Primeur: Château Latour 2014

Afgelopen week was de release van één van de vijf Premier Grand Cru Classés van Bordeaux: Château Latour 2014. Het is ook de meest schaarse Grand Cru welke pas laat wordt vrijgegeven. Met de release van de Grand Vin 2014 is ook de Les Forts de Latour 2016 vrijgegeven; een van de ‘super second’ wijnen van Bordeaux met topscores.

Beide wijnen zijn aantrekkelijk geprijsd in vergelijking met andere wijnen in deze klasse, met als bijkomend voordeel dat ze al wat jaren gerijpt zijn.

Château Latour uit Pauillac is enkele jaren geleden uit het Bordeaux-handelssysteem van direct na de oogst en primeur aanbieden aan de markt, gestapt. Zij geven nu elk jaar een jaargang uit hun kelders vrij waarvan zij vinden dat deze perfect is om nu en de komende jaren van te genieten. Al is een monument zoals Château Latour natuurlijk ook nog heel erg lang te bewaren.

Deze wijn heeft nog nooit de kelders van het Château verlaten en heeft dus onder de allerbeste omstandigheden kunnen rijpen. Authenticiteit verzekerd! De scores zijn uitstekend en de prijs aantrekkelijk. Dit is pure perfectie in het glas. Of zoals Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate het stelt: “a quintessential Latour…aristocratic and noble”.

Drinkperiode: 2025-2055
Samenstelling: 90% cabernet sauvignon, 9,25% merlot, 0,5% cabernet franc en 0,25% petit verdot

Scores:
99 punten, James Suckling
97+ punten, The Wine Advocate
97 punten, Decanter, Jane Anson 

Lees hier de uitgebreide expert reviews over Château Latour 2014 (onderaan deze blog).

De ‘tweede’ wijn van het château, maar doet niet veel onder voor de Grand Vin en andere Grand Cru Classé wijnen. Het oogstjaar 2016 was het eerste jaar dat het Château volledig biologisch werkte. De wijn heeft ongeveer een derde merlot in de blend: mede hierdoor is Les Forts (zoals liefhebbers de wijn noemen) eerder toegankelijk dan de Grand Vin.

Drinkperiode: 2022-2040
Samenstelling: 71% cabernet sauvignon en 29% merlot

Scores:
96 punten, James Suckling
95 punten, The Wine Advocate
96 punten, Antonio Galloni, Vinous 
Lees hier de volledige recensies van de bekende wijnschrijvers (onderaan deze blog).

Dit is een bijzonder aantrekkelijke gelegenheid om gerijpte top-Bordeaux te bemachtigen. Beide wijnen zijn goed geprijsd en hebben rustig kunnen rijpen op het château. Absolute perfectie in het glas!

"The 2014 Latour is one of the very finest wines of a vintage that favored the northern Médoc. Mingling aromas of wild berries and cassis with hints of cigar wrapper, loamy soil, black truffles and classy new oak, it's full-bodied, rich and concentrated, its broad attack segueing into a deep, tightly wound mid-palate that's framed by powdery, chalky tannins and bright acids, concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. This classically balanced, youthfully structured young wine looks set to enjoy prodigious longevity. It's reminiscent of a modern-day version of a cooler vintage such as 1996, though of course these days maturity is more complete and selection even more rigorous than was the case two decades ago. (WK)" (03/2022)

"This has aromas of black fruit, olives, wet earth, dried lavender, cloves and bark. Bitter chocolate and walnuts, too. It's medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Structured, with great freshness and length. Cedar notes on the lighter mid-palate. Still a little tight and chewy." (03/2022)

"This shows terrific cut and drive from the start, with mouthwatering acidity and a chiseled graphite note leading the way, backed by a core of pure cassis and blackberry preserves. Licorice snap and sweet tobacco details flitter through the finish, where the graphite edge reemerges and sails on and on. (JM)" (03/2017)

"The 2014 Latour captures the personality of the year in its linear, lithe construction. It's a decidedly understated Latour that is more about finesse than brawn. Bright red cherry/plum fruit, spice, mint and sweet tobacco open over time, but at this level, wines are more about a feel, an expression of place and a vintage. The 2014 Latour embodies all the best this cool, late-ripening growing season had to offer. I loved the 2014 when it was first shown, about five years ago, and I love it today. It is a super-classic Pauillac. (AG)" (01/2022)

"Deeper, richer, more concentrated, and stately than the Les Forts De Latour, the 2014 Château Latour is the wine of the vintage from the Médoc. Possessing a flawless, full-bodied, sexy and surprisingly open style on the palate, it's relatively closed aromatically and only reluctantly gives up notes of cassis, chocolate, and lead pencil shavings. With incredible tannin quality, a layered, concentrated mid-palate, perfect balance and a great finish, it's a classic Latour, as well as one of the few 2014s that demands cellaring. Hide bottles for 5-7 years and I suspect it will continue drinking nicely over the following three decades." (11/2017)

"Reddish purple rim. Expressive on the nose; cocoa powder, truffle, soft spices, blackcurrant pastilles, black cherries and mint - the best Cabernet aromatics. Great delicacy here, this is so poised and elegant, a touch of soft sweetness to the red and black fruits. Tannins fill the mouth but this is well handled, less plump and round, more direct and linear but with a beautiful fragrance, delicacy and texture that fills the mouth but gently. Still so much juice and freshness as well as softly cooling mint tones. The fresh, vibrant flavour makes you think you could drink it now but it's only the tannins that suggest it needs longer. Still, it's lovely, with such well placed fruit flavours that hits all sides of the mouth and lingers long after the finish. (GH)" (11/2021)

"The depth, power and just sheer confidence of Latour shines through. This is an extremely classic 2014—everything in focus, with clarity, grip and poise, sculpted blackcurrant and blackberry fruits, touches of raspberry leaf and crushed rocks. Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, still strict and muscular in its tannins, with heft and width through the palate. As it opens graphite, violet and campfire smoke curls through the centre of the wine, along with slow and steady waves of saffron and sage spice. Easily one of the wines of the vintage, and one to take your time with, allowing the slow progression of flavours and textures to unroll at their own pace. It will benefit from another few years in bottle before really getting underway, and has decades ahead." (02/2022)

"The 2014 Latour has a beautifully defined bouquet with intertwined blackberry, briary, crushed stone and pencil box scents. This takes time to unfold in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with tobacco and graphite-infused black fruit framed by svelte tannins. This has a fine bead of acidity, cohesive with straight-down-the-line Pauillac tropes of graphite and tobacco towards the finish. Strict and aristocratic, the tobacco element has been accentuated with time. Superb." (03/2022)

“Very iron fist in a velvet glove,” commented winemaker Hélène Genin of the 2016 Les Forts de Latour. “It has a lot of power but also beauty and precision.” She’s not wrong. Deep garnet-purple in color, exuberant scents of kirsch, blueberry preserves, black currant pastilles, and star anise come bounding out of the glass, followed by aromatic nuances of cumin seed, candied violets, fragrant earth, and dark chocolate. The medium-bodied palate delivers irresistible grace and tension, with a solid backbone of super-ripe, velvety tannins lending a taut structure to the mighty black fruit layers, finishing very long and mineral-tinged. With a vigorous decant, it makes for an impactful experience right now. However, just another 3-4 more years in the cellar will yield impressive dividends on your investment, given that it is still holding back slightly. Expect to cellar this for a good 20-25 years+. The blend is 64.3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.3% Merlot, and 0.4% Cabernet Franc, sporting alcohol of 13.5%." 

"This is the kind of vintage where you just know Forts de Latour is going to hit it out of the park, and I would be happy to recommend choosing this 2nd wine over many main estate wines in less impressive vintages. It's restrained, nuanced, keeping plenty in reserve, but the texture is rippled, by turns slate then velvet, slowing everything down through the palate. This was the first year of 100% conversion into organic viticulture, not just within the walled L'Enclos but across the entire estate, with official certification in 2018. Where the 2017 Pauillac de Latour (also released now) is all nuance and delicacy, the 2016 Forts is built, muscular, but full of precision, with deft strokes to define the tannins. A wine you will be thrilled to share - and one that has really grown into itself since being tasted En Primeur, underlining perhaps the benefit of a late release. 50% new oak. 37.5% of overall production."

"The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is the clear highlight among these new releases from Latour. The first thing that is evident about the 2016 is the pedigree of the vintage. Undisputedly great. Readers will find a potent, dark Forts de Latour endowed with massive concentration and tons of depth. The 2016 won't be ready to drink anytime soon, but it holds tons of promise. Hints of gravel, sage, licorice and pencil shavings linger. The 2016 was impressive a few years ago. It is even better today."

"Violet scented dark black cherries and figs on the nose, quite powerful. Tannins are generous but they're juicy and plump, soft almost chalky, they have a really great impact, filling the mouth together with the fruit. Everything has melded together, super balanced and all very harmonious - still clearly powerful with precision and sculpting of the fruit and a long finish with the flavours going on and on. Good acidity gives freshness and a real rush of strawberry and cherry juice on the first sip lifts and sustains the palate the whole way. Such a charming wine with great impact and presence.