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".
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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.Inc. VAT£12,576.07 -
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.Inc. VAT£1,041.20 -
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.Inc. VAT£7,000.84 -
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.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.Inc. VAT£5,014.84 -
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 2025-2060Inc. VAT£1,266.41 -
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 2025-2060Inc. VAT£699.80 -
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 2025-2060Inc. VAT£1,788.62 -
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 2025-2060Inc. VAT£3,969.64 -
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.Inc. VAT£2,308.87 -
James Suckling (95)
Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.Inc. VAT£611.21 -
James Suckling (95)
Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.Inc. VAT£371.60 -
James Suckling (95)
Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.Inc. VAT£1,187.44 -
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.Inc. VAT£1,418.47 -
Wine Advocate (91)
The 2015 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour is a blend of 54.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.7% Merlot and 4.1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass at a fantastic clip, delivering wonderfully fragrant notes of baked blackberries, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly with hints of licorice, red roses and cigar box. Medium-bodied, generously fruited, open-knit and tantalizingly drinkable right now, the palate is chock-full of expressive red and black fruits, featuring approachable, ripe, soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with compelling purity. Very impressive showing!Inc. VAT£1,098.07
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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.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.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.In Bond£5,818.00 -
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.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.In Bond£4,163.00 -
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 2025-2060In Bond£1,050.00 -
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 2025-2060In Bond£580.50 -
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 2025-2060In Bond£1,482.50 -
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 2025-2060In Bond£3,292.00 -
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.In Bond£1,892.00 -
James Suckling (95)
Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.In Bond£504.00 -
James Suckling (95)
Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.In Bond£307.00 -
James Suckling (95)
Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.In Bond£973.50 -
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.In Bond£1,150.00 -
Wine Advocate (91)
The 2015 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour is a blend of 54.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.7% Merlot and 4.1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass at a fantastic clip, delivering wonderfully fragrant notes of baked blackberries, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly with hints of licorice, red roses and cigar box. Medium-bodied, generously fruited, open-knit and tantalizingly drinkable right now, the palate is chock-full of expressive red and black fruits, featuring approachable, ripe, soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with compelling purity. Very impressive showing!In Bond£883.00