2008 Les Forts de Latour Pauillac

Producer: Château Latour

Region: Bordeaux > Pauillac

Vintage: 2008

Type: Red

Grape varieties: Cab. Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab. Franc, Petit Verdot

Drinking dates: 2014 - 2027

Pricing

Case size: 12x75cl Equiv. price per bottle incl. VAT £157.28

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Cases available:

Tasting Notes

Goedhuis, April 2009, Score: 88-91: Ample and rich with notes of roasted coffee, dark chocolate and red and black bramble fruit. It muscley presence is lightened by its fresh, lifted finish. An impressive second wine.
Robert Parker, April 2009, Score: 91-93: The second wine seems to have picked up most of the Merlot from the Latour vineyards (31.5% Merlot and 66.5% Cabernet Sauvignon dominate the blend). The 2008 Les Forts de Latour is a forward, pure wine displaying remarkably sweet tannins along with aromas of black currants, forest floor, and a hint of underbrush. Opulent, round, and generous, it should drink well for 15-20 years, possibly longer given the fact that the 1982 Les Forts de Latour is still a beautiful wine, and it's šonly› 27 years of age! Drink: 2009 - 2029
Jancis Robinson, April 2009, Score: 17+: Second wine. Deep crimson - less blue than the Pauillac. Not much nose. Very cool and tight. Restricted and taut. Very firm. Dry and strict. Wait a long time - pretty solid. Not a charmer. Clean and brisk. Very energetic. A little low key today.
Wine Spectator, April 2009, Score: 88-91: Subtle aromas of currant and raspberry, with a minerally undertone. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a medium finish. A little one-dimensional on the palate, but very good.

Pauillac

Due south of St Estèphe lies Pauillac, the king of Left Bank communes. It is home to three first growths as well as a plethora of other classified growths. Its renowned well-draining, gravelly soils enable its dominant grape Cabernet Sauvignon to reach fantastic heights of complexity and concentration. As a result, the wines tend to be full-bodied with compact tannins and good freshness. Its aromatics are often what one associates with classic Bordeaux: pencil shavings, black currant and occasional mint. Some of the most famous châteaux of the commune are Latour, Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, Pichon Baron, Pichon Lalande and Lynch Bages.

Château Latour

It is a common misconception that Château Latour was named after its cream-coloured tower - a 17th century edifice that served as a dovecote. The original tower that gave its name to this exemplary property was built in the 15th century as a watchtower to fend off invading pirates during the Hundred Years War. Unfortunately, it has long been eroded away. It can be considered the King of the First Growths, having the extraordinary power, structure and presence.

Cab. Sauvignon/ Merlot/ Cab. Franc/ Petit Verdot

Probably the best grape blend in the world? Certainly that favoured by many of the most illustrious names on the left bank in Bordeaux - Chateaux Lafite, Latour, Margaux and Mouton-Rothschild to name a few - and other cult classic from around the world such as Ornellaia, Harlan and Dominus. A spread of grape varieties provides numerous benefits - from a practical perspective a range of ripening dates provides insurance against all but the most prolonged bad weather conditions, while their complimentary characteristics combine to create a whole that is very much greater than the sum of the parts.