Yale Bulletin and Calendar

March 17, 2000Volume 28, Number 24



During his talk at Jonathan Edwards College, Louis Latour spoke about how his family-owned business has established vineyards in various regions of France to ensure its success in an increasingly competitive market.



Noted businessman talks about the world of wine

If they want to maintain their continued success, French wine makers must stay attuned to changes in both their customers and their competitors, said Louis Paul Latour, president and general director of Maison Louis Latour, during a recent talk on campus.

Rivaling the House of Bourbon in longevity, Latour's family has been making and selling wine from the Burgundy region of France for over two centuries. Their customers have included royalty and national dignitaries, as well as some of the world's finest restaurants. Latour was the sixth "Louis" to head the company until recently, when he passed the scepter to his son, Louis VII.

The elder Latour, whose academic background is in political science, spoke to a spill-over crowd at a master's tea on March 1 in Jonathan Edwards College. While here, he conducted research at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library for a history of wine that he is writing.

"If France wants to survive in the wine world," Latour told his audience, "we have to do something."

One of the things the Latours are doing to ensure that they retain their command of the market is expanding their growing region, he explained. Faced with competition from all over the world, and a demand for their product that threatens to outpace its production capacity, the Latours have gone beyond the narrow strip of central France synonymous with the finest Burgundy wines to try developing their vineyards in other regions. They have already started to cultivate Chardonney (considered, with its almost identical twin, pinot noir, to be the quintessence of Burgundy wine) in the Ardèche, halfway between Burgundy and the Cote d'Azure.

Noting that it is more "climate than soil" that determines a region's suitability to cultivate the desired grapes, Latour predicted that "50 years from now there will be pinot noir from elsewhere" outside France.

While his family's business is ancient, Latour's approach to the wine business is cutting-edge, and he is well-versed in everything from the latest scientific advances in viticulture to the advantages of marketing via email. In fact, he noted, Maison Latour has its own website -- at www.louislatour.com.

On another issue -- the debate over the use of sulfites in wine making -- Latour is a traditionalist, however. For centuries, wine makers have been adding these naturally occurring forms of sulfur to their products to prevent microbial growth and keep their products from deteriorating too rapidly. Because some individuals have extreme allergic reactions to sulfites, including severe headaches, there has been an increased interest in organic wines created without sulfites. Latour defended the use of sulfites, saying, "There wouldn't be any wine industry without sulfur." In fact, he contended, the introduction of sulfite use in the 15th century actually helped improve the process of wine making.

Latour also deflated some of the myths and offered insights into the production of wine and wine consumption. These included:

* "It makes no sense to let wine breathe in the bottle," he announced. With Yale scientist and Jonathan Edwards College master Gary Haller at his side to provide the chemical analysis, Latour offered this counter advice: "Pour the wine into a glass and turn it around in your hand before tasting." At a certain moment in this process, he said, "suddenly the bouquet appears." This is the very moment that the true connoisseur of great wine waits for, he noted. "It's very important to have that moment of perfection," he said, inhaling deeply.

* The color of a wine does not come from the flesh of the grape, but from its skin, he said. Champagne, for example, is made from red grapes, but the skin is removed early in the wine making process, he explained.

* It is true that red wine is more likely to produce a headache than white white, said Latour, noting this is related to the more complex chemistry of red grapes.

In his final comments, Latour came down hard on wine "critics" whose judgments often dictate who drinks what. "If you don't like a Chateau Margaux," he advised, "spit it out."

-- By Dorie Baker


T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S

Yale study shows cocaine vaccine is safe, effective

Film echoes voices from Yale's Holocaust archive

Student scholars win prestigious honors

Psychiatrist shares her stories with children throughout the world

Endowed Professorships

Professors and former trustee are honored by Phi Beta Kappa

'High priest' of political writers is next Poynter Fellow

Graduating actors to perform in 'Richard III'

Storytellers to spin yarns from around the world at festival

Better pest controls may result from researchers' discovery

Noted businessman talks about the world of wine

Changed procedures would make for a more effective international court, judge contends

MEDICAL SCHOOL NEWS

Former Yale treasurer and attorney John E. Ecklund dies

Yale's Slater keeps St. Patrick's Day parade moving smoothly

Exhibit features artist's series of biblical images

Conference to explore 'Rebuilding Societies in Transition'

Scholar describes Canada's difficult 'balancing act'

Colloquium will aid those who are interested in establishing language-study centers

Yale SOM event will focus on strategies for the 'new economy'

Memorial service is scheduled for noted geologist Karl Waage

Renewable energy is topic of conference

Campus Notes

Yale Scoreboard

In the News


Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus| Calendar of Events|Bulletin Board

Classified Ads|Search Archives|Production Schedule|Bulletin Staff

Public Affairs Home|News Releases| E-Mail Us|Yale Home Page