1994 Latour

Firm, with a sense of rusticity to the tannins, the red and black fruits have a crispness, while the nose and finish share a leafy, tapenade character. The nose is the best part of the experience. It's a nice enough wine, but not a great Latour. The wine was produced from a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. This represents the most Merlot ever used in a vintage of Latour.

Classic Cabernet style. Intense aromas of plums and cherries, with hints of new wood. Full-bodied, with juicy and ripe tannins and a long finish. Very well-structured.--Latour vertical. Best after 2003.

This is an interesting as well as great vintage for Latour. As indicated in my barrel tasting report, Latour's 1994 possesses an atypically high percentage of Merlot (27%) in the final blend. Because of this, the wine appears to have a sweeter, more fleshy texture than is typical for a young Latour, but do not make the mistake of thinking this will be a commercially-styled, easy to drink wine. It exhibits an opaque dark ruby/purple color, and a backward, intense textbook nose of walnut and cassis scents complemented by smoky pain grille notes that build in the glass. This full-bodied, powerful, layered Latour reveals high tannin, but no bitterness or astringency. The superb purity, fabulous precision, and remarkable length should ensure 35-40 years of longevity. Readers will find more fat, flesh, and glycerin than usual for a young Latour (save for such great vintages as 1982 and 1990), but don't be deceived, this wine requires 8-10 years of cellaring.