1989 Latour
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 1989 Latour has an archetypal nose for the estate with black fruit, gravel and graphite notes, touches of pencil box developing with aeration, determined to put distance between itself and the Mouton-Rothschild alongside. The palate is medium-bodied and cohesive with a gentle grip. It is smooth in texture and not a complex Latour, yet it exhibits satisfying depth and feels like it could improve with continued bottle age. That said, to repeat my assertion in my last note, this quality level would not be accepted under the current regime. Tasted at the 1989 Bordeaux dinner at 67 Pall Mall.
Critic scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 1989 Latour shows similarly to the bottle earlier this year. To be honest, there is little difference between the aromatics on this and Les Forts de Latour, perhaps just some morels and yes, a touch of Brettanomyces . The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, the mixture of red and black fruit mixed with plenty of undergrowth. I appreciate the freshness and the piquant finish, although I would not rank this as a top-tier Latour; it could even be considered to be underperforming in the context of the vintage. Tasted from an ex-cellar bottle at the château .
The 1989 Latour conveys the warmth of the growing season with scents of warm gravel and wild herbs infusing the soft, perhaps slightly muffled black fruit. There is a touch of brettanomyces here although it is less conspicuous than the 1990 Latour. The palate has thickset, quite firm tannin that lend this Latour presence and power. What it lacks compared to recent vintages is refinement and detail. That said, it builds nicely towards the soft (for Latour), pencil lead and undergrowth driven finish. Not bad at all, although I suspect a far superior wine would be made under the present regime. Tasted at the International Business & Wine Latour dinner at Ten Trinity.
About the producer
One of Bordeaux’s five First Growths, as classified in 1855, Ch. Latour is among the most famous addresses in Pauillac and the world. The estate is renowned for its long-ageing, powerful and structured wines.