose while the palate is almost sweet with a soft texture.


The Wine Enthusiast
Grand Ardeche 1996
Bright pale golden cast. Moderately full-bodied. Full acidity. Highly extracted. Moderatly oaked. Vanilla, smoke, yeast. Quite aromatic, with a toasty oak accent and yeasty flavors throughout. Full and rich, yet crisp through the finish. 87 points Bright pale golden cast. Moderately full-bodied. Full acidity. Highly extracted. Moderately oaked. Vanilla, smoke, yeast. Quite aromatic, with a toasty oak accent and yeasty flavors throuthout. Full and rich, yet crisp through the finish.

Decanter
Grand Ardeche 1995
Recommended "Vegetal, complexing voluptuous, honeyed and ripe on the nose. Rich, ripe and vegetal again on the palate with a little vanilla of new oak and backing acidity"