Critic Notes
A big and powerful wine, with tannins that are compact and dense. The dryness of the tannins go right to the core, surrounded by chocolate, sweet fruit and dark berry flavors. The wine is well structured, big and bold, with plenty of firmness promising aging. Jan 2010, www.wineenthusiast.com
Score: 95-/100Wine Enthusiast
Dense and round. Thick and only slightly furry. Dry finish. Needs lots of time. Impressive finish though. Mar 2015, www.jancisrobinson.com, Drink: 2017-2035
Score: 18-/20Jancis RobinsonDrinking Window: 2017-2035
The 2007 Latour (the first wine made in the newly renovated cellars) exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as a sweet, expansive bouquet of black fruits and spring flowers interwoven with a striking minerality. The wine’s dense, medium to full-bodied flavors are surprisingly evolved, with soft tannins, an ample, generous mouthfeel, and an endearing texture. Undoubtedly one of the longest lived wines of the vintage, the 2007 Latour should last for two decades or more. April 2010, www.robertparker.com, Drink: 2010-2030
Score: 92-/100Robert ParkerDrinking Window: 2010-2030
The 2007 Latour is the most recent late-release from the First Growth estate that abandoned en primeur after the 2011 vintage. Incidentally, this was the first vintage that Frédéric Engerer made with cellar technical director, Hélène Génin. "It was not an easy wine when it was young," he remarked when pouring the wine. Nevertheless, as it approaches ten years of age, the 2007 is finally entering its drinking plateau. It has a deep, quite lucid, dark garnet color. The nose is fresh and well defined. What I appreciate here is the focus, since 2007 was never a vintage to bestow power or immense complexity. Here, you wallow in lovely aromas of blackberry, bilberry and briary with that hint of black olive that I noticed four years ago when I last tasted it. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. It feels attractively saline, fresh and crisp, though not angular. Again, it is the focus and detail that enhances this vibrant Château Latour and its keen line of acidity lends it the freshness to become just about drinkable. The length is moderate, rather than extraordinarily long, though its pencil lead finish takes you straight to Pauillac thereby enhancing typicité. This is a fine Latour from an underrated vintage. Jul 2016, www.robertparker.com, Drink: 2017-2037
Score: 92-/100Neal MartinDrinking Window: 2017-2037
Good bright ruby-red. Rather backward nose hints at cassis, black cherry, shoe polish, graphite, minerals and spices. Sweet, broad and rich, but with enticing fresh minerality giving energy to the rather full-bodied middle palate. The wine's cassis fruit is complicated by an almost decadent floral element. Finishes perfumed and very long, with wonderfully lush, supple, fine-grained tannins. Jul 2010, www.vinous.com
Score: 92-/100Stephen Tanzer
Offers floral and berry notes, with currant and licorice. Full-bodied, with a sweet core of fruit. There's silky tannins and a fresh, fruity finish. Reserved and balanced. Best after 2012. Mar 2010, www.winespectator.com
Score: 90-/100James Suckling
Quite soft, but dark, almost purple core. Expressive and attractive nose – dark blackcurrant, fresh raspberry, plum, wax, graphite and a slight floral character. Some mineral and hints of earth evident after a decade in bottle. Elegant Pauillac. Layered and quite dense, but the whole profile of the wine is less ripe and concentrated than other recent counterparts (05, 08, 09…). Cedar, plums, cassis, liquorice, pencil lead, sweet spice, black pepper and mint notes add depth and complexity. Not the usual power or authoritative structure Latour normally possesses, particularly in youth, but a slightly softer, finer and more medium bodied example. Drinking wonderfully, this is definitely a vintage to have in the cellar and to approach whilst you wait for 2000s. A wine characterised by excellent freshness and delicacy, which puts it up there with the very best from 2007. Sep 2016
Score: -/FINE+RARE Tasting Note
