Les Forts de Latour 2014

The second wine of the estate is the 2014 Les Forts De Latour and this beauty is better than most estate grand vin. Made from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot, this straight up classic Pauillac is loaded with notions of red and black currants, lead pencil shavings, roasted coffee, graphite, and Asian spices. Deep, medium to full-bodied, impressively concentrated, and layered, it’s a seriously good wine that’s going to continue drinking beautifully for two to three decades. 2018 - 2048

Offers a core of pure cassis and blackberry fruit, with mouthwatering streaks of graphite and anise. Racy-edged, featuring ample grip buried through the finish. Reveals a violet echo for good measure. Textbook. Best from 2018 through 2030. 9,022 cases made.

Fragrant and fresh the nose appears quite light but the palate has richness and depth black fruited power. Ripe tannins help the mid richness sweet black fruits and although slightly lighter at the back the finish has concentration and black fruited power. 2019-30

Deliberately made as a "vin de garde", the second wine of Latour is no pale reflection of the grand vin. Dark, compact and slightly reduced, it's a classic Pauillac with well handled oak, bright acidity, scented cassis and mulberry fruit and the lowish alcohol that is so typical of the vintage.

The Les Forts de Latour 2014 is a blend of 71.4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28.6% Merlot that represents 40.1% of the production. Now this has a very perfumed bouquet, almost Margaux-like in style with wilted violet petals complementing the fresh black cherries and graphite aromas. The definition here is impressive. The palate is medium-bodied with a strong thead of pencil lead, crisp acidity, a dash of black pepper towards the finish. It is actually reminiscent of the Lynch Bages '14 tasted on the previous visit. Good persistency in the mouth, this is a fine Les Forts de Latour. Drink: 2021-2042.

This is very Latour in style. It is structured and muscular and not easy - yet approachable and muscular. Full body, chewy polished tannins and a long and intense finish. Impressive.

Lively healthy crimson. Great confident attack. Very firm and sinewy framework. Deep and dense with some elderberry and polished tannins. Great energy and vibrancy. A little more like the old style than the grand vin. More press wine than Latour. 13.01% Drink 2023-2038