Latour
About Château Latour
Latour has, in many ways, always been the most forward-thinking and disruptive First Growth, ever since its original rise to prominence under the Ségur family in the 18th century. Its decision not to participate in En Primeur had a rippling effect throughout the fine wine world, and whilst it has not precipitated a broader move away from the system by other estates, the vast majority of Bordelais properties have certainly reduced the amount of their wine offered in this way choosing to hold back stock to be released upon maturity. A sign of Latour's influence upon the entire region.
The Vineyard and the Wine
There is an ancient Médoc saying - to make great wine, you must be able to see the water. No other First Growth is closer to the Gironde's estuary than this imposing estate, contributing to simply extraordinary terroir which means that Latour has an enviable (and uncanny) ability to produce outstanding wine in difficult years. In favourable years, the vineyard soaks up extra heat reflected from the water's surface. In unpleasant years, the property is protected from extremes by the moderating effect of the estuary's regulatory benefits.
This dream terroir allows the winemaking team to focus on a variety of aspects of viticulture safe in the knowledge that nature will see them through the worst - and focus they have! Ever the pioneers, Latour was one of the first châteaux to introduce cutting-edge processes such as satellite imaging of distinct plots, sensors assessing vine vigour and even wind-direction monitoring before the application of fully biodynamic treatments.
Château Latour has a distinctly high proportion of clay in the soil throughout its vineyard. Whilst unusual for Pauillac, it is, in fact, the very same clay upon which the vines of Château Pétrus are planted in Pomerol. Obviously found in far smaller quantities and dominated by glorious Left Bank gravel, the result of this composition is a wine of unfathomable texture, richness, concentration and spine-tingling freshness - for which Latour garnered the epithet "an iron fist in a velvet glove".
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£8,481.67 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)A hot, dry August produced very concentrated grapes in 1996. However, it turned a bit rainy in mid-September through early October, making the vintage less consistent on the Right Bank and in Graves. But as the weather turned glorious from early October on, it was an amazing year for later-harvested Cabernet in the Médoc. There was new ownership at Latour by this time, and a new vat room was completed just prior to the harvest this year. The 1996 Latour is medium to deep garnet in color with a profound earthy, meaty, gamey nose with hints of blueberry preserves, crème de cassis and pencil shavings. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and packed with muscular fruit, with a firm, ripe, grainy backbone and epically long finish. Showing much more youthfully than the 2000 tasted on the same day and still possessing bags of youthful fruit in the mid-palate, this beauty is going to go on and on! |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£4,179.64 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)A hot, dry August produced very concentrated grapes in 1996. However, it turned a bit rainy in mid-September through early October, making the vintage less consistent on the Right Bank and in Graves. But as the weather turned glorious from early October on, it was an amazing year for later-harvested Cabernet in the Médoc. There was new ownership at Latour by this time, and a new vat room was completed just prior to the harvest this year. The 1996 Latour is medium to deep garnet in color with a profound earthy, meaty, gamey nose with hints of blueberry preserves, crème de cassis and pencil shavings. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and packed with muscular fruit, with a firm, ripe, grainy backbone and epically long finish. Showing much more youthfully than the 2000 tasted on the same day and still possessing bags of youthful fruit in the mid-palate, this beauty is going to go on and on! |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. VAT
£12,576.07 |
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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. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. VAT
£1,041.20 |
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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. |
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|
Bordeaux | 3 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. VAT
£7,024.84 |
|||||
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. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. VAT
£2,619.62 |
|||||
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. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. VAT
£5,014.84 |
|||||
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. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 92 (WS) |
Inc. VAT
£3,448.87 |
|||||
Wine Spectator (92)Amazing aromas of crushed berries and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with wonderfully velvety tannins and a long, long finish. This wine has wonderful texture and length. What a second wine!--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008. -JS |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. VAT
£2,379.67 |
|||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)Open-knit yet deep and powerful, the 2005 Les Forts de Latour is striking today. The pedigree of the vintage comes through in spades. Expressive, perfumed aromatics meld into a core of supple, open-knit fruit in a mid-weight, impeccably balanced Forts de Latour. Hints of red fruit, iron, smoke and tobacco add lovely shades of nuance. Latour's President Frédéric Engerer adds that that 2005 was the easiest and most balanced growing season (including 2009 and 2010) he has seen because his team had the total flexibility of choosing when to harvest. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,418.47 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)A very complex nose of lavender, currants, spices, and hot stones. Full and dense on the palate, with a very tight structure. The tannins have a perfect polish to their density, and the finish is very intense, with wonderful fruit and truffle character. This turns almost decadent, with tremendous energy and a constantly changing profile. This is a very challenging wine to get to know, please leave this for at least ten years. Pull the cork in 2015. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99 (WA) |
In Bond
£7,036.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)A hot, dry August produced very concentrated grapes in 1996. However, it turned a bit rainy in mid-September through early October, making the vintage less consistent on the Right Bank and in Graves. But as the weather turned glorious from early October on, it was an amazing year for later-harvested Cabernet in the Médoc. There was new ownership at Latour by this time, and a new vat room was completed just prior to the harvest this year. The 1996 Latour is medium to deep garnet in color with a profound earthy, meaty, gamey nose with hints of blueberry preserves, crème de cassis and pencil shavings. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and packed with muscular fruit, with a firm, ripe, grainy backbone and epically long finish. Showing much more youthfully than the 2000 tasted on the same day and still possessing bags of youthful fruit in the mid-palate, this beauty is going to go on and on! |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99 (WA) |
In Bond
£3,467.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)A hot, dry August produced very concentrated grapes in 1996. However, it turned a bit rainy in mid-September through early October, making the vintage less consistent on the Right Bank and in Graves. But as the weather turned glorious from early October on, it was an amazing year for later-harvested Cabernet in the Médoc. There was new ownership at Latour by this time, and a new vat room was completed just prior to the harvest this year. The 1996 Latour is medium to deep garnet in color with a profound earthy, meaty, gamey nose with hints of blueberry preserves, crème de cassis and pencil shavings. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and packed with muscular fruit, with a firm, ripe, grainy backbone and epically long finish. Showing much more youthfully than the 2000 tasted on the same day and still possessing bags of youthful fruit in the mid-palate, this beauty is going to go on and on! |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
£10,448.00 |
|||||
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. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
£865.00 |
|||||
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. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 3 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
£5,838.00 |
|||||
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. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
£2,175.00 |
|||||
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. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
£4,163.00 |
|||||
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. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 92 (WS) |
In Bond
£2,842.00 |
|||||
Wine Spectator (92)Amazing aromas of crushed berries and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with wonderfully velvety tannins and a long, long finish. This wine has wonderful texture and length. What a second wine!--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008. -JS |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
£1,951.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)Open-knit yet deep and powerful, the 2005 Les Forts de Latour is striking today. The pedigree of the vintage comes through in spades. Expressive, perfumed aromatics meld into a core of supple, open-knit fruit in a mid-weight, impeccably balanced Forts de Latour. Hints of red fruit, iron, smoke and tobacco add lovely shades of nuance. Latour's President Frédéric Engerer adds that that 2005 was the easiest and most balanced growing season (including 2009 and 2010) he has seen because his team had the total flexibility of choosing when to harvest. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,150.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)A very complex nose of lavender, currants, spices, and hot stones. Full and dense on the palate, with a very tight structure. The tannins have a perfect polish to their density, and the finish is very intense, with wonderful fruit and truffle character. This turns almost decadent, with tremendous energy and a constantly changing profile. This is a very challenging wine to get to know, please leave this for at least ten years. Pull the cork in 2015. |