Château Latour
Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
Pauillac, Médoc, Bordeaux, France
Deep and intense. Loaded with flavor. Iodine and tarry notes. Astonishing purity given its age
Deep and intense. Loaded with flavor. Iodine and tarry notes. Astonishing purity given its age
Apr 23rd, 2026
Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a dull purple/garnet color with a translucent core and significant rim variation, moving towards a rust color. The wine has medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, dried blackberries, dried red and purple flowers, old leather bound books, tobacco, a touch of menthol, some earth, old wood and a sprinkle of warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Super high quality but a touch thin.
Initial conclusions: Due to the observable characteristics of color, rim variation, sediment, smell and flavor, I think this wine has significant age; 30+ years. However, this is still very alive and showing more than enough markers to give an indication of place. Subsequently, this could be a Cabernet-based blend or a Tempranillo-based blend from the United States, France, or Spain. For me, I’m getting new French oak vibes instead of American so I’m eliminating Spain. I also think this leans more towards its fruit than its structure and since this comes across a little on the thin side, I’m going to say this comes from a tougher vintage. My final conclusion is this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from the USA, Napa, 1981. Wow! This showed really well.
It never ceases to amaze me how analogous the 1981 vintage was in both Napa and Bordeaux. I find it equally amazing how well that vintage has held up; particularly when considering its poor reputation, mostly based on the prevailing thought at the time. From my perspective, well stored examples are not going to fall off of a cliff but I would drink now through 2031.
Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a dull purple/garnet color with a translucent core and significant rim variation, moving towards a rust color. The wine has medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, dried blackberries, dried red and purple flowers, old leather bound books, tobacco, a touch of menthol, some earth, old wood and a sprinkle of warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Super high quality but a touch thin.
Initial conclusions: Due to the observable characteristics of color, rim variation, sediment, smell and flavor, I think this wine has significant age; 30+ years. However, this is still very alive and showing more than enough markers to give an indication of place. Subsequently, this could be a Cabernet-based blend or a Tempranillo-based blend from the United States, France, or Spain. For me, I’m getting new French oak vibes instead of American so I’m eliminating Spain. I also think this leans more towards its fruit than its structure and since this comes across a little on the thin side, I’m going to say this comes from a tougher vintage. My final conclusion is this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from the USA, Napa, 1981. Wow! This showed really well.
It never ceases to amaze me how analogous the 1981 vintage was in both Napa and Bordeaux. I find it equally amazing how well that vintage has held up; particularly when considering its poor reputation, mostly based on the prevailing thought at the time. From my perspective, well stored examples are not going to fall off of a cliff but I would drink now through 2031.
Lovely stuff. Great fruit. Settled with a bit of plum and faint tobacco and a tangy sour cherry. Still vibrant and rich. Pure and delicious
Lovely stuff. Great fruit. Settled with a bit of plum and faint tobacco and a tangy sour cherry. Still vibrant and rich. Pure and delicious
Oct 17th, 2025From mag. Dark intense gravelly fruit. Leather and sour cherry. Serious and bridging still. Great aged Bordeaux.
From mag. Dark intense gravelly fruit. Leather and sour cherry. Serious and bridging still. Great aged Bordeaux.
May 7th, 2025From mag. meaty with dark plum and beautiful fresh balanced fruit. So bright and intense, with iodine, deep plum, salinity. Gorgeous stuff and an immaculate bottle.
From mag. meaty with dark plum and beautiful fresh balanced fruit. So bright and intense, with iodine, deep plum, salinity. Gorgeous stuff and an immaculate bottle.
May 7th, 2025Intense blue fruit. Very meaty with iodine and gnarly herbal undertow. Berry juice and balanced and pure. Excellent
Intense blue fruit. Very meaty with iodine and gnarly herbal undertow. Berry juice and balanced and pure. Excellent
Apr 23rd, 2025Heartbreaker. Intense fruit. Loads of character and fresh. A Mahler bresse bottling which might explain the quality. Wonderful
Heartbreaker. Intense fruit. Loads of character and fresh. A Mahler bresse bottling which might explain the quality. Wonderful
Jan 30th, 2025Soft fruit with some leather, dried cherry, pure plum. A slight sourness and length. Excellent, complex and full of character.
Soft fruit with some leather, dried cherry, pure plum. A slight sourness and length. Excellent, complex and full of character.
Jan 30th, 2025
Dark and brooding with great rich fruit. Dark plum, leather, cedar, a whiff of iodine. Still tight and pure. Very good. Years ahead.
Dark and brooding with great rich fruit. Dark plum, leather, cedar, a whiff of iodine. Still tight and pure. Very good. Years ahead.
May 10th, 2024