Wine Advocate (100)

1982 was a great vintage—relatively warm and prolific, producing wines of richness and depth. The 1982 Latour has a medium garnet-brick color and then pow!—it belts out powerful notes of star anise, dried roses, sandalwood and new leather with a core of kirsch, blackberry tart, dried mulberries and blackcurrant pastilles. Full-bodied, rich and spicy with bags of fruit and tons of savory fireworks, it finishes with epic persistence.

Wine Spectator (98)

Shows the ultraripe, exotic notes characteristic of the vintage, with roasted plum, tobacco and spicy flavors. It's beginning to evolve, but needs until 2000 to really come together.--Latour vertical.

Wine Spectator (90)

Outstanding quality from a weak year. Good darkruby color. Intense aromas of chocolate, berry andcedar. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and a longfinish. Starting to show some bottle bouquet, butgood backbone and firmness. Textbook Latour from adifficult vintage.--Latour vertical. Best after 2004. -JS

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2005 Latour was mind-blowingly profound in two recent tastings for this report. Deep and sensual to the core, the 2005 is utterly captivating. All the elements are so seamlessly put together. Graphite, crème de cassis, licorice, dark spice and lavender infuse the 2005 with so much energy. More than anything else, though, the 2005 is a Latour of texture and resonance. Even after several hours, the 2005 is fresh and full of energy. Wines like this are just life affirming. That's about all I can really say. Tasted two times.

Jancis Robinson (18.5)

Dark core with a wide, soft brick rim. Intense, fragrant, dark-red fruit. Savoury and almost dusty in a rocky minerality. Even a sour note on the palate, more elderberry than blackcurrant, tight and long. The tannins are very very fine, paper-fine and there’s terrific freshness in a more austere, dark style yet with a scented supple finish.

Vinous - Neal Martin (100)

The 2010 Latour can be summed up in two words: “The king.” It convincingly asserts its superiority over other 2010s, including First Growths, in terms of its aromatic complexity, precision, balance, intensity, complexity and persistence. Simply a faultless Latour that ranks among its greatest achievements. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting.

James Suckling (94)

Aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate and cedar yet bright and fragrant. Full body yet tight and polished. It starts off and then slowly grows on the palate with wonderful dimension of complexity and polished tannins. Better in 2022 but already so impressive.

James Suckling (99)

So much violets, licorice, pencil, flowers and currants define this on the nose before it moves to fresh mushrooms. It’s full-bodied yet compacted with tension and a compressed center palate. Incredible, fine-grained tannins and energy. The length is truly great. Should be even more beautiful in 2024. Give it time.

The Wine Cellar Insider (99)

Truffles, mint-leaf, blue fruits, blackberries, and currants pair with nuances of spice, smoke, leather, and cedar. Full-bodied, rich, and intense, there is a wealth of perfectly, ripe, creamy, opulent, sweet fruits that hold your interest, while expanding for over 50 seconds. There is length, opulence, balance, and flamboyance, along with vibrancy and refinement. Drink from 2025-2060

James Suckling (99)

Ripe and very powerful aromas of black licorice, currants and violets. Full-bodied, dense and flavorful with lots of very new, flashy wood. Sexy and gorgeous. Round and polished tannins. Superb wine for the vintage.

The Latour a Pomerol 1988 is a prime example of viticultural excellence. Crafted in the esteemed Pomerol appellation on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, it truly embodies the terroir's distinctive character. This Merlot-dominated blend is richly complex and mature, boasting concentrated flavours of perfectly ripened dark fruits, truffle essence, and well-integrated oak.

The producer, Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix, is renowned for meticulously harnessing the potential of each vineyard parcel during fermentation. Using traditional open-top oak vats, a careful assemblage of the separate lots ensures an ultimate expression of the vine's unique characteristics in the final blend.

The Latour a Pomerol 1988 delivers a formidable ageing potential that adds depth and nuance as the years go by, offering a captivating sipping experience for the discerning wine aficionado. This bottle truly symbolises the distinguished reputation of Pomerol wines.

James Suckling (98-99)

This is a young red with great intensity and vision that starts off slowly and builds with energy and verve. It’s so minerally with salty, chalky and spice undertones to the cool and vibrant, purple and subtle-fruit flavors. The tannins are wonderfully toned and polished and build on the palate to deliver something very special.

Vinous - Neal Martin (89)

The 1999 Le Petit Cheval has quite a high-toned, iodine-tinged bouquet with more blue fruit than expected. The palate has a fine grip and good backbone, and features cedar- and graphite-infused black fruit. I admire the density here. Impressive for a 20-year-old second wine, with a touch of clove and allspice toward the finish. Perfect to pop the cork now – and this is, dare I say, just about as good as the Grand Vin! Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the estate.

James Suckling (91)

This is well done for the second wine of Cheval with orange peel and chocolate with hints of hazelnut. Full to medium body, with fine tannins and a lovely finish. This is the first year that the wines of Cheval were made parcel by parcel in the new winery.

James Suckling (97-98)

This is very, very layered with gorgeous fruit and velvety tannins. Hints of chocolate. Full-bodied and chewy with soft, fine tannins. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. Gorgeous second wine.

Wine Spectator (96)

Distinctive, with a flash of menthol giving way to a beam of lightly mulled raspberry fruit that carries on through the finish, easily holding sway over the hints of bramble, licorice snap and warm plum compote. Just a touch sedate in feel, perhaps, but if you were a wine with this kind of fruit to burn, wouldn't you just kick back and let it groove too?—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2030. 500 cases made. — JM

Wine Spectator (98)

A river of ganache-coated raspberry pâte de fruit flavors courses through this version, flecked liberally with anise notes and underscored by warm earth accents. Shows terrific concentration for the vintage, brimming with energy as the fruit cascades through a sweet, tobacco-accented finish that is ridiculously long. This transcends the general vintage profile, delivering extra depth and drive to the fruit. A tannic spine matches the fresh acidity.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (99)

An explosion of fruit and exotic spice, as is so often the case with this wine. I am tasting this at a relatively cold temperature and yet still the tannins are silky, creamy and supple, extremely impressive. As it opens, campfire smoke, hints of petrol and passion fruit, nuanced black truffle, rosemary, blueberry and black cherry fruits. This is perfumed and envelops the palate, coming in waves, just a brilliant Le Pin. 100% new oak

James Suckling (100)

The complexity of the wine shows incredible aromas of perfectly ripe tannins and fresh flowers such as lavender and rose stem. Mineral. Stone. Hints of wet earth and fresh bark. Subtle and complete. So much incredible character. Concentrated center palate. Weightless at the end. Perfect wine. You want to drink the bottle but it will age for decades.

James Suckling (98-99)

This has a firm, seamless and velvety tannin structure, accompanying a deep core of dark plum fruit, peach stones, chocolate and mahogany. Layered and caressing. Supple, yet full and powerful. Silky and smooth at the end. It shows real structure for the vintage and will age really well. 100% merlot.

James Suckling (99-100)

A classical Lafite that reminds me of something like the 1986, with its blackcurrant and tobacco character with cedar and hazelnut, but it's so today with its purity and precision. It's really about being Lafite here. Terroir gives great elegance with strength.

James Suckling (99-100)

Shows the exotic nature of Le Pin with blackberries, milk chocolate and hints of spices, as well as coffee beans from the ripe seeds in the grapes. It's medium-bodied with focused and creamy tannins. Also plenty of nectarine and clementine character. This is so classic Le Pin at the finish. It lasts for minutes in your mouth. Silky and flavorful. 100% merlot magic.

As an expert connoisseur, one finds few wines as exquisite as the le Puy Retour des Iles 2018. This French beauty is a product of Château le Puy, a renowned winery in Bordeaux that has been honing its winemaking craft for over 400 years. Distinguishing itself with its biodynamic cultivation, this wine mirrors the estate's unique terroir.

Hand-harvested and aged in oak barrels, the le Puy Retour des Iles 2018 is a blend of Merlot, Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon, providing it a vibrant and complex structure. Infused with incredible notes of red and black fruits, a touch of spices, and a hint of vanilla, this wine flows onto your palate with velvety tannins and impressive length.

This particular vintage saw exceptional weather conditions, therefore the le Puy Retour des Iles 2018 stood out for its superb aromatics and refreshing acidity. Bring sophistication and depth to your collection with this masterfully crafted red.

Unveiling the grandeur of French heritage, le Puy Retour des Iles 2019 is a distinct representation of the renowned Château le Puy. The wine is a splendid yet complex expression of the Bordeaux region. A fine embodiment of biodynamic farming, this ruby-hued beauty is grown on a rocky plateau east of Saint-Émilion, showcasing nature at its finest. The production echoes centuries-old tradition, respecting the rhythm of the cosmos, recognised worldwide for its sustainability and integrity.

Hand-picked grapes undergo a meticulous fermentation process, marrying modern technology with time-tested methods. Expect a harmonious blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carménère. Adorned with an aromatic profile of red berries, plum, and earthy undernotes, the le Puy Retour des Iles 2019 dances on the palate with a perfect balance of intensity and elegance. Luxuriate in the lingering finish, capturing the essence of its provenance. An exemplar of French viticulture, le Puy Retour des Iles 2019 is a bottled testament to sophistication and purity.

Wine Advocate (95+)

I have had perfect bottles of this cuvee, but, perplexingly, the bottles from my cellar tend to be broodingly backward and require plenty of coaxing. This huge wine is, in many ways, just as massive as Leoville Barton, but it possesses a greater degree of elegance as well as unreal concentration. Classic lead pencil, cassis, kirsch, cedar, and spice characteristics are abundant in both the nose and full-bodied flavors. The tannins are still there, and, at least from my cellar, this 1982 does not appear to have changed much in the last 10-12 years. One wonders how much patience admirers of this brilliant St.-Julien will continue to exhibit. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050. Release price: ($160.00/case)