Château Latour is considered by many to be the greatest of the Pauillac first growths. Today marks the release of the 2017 grand vin, the first time that this wine has been offered. We are also offering the excellent second wine of Latour, Les Forts de Latour, in the 2018 vintage.
Order by midday on Friday 22nd March
Back in 2013, Château Latour withdrew from the en primeur system of offering the latest vintage for sale while in barrel. They explained that they preferred to sit on their stock and then offer the wine when it was ready to drink. That time is now upon us.
The 2017 vintage produced stylish, harmoniously balanced wines with fragrance and finesse. While already approachable, the best wines, like Latour, will benefit from further time in bottle to reach their drinking peak. The style of the 2017 vintage contrasts markedly with the hotter 2018 vintage that produced rich, concentrated wines with higher alcohol levels. Again, the Les Forts can be broached now, but should ideally be kept for a few years to evolve further.
Jane Anson’s tasting notes on the wines
Like many of the top Bordeaux properties, Latour does not send out samples to customers in advance, preferring to present the wines exclusively in their tasting room. As I haven’t been able to squeeze in a visit, Jane Anson, the distinguished wine author and Bordeaux expert, who lives in Bordeaux, has kindly allowed us to publish her tasting notes and drink dates.
Château Latour, Pauillac 2017
‘A seriously pretty Latour, not a phrase often associated with this most concentrated of wines, with real lyricism. Beautifully layered, with muscles that have a cushion of air underneath them. As during En Primeur, its sculpted character highlights the impact of biodynamic farming, but bottle ageing has seen it take on the customary concentrated layers of this Pauillac First Growth. The signature pencil lead, crayon, mint leaf and crushed rocks are here in abundance, along with cassis and bilberry fruit, kissed with rosebud and peony florality, and textured slate tannins that slow things down through the mid palate. A delicious wine, vibrant, balanced, decades ahead of it, even if the soft sculpting of the vintage means it will be ready to drink earlier than 2016 or 2018 on either side. First year in full organics, although not certified until 2019, and the first without Cabernet Franc in the blend. 100% new oak. No frost on the Grand Vin plots, in a year where many parts of Bordeaux were impacted, proof again of what a favoured site this is.’ - JaneAnson.com - tasted March 2024
13% 2027-2045
The blend is 92.1% cabernet sauvignon, 7.8% merlot, 0.1% petit verdot
Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac 2018
‘Deep and intense in colour, reflecting the 24hl/h yield after a challenging growing season first with mildew and then with the heat of the summer. The rich texture is immediately apparent, and it needs time to open in the glass, as bottle ageing has tamed the exuberance of En Primeur and given way to a classically muscular expression of the estate character. Those Pauillac tannins are exerting their influence, cradling blackcurrant and damson fruits, cocoa bean, baking spice, graphite, espresso, turmeric and black pepper. A wine that reflects the intensity of the summer, with everything knitted down and austere, I suggest a few more years in bottle before opening to allow more joy to come through, and decant well before serving. 42% of the overall estate production in this wine, 60% new oak.’ - JaneAnson.com – tasted March 2024
14% 2025-2040
The blend is 65% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot, 1% petit verdot