Chateau Latour | FINE+RARE

About the producer

The history of Château Latour stretches back almost as far as  Château Haut-Brion with evidence of vines on the property since the 14th century. Amazingly the property had an unbroken lineage of family ownership from 1670 right up until 1963. In 1993 the current owner, François Pinault bought the estate for £86 million from the Ségur family.

Since its acquisition, significant investments have been made at the property including a total renovation of the winery, vat room and wine making facilities under the guidance of Frédéric Engerer who has since been credited as the man behind some of the finest wines ever made at the property. 

Château Latour recently removed themselves from the En Primeur system, meaning that they no longer release wines still in barrel in the spring of the following year, as is customary for almost all the classified Châteaux in Bordeaux. This means that the 2011 vintage was the last wine to be released from barrel, with all future vintages to be held in Latour’s cellars until they are considered ready to drink.

In the vineyard

This King of Kings is situated on what is arguably the best terroir on the Left Bank, built upon trademark Pauillac gravel and clay subsoil and perfectly positioned to reap the benefits of the Gironde breeze reducing the threats of both frost and mildew. These excellent natural conditions combined with rigorous production methods result in one of the most consistent performers on the Left Bank year in, year out.

Latour produces wines of haunting precision, power and finesse – with few finer expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon (80% of the vineyards), to be found anywhere in the world. Other grape varietals grown are Merlot (18%), Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Château Latour sits on the most southern part of the Pauillac appellation, neighbouring Saint Julien’s Château Léoville Las Cases to the south. Its unique terroir is characterised by undulating small mounds made up of gravel but also deep clay slate of different colours: blue, red and grey. It is this particular soil type that gives Château Latour its unique structural framework and power. 

The original prime plot of vineyards that surrounds the property is known as “L’Enclos” and is entirely responsible for the grapes that go into the Grand Vin. Being the closest site to the Gironde it benefits from the moderating influence of the river, which cools the temperature allowing for longer, slower ripening of the grapes and protects against the risk of frost. This terroir makes Château Latour arguably the most consistent performer of the First Growths, often producing the best wine in the Left Bank in cooler vintages. 

In The Winery

True to the Pauillac style, Château Latour has a structural tannic framework allied with incredible intensity and is arguably the most powerful wine in the Médoc. The blend is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon which typically makes up 90% of the blend. The wine is incredibly long lived and benefits from at least 15 years of ageing and will typically age 50+ years. 

Three wines are made at Latour: the Grand Vin – Château Latour, Les Forts de Latour and Pauillac de Latour.  Les Forts de Latour comes largely from vines situated outside the heart of the estate and includes some of the younger vines of the flagship Château Latour itself. Occasionally, vats originally destined for the Grand Vin will be incorporated into Les Forts de Latour. Top vintages of this second wine are still one of the finest wines in the Pauillac appellation.

In recent years Chateau Latour has developed an enviable reputation for being the most consistent performer amongst the First-Growth wines, able to produce very good wine in even the more difficult vintages. As such, any year from Latour is a privilege to own, but there are some true stand-outs. In the past two decades the 1996,  2003,  2009 and 2010 vintages of the Grand Vin have all received a perfect 100 point scores from Robert Parker, while 2000 and 2005 have been hot on their heels with 99 and 98 points apiece. As might be expected from such quality, Latour has an astounding potential to age, with the best vintages drinking well for fifty years or more.

Top Modern Vintages:  2016, 2010, 2009, 2003

About the producer

In the vineyard

In The Winery

Top Modern Vintages:  2016, 2010, 2009, 2003

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2012 Latour (2020 Release)