2011 Les Forts de Latour
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Tasting notes
The 2011 Les Forts de Latour has a high-toned bouquet with black cherries, cedar, pencil lead and a touch of blood orange, like the 2011 Le Petit Mouton, gaining more composure with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grainy tannins, well judged acidity anda little compact on the finish, but it will appeal to those looking for "classic Bordeaux". Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Very intense, meaty nose. Dense and ambitious with no shortage of tannin. For the moment it’s a bit disjointed and jagged to taste but the ingredients are there. (JR)
A wonderful surprise today, the 2011 Les Forts de Latour is terrific. Pliant, silky and racy, the 2011 offers considerable suppleness and sheer appeal. Hints of sweet tobacco, herb, licorice, cloves and leather add aromatic nuance throughout, but it is the wine's overall balance and feel that are most impressive. The 2011 will drink nicely for at least another handful of years. From a pure pleasure perspective, it is the most enjoyable of Latour's three new releases at this stage.
The 2011 Les Forts de Latour has a very refined bouquet, understated at first but gaining intensity in the glass with an attractive estuarine tincture developing and complementing the black fruit. Later on, there is a trademark touch of Pauillac mintiness coupled with black olives. The palate is medium-bodied with juicy ripe tannin and very good weight in the mouth, the fruit profile leaning more towards the red side of the spectrum than black. This feels lithe and supple in the mouth, fleshy and generous with a smooth finish that slips down the throat. Enjoy this now and over the next 15-20 years. Tasted March 2017.
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.