This auction lot is comprised of six 750 ml bottles of 2007 Louis Latour "Duet" Chardonnay-Viognier.

Following the success of Maison Louis Latour's Ardèche and Grand Ardèche Chardonnays, the winemaking team has created a third wine from the region, Duet Chardonnay-Viognier. The Viognier grape was a natural choice for the Ardèche as it originated in Condrieu, in the north of the Côtes du Rhône, a neighboring wine region to the Ardèche. After several years of experimenting with many different blends of finished Chardonnay and Viognier wines that resulted in blends which lacked harmony, Maison Latour took the project in a ground-breaking new direction. With special permission from the INAO, the body of the French government that controls winemaking practices, the two grape varietals are combined after harvesting and fermented together in the same vat. This can be done only in the Ardèche because the vineyards are located just far enough north and south so that the final week of the Chardonnay harvest perfectly coincides with the first week of the Viognier harvest. Because the Viognier is at an early stage of ripeness, the acidity is preserved, resulting in a balanced wine showing off the best characteristics of both varietals, with neither overpowering the other. The wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel. Duet is released the spring following the vintage, so that the wine's bright and refreshing fruit character can be enjoyed.  Fresh citrus aromas and soft notes of apricot and peach combine to create a delicate, supple, and refreshing wine.