2004 Pauillac, Château Latour
About Producer
In the same lineage of connected family ownership for 300 years since the mid 17th century, Latour owes its glory to the Marquis de Ségur and his heirs. Given a new lease of life in 1963 by British investors and then acquired by François Pinault in 1993, the estate has not rested on its laurels. Thanks to the rigorous management of Frédéric Engerer who implemented massive renovations in the cellar and even more drastic selection, the Grand Vin is once again at new heights. Latour has further stepped up its game by converting its entire vineyards into organic farming in 2015, and in parallel biodynamic preparations are being applied to most of the Enclos. Les Forts de Latour is an outstanding second wine which ranks well above a whole host of crus classés.
Varietals
Blend of 89% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 1% cabernet franc. About 51% of the harvest made it to the grand vin. 100% new oak.
About Appellation
Largest town in the Médoc and slighly more elevated than its surrounding area, Pauillac has always played an important role in the wine trade, notably when the city of Bordeaux lost its privilege and monopoly of wine exports to England in the 18th century. The vineyards cover 1,213ha and sit on well-drained sand and gravelly soils, with the best sites being located on rolling mounds, called 'croupes', that reach their highest point at 30m above sea level. Cabernet sauvignon is the predominant grape variety, albeit always blended with merlot, and to a lesser extent, with cabernet franc and petit verdot. Pauillac is home to 18 grands crus classés in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, including Lafite-Rothschild, Latour and Mouton-Rothschild (since 1973) as first growths.
Tasting Notes
Enthralling nose of dark berry fruits, plum, graphite, cedar and undergrowth, silky mouthfeel with beautiful structure, impressive concentration and excellent depth, multilayered flavours of raspberry, black currant, cherry, crushed rocks, sous-bois and hints of liquorice liberally laced with savoury mineral undertones, racy acidity and resolved tannins leading onto a long, persistent finish. Given the challenging vintage, this is a remarkable achievement that puts Latour slightly ahead of its first growth peers in 2004. It’s confidently dense and powerful yet wonderfully elegant, displaying the full extent of Latour magnificence. I particularly love the intertwining of subtle complexity, textural grace and exquisite freshness on the palate that bears witness to the innate class of this phenomenal wine. (01/2022)