During my En Primeur trip earlier this year, I was able to visit with Château Latour’s technical director Hélène Génin and taste their latest 2019s, which I was unable to include in my Bordeaux 2019 From Bottle report earlier this year. As I say in that report, 2019 produced classic, elegant, yet still concentrated wines, which played to Latour’s strength, with their 2019 being a truly legendary wine and one of the finest wines in this impressive vintage. Both the 2019 Pauillac de Latour and 2019 Les Forts de Latour showed beautifully as well and will unquestionably provide earlier drinking than the Grand Vin.
I was also able to retaste the 2017 Pauillac, the 2016 Forts de Latour, and the 2014 Grand Vin, all of which were released earlier this year. While I remember the 2014 being relatively accessible after bottling, it has closed down substantially and continues to warrant additional cellaring. Nevertheless, it’s an utterly classic Latour well worth seeking out, and as Latour goes, represents a good value. The 2017 Pauillac is charming and upfront and already drinking nicely, with the 2016 Les Forts de Latour tasting more like Grand Vin than a second wine. I’ve no doubt it’s capable of evolving for decades.
Happy hunting,
Jeb Dunnuck