1st Grand Cru Classé 1855
Availability : End of June 2023
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What discerning wine lover does not know Château Latour, a very simple name that has nevertheless never deserved the great prestige it has acquired. Its history begins in 1718 when the Marquis Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur planted the first vines on the site. Then in 1787, Thomas Jefferson, US ambassador to France at the time, mentioned it in his travel notes, which marked the beginning of its fame.
In 1855, its consecration was reached when it acceded to the prestigious title of Ier Grand Cru Classé during the classification of the Grands Crus of the Médoc, a distinction it shares with Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Haut-Brion as well as Château Margaux, and then with Château Mouton Rothschild since 1973.
Owned by French businessman François Pinault since 1993, Château Latour reigns over an 80-hectare vineyard, 48 of which are grouped within an enclosure with vines over 40 years old that are the heart of Domaine. They are planted on gravelly hilltops overlooking the Gironde estuary, an ideal and very qualitative terroir, and give birth to the great wine. The vineyard is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
The Domaine produces two other vintages: a Second wine, the Forts de Latour, and a third wine, the Pauillac de Latour.
The Château Latour wines have an exceptional ability to stand the test of time, being able to wait for several decades before being enjoyed. They harmoniously combine tannic structure, persistence, race and elegance.
The 2015 vintage is one of the great Bordeaux vintages of recent years. The warm and dry spring allowed a quick flowering in the vineyard, and the summer that followed installed the same conditions of heat and dryness, beneficial to the evolution of the vine. Some rainfall at the beginning of August was welcome to start the ripening of the berries, and it was really the beautiful month of September that brought the complexity of this great vintage, allowing the different grape varieties to obtain color, aromatic concentration and tannic richness.
Blend of the 2015 vintage: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot.
The color is a deep purple, almost black, with beautiful purple highlights.
The nose is a demonstration of power and elegance, offering intense notes of red and black fruits, blackcurrant and truffle, enhanced by leather, vanilla and peppery spices.
The attack is precise and frank, giving way to a juicy body that quickly reveals its amplitude and density, as well as a grandiose aromatic. The tannins are finely chiselled and give it depth. It blooms on a long finish full of freshness and very persistent. There is no doubt that Château Latour is still in the race.
Food and wine pairing:
Château Latour 2015 could wonderfully accompany a leg of lamb with eggplant caviar with peppers, a piece of Salers beef sautéed with herbs, a veal mignon with cardamom, a spit-roasted pigeon or a confit pig cheek.
For a pairing with cheese, choose uncooked pressed cheeses: Edam, Gouda, Saint-nectaire, morbier, Tomme de Savoie or Salers.
For dessert, the pairing will be particularly gourmand with an Opera cake, a hazelnut praline dessert or a Russian cheese.
Ageing potential and tasting:
Château Latour 2015 is a perfect representation of the great Pauillacs built for aging, so it is a wine that can wait several more years before reaching its peak between 2035 and 2040, or even beyond.
However, it can be enjoyed now. To do so, take care to place the bottle the night before in the serving room at a room temperature of between 15 and 18°C. Open and decant ideally 5 to 6 hours before tasting.
The bottles will be kept in the cellar protected from light, lying down, at an optimal hygrometric degree of 70 %.
Availability: End of June 2023
