Quntessential Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine of Château Latour is firm and structured, slow to evolve, yet gaining awe-inspiring, multi-dimensional complexity over the decades. An absolute classic. Ranked as 'First Growth' (Premier Grand Cru Classé) in 1855, the estate owes its excellence fundamentally to its prime terroir - fine-tuned to produce magnificent Cabernet Sauvignon wine. This is thanks to the magical combination of the deep gravel bench on which the vineyards lie, with the proximity to the Gironde estuary's climate-moderating influence, just 300m away. To this outstanding basis is added concentration from unusually old vines (60 years), and the expert know-how from a world-leading viticulture and oenology team.
Pauillac Premier Grand Cru Classé
Château Latour
Single
£775.00
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Winemaking
The Grand Vin is overwhelmingly (more than 90%) a Cabernet Sauvignon wine, complemented by a small proportion of Merlot, and even less Petit Verdot. While winemaking practices are conservative - why upset a formula that has been so successful for so long - incremental improvements to techniques are made, for the clearest possible terroir expression.
Press Review
99/100 - 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!
Press Review
98/100 - Inky black even at 25 years old. A hugely impressive wine, with plenty of chewy tannins still in play, ripples of cassis, bilberry and blackberry fruits, set against olive paste, charcoal and eucalyptus. Things have softened around the edges no question, this is still full of life with decades ahead of it, but this is a great moment to start enjoying its promise. Textbook Latour in many ways, for its austerity and power, and its serious character that is underlaid by concentrated pleasure showcasing 'the gift of sub-gravel clays'. 56% of overall production in the first wine. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Last released in 2014 as an ex-château wine. Drink 2023-2040.
Customer Reviews
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Product Specification
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ColourRed
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CountryFrance
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RegionBordeaux
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Sub RegionPauillac
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ClosureNatural Cork
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SKU31440196
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Alcohol %12.5%
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Unit Volume75cl