Editors notes
The bouquet is magnificent. There is an iconic aged cabernet aroma with ground coffee but so much more. Herbs,spice,manure,earth,tobacco,cigar box,camphor, dark chocolate,floral notes, roses,mushrooms, iodine,shoe polish,menthol and old oak. It is an aged bouquet. The palate is full-bodied. Perfectly balanced and integrated. Firm but soft tannins. Flavours reflect the bouquet but there are reminders of its youth with blackcurrant, blueberries, cherries, raspberry and mint, There are charcoal and mineral flavours. The length is never-ending.
Details
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Aroma
- Blueberry
- Boysenberry
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Palate
- Blue Fruits
- Cassis
- Graphite
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Red Meat
Critic Scores & reviews
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Jeannie Cho Lee MW
97"I've tasted many 82 Latours and this bottle is one of the best. It shows the wine's depth and complexity which is only now beginning to emerge and classic flavours of cedar, tobacco and cigar notes with cassis in the background are very persistent. An impressive wine at its youthful peak."
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Locations
France
Wine is being produced throughout France and has been done for over 2,500 years with certain Châteaux dating their history back to Roman times, around 6th Century BC. Ranking second in the world in per-capita consumption and first in total production quantity. More so than the overall quantity of wine is the quantity of truly great wines coming out of France makes the nation the envy of wine-making nations worldwide.
Two concepts pivotal to the higher end French wines, in particular, are the idea of 'terroir' and the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system. Terroir refers to the way the geography, geology and climate find their way into the glass, telling a story of the origin of the wine. The AOC was set up in 1935 and has the primary goal of protecting the authenticity of the wines and the livelihoods of the producers. Appellation rules strictly define which varieties of grapes and winemaking practices are approved for classification in each of France's several hundred geographically defined appellations, which can cover entire regions, individual villages or in some cases, like in Burgundy even specific vineyards.
Classic wine regions in France include Champagne (home of Champagne), Burgundy (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot), Alsace (Aromatic varietals), Loire Valley (Chenin Blanc, Crémant) and the Rhône Valley (Syrah, Grenache Mourvedre)
The Bordeaux classification of 1855 is still in use, as is the Sauternes and Barsac Classification of the same year. Wines from certain regions can be bought En Primeur, which is when the wine is sold prior to it being bottled.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux has a rich history of winemaking, dating back to the Roman times. Today, it is known as one of the most significant wine regions in the world, with a reputation for producing complex, full-bodied red wines. The region is home to a diverse range of terroirs, each with its own unique microclimate, soil composition, and grape varieties.
The left bank of Bordeaux is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, which thrives in the region's gravelly soils. These wines tend to be bold, tannic, and complex, with notes of blackcurrant, cedar, and tobacco. On the right bank, Merlot is king, producing wines that are softer and fruitier, with notes of plum, cherry, and chocolate.
Aside from the red blends, Bordeaux is also renowned for its sweet wines, particularly from the Sauternes and Barsac appellations. These wines are made using a unique process that involves botrytis, or "noble rot," which concentrates the sugars in the grapes, resulting in a lusciously sweet and complex wine.
Bordeaux's classification system has evolved over time, with some estates moving up or down the ranks depending on the quality of their wines. Today, the system includes five growths, with Premier Cru being the highest and Deuxièmes Crus being the second-highest. There is also a separate classification for the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac, with Chateau d’Yquem holding the highest rank.
Overall, Bordeaux is a region that continues to captivate wine enthusiasts around the world with its rich history, diverse terroirs, and exceptional wines.
Medoc
Home to over 650 vineyards and spanning over 4,900 hectares, Bordeaux’s Médoc wine region comprises four of the most distinguished wine villages in the area: Saint-Estephe, Saint-Julien, Pauillac, and Margaux. The peninsula of Médoc is home to coastal lagoons, sand dunes, and pine forests. It is known to have formed into a peninsula over time as the Garonne and Dordogne rivers carried in large quantities of mineral rich silt and light reflective, well drained gravel, which turned out to be perfect for harvesting red wine grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The main aromas of the beautifully refined red wines from this area are: spices, oak, red fruit and vanilla.
The region of Médoc is divided into three areas: the Landes du Médoc, the Bas-Médoc, and the Haut-Médoc. The Landes du Médoc is located in the entire western half of the peninsula. Although there are no vineyards here, the land is still important because its pine trees protect the grape vines from the harsh cold winds blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The Bas-Médoc( lower-Médoc) runs downstream on the estuarine side of the peninsula. The wines produced here are usually more affordable than those produced in Haut-Médoc. Haut-Médoc (upper-Médoc) is the most well-known of the three sections. The wines produced here are some of the most expensive wines worldwide and were famously ranked in The Médoc Classification of 1855, which is to this day in use.
About the brand Chateau Latour
Chateau Latour lies at the very southeastern tip of the commune of Pauillac AOC in the Medoc region of Bordeaux next to the Gironde estuary. One of the oldest estates in Bordeaux, it dates back to 1378 and was among five noted First Growths in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Latour, French for 'the tower' takes its name from a tower constructed on the estate in the 1620s which is now a well-recognized symbol depicted on the Latour label. French businessman Francois Pinault, who remains its owner today, purchased the Ch‰teaux in 1993.The estate boast 78 hectares under vine in which 80% is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. A 47-hectare portion is dedicated solely to the grand vin, whose blend historically features Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in a 75/20 ratio, with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The soil is a mixture of gravel and clay, which lends itself well to Cabernets and Merlot, respectively.
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