CHATEAU LES FORT DE LATOUR 2014 - Pauillac 2nd Wine - France - Red Wine

Country : France
Region : Pauillac
Type : Red
Year : 2014
Volume : 75 cl


TASTING NOTES : The 2014 Les Forts de Latour is a blend of 71.4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28.6% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little coaxing to reveal expanding scents of blackcurrant pastilles, baked plums and boysenberries with suggestions of wood smoke, fragrant earth, cast-iron pan and charcuterie plus a faint waft of black truffles. Medium-bodied, the earthy/savory palate has loads of lively black fruit with a refreshing line and firm, grainy tannins, finishing on a lingering ferrous note.

ABOUT THE WINE : Chateau Latour is not a wine to drink on the young side. The wine is usually far too tannic, powerful and reserved during its youth. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 3-6 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Chateau Latour is usually better with at least 15 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Latour offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 18 and 60 years of age after the vintage.


ABOUT THE WINERY : Les Forts de Latour is a barrel-aged red wine made by the prestigious Chateau Latour winery with the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot varieties in the AOC Pauillac denomination (Bordeaux). Founded in 1680, Château Latour is a French wine estate that, having been owned by various different people, now belongs to the French businessman François Pinault. It is a renowned winery located in an unrivalled location 300 metres from the Gironde River, in the Médoc region, classified as premier cru. A noble terroir that produces three types of wine: Grand vin, Les Forts de Latour and Pauillac.

Les Forts de Latour comes from three different plots. Some of the grapes come from the edge of the estate, others from particular Grand Vin plots and some from plots outside the estate. These vineyards have an average age of 40 years and are planted in clay soils with magnificent layers of deep gravel. This terroir has very good natural drainage and, thanks to the river, it avoids excessively high or low temperatures. Respectful agriculture is used and the harvest is carried out manually when the grapes reach optimum ripeness.

In the winery, the Les Forts de Latour grapes are classified on a selection table, destemmed and gently pressed. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. Finally, between 50 and 60% of the wine ages in new French oak barrels. Château Latour’s second wine stands out for its intense expression, which is down to most of the raw material coming from the same place as the prestigious Grand Vin made by this Médoc winery.

DISCOVER CHATEAU LATOUR- LES FORTS DE LA TOUR & GRAND VIN DE CHATEAU LATOUR 



JAMES SUCKLING TALK ABOUT CHATEAU LATOUR