Francois Labet

COUNTRY: France
REGION: Corsica
APPELLATION: IGP Ile de Beaute

Maison Francois Labet is a negociant for several small domaines and châteaux in Burgundy as well as producing many of its own AOC wines from Burgundy and Rhone under their own label. Francois Labet's views differ from some of his winemaking colleagues and he wears two separate hats. - one for Château de La Tour - Clos de Vougeot and the other for Domaine Pierre & Francois Labet which is based mostly around Beaune where he also directs the winegrowing and commercial activities of his family's property. 

Château de la Tour was built in 1890 by the ancestors of the current owners, the Labet and D'Achelette families, who trace their roots in wine back to the end of the 15th century. Chateau de La Tour is one of the largest and most important producers in Clos de Vougeot. The domaine itself is located right in the vineyard on the northern side of the Clos de Vougeot, with holdings of six hectares of old vines in Clos de Vougeot from which the Vougeot and a Vieilles Vignes are made (the latter hailing from vines between eighty and one hundred years of age). 

The domaine is one of the few owners in the Clos de Vougeot that continue to practice organic viticulture. Francois has been organic since 1992 and has encouraged the growth of natural grasses between the vines to compete with the vines.