1970 Les Forts de Latour

Community Tasting Notes (47) Avg Score: 91.9 points

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  12/27/2023 - Shugs_Claret wrote: 88 Points

  Nice nose. Limited fruit left. Not the best bottle.

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  12/17/2023 - palfr2 wrote:

  From own cellar - purchased at auction. The bottle is a throwback to another era. Bottles looked different. The bottle collar was made of tin. The extra-long cork was in extraordinary shape with top fifth not wet. How many regions give you a reasonable shot at opening a 50-year old wine that is still alive? Here comes mature Bordeaux! Very musty nose upon opening that blows off. Pours a dark ruby with moderate bricking. Nose remains earthy with tobbaco and very fresh, light menthol. The palate unfolds with very fresh and matte red fruits. The package is very consistent through the finish. Great poise and intensity. It is very youthful and I can trust accounts that put it on a par with the Grand Vin that year.

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  11/12/2023 - BellevuePhil Likes this wine: 92 Points

  In the illustrious circles of upper gentile society, where refinement is not just a choice but a way of life, certain wines transcend the boundaries of taste, becoming iconic symbols of opulence and sophistication.
  
  The 1970 Les Forts de Latour is one such masterpiece that beckons the discerning palate into a world of elegance and nostalgia. For someone like me—a hopeless romantic, a show-off, an ex-rock musician, and a lover of the finer things in life—this vintage is a symphony of senses, a journey into the past through the elixir of time.
  
  As I uncorked this venerable bottle, the air was immediately infused with the rich aroma of history. The deep, garnet hues of the wine hinted at the decades it had spent maturing, locked away in the cellars of Château Latour. Pouring it into the glass, the wine unveiled itself slowly, like a cherished memory surfacing from the depths of time.
  
  Remember, Apollo 13 was coming back to earth....and this is what happened to me spiritually.
  
  The first encounter with the 1970 Les Forts de Latour was nothing short of a revelation. The bouquet was an intricate dance of fragrances, a harmonious blend of blackberries, cedar, and subtle hints of truffle. Each inhalation transported me to a bygone era, where life moved at a slower pace, and every moment was savored like a fine work of art.
  
  Sipping this nectar of the gods, I couldn't help but revel in the exquisite taste that unfolded on my palate. Berries of lusciousness. The wine possessed a rare balance, a delicate interplay of fruit, tannins, and acidity. Blackcurrants and plums embraced my taste buds, while the velvety texture caressed my senses, leaving behind a lingering finish that resonated like a well-composed symphony.
  
  The Les Forts de Latour, born of the renowned terroir of Pauillac, spoke eloquently of its origins. The gravelly soils of the estate imparted a distinct minerality to the wine, a testament to the vineyard's contribution to the timeless art of winemaking. As a lover of the finer things in life, I reveled in the realization that every sip was not merely an act of consumption but a communion with the earth, a connection to the very essence of the vineyard.
  
  In the world of upper gentile society, where appearances matter, the 1970 Les Forts de Latour is a showstopper. Its provenance alone is enough to command respect, but it is the wine's intrinsic qualities that truly make it shine. Pouring it into crystal-clear stemware, I couldn't help but appreciate the way it caught the light, casting a mesmerizing glow that spoke of centuries of tradition and craftsmanship.
  
  As a former rock musician, I've always been drawn to the theatrical, the dramatic, and the evocative. The Les Forts de Latour, with its rich, complex profile, played out on my palate like a musical composition, each note hitting the right chord. It was a performance that unfolded in layers, revealing new dimensions with every sip. The wine's evolution in the glass mirrored the crescendo of a well-executed guitar solo, leaving me in awe of the craftsmanship that went into its creation.
  
  Nostalgia, a sentiment that often accompanies the appreciation of fine wines, took me on a journey back to the 1970s—a time when the world was in the throes of cultural revolution, and I, a young musician, was navigating the tumultuous seas of fame and artistic expression. The Les Forts de Latour became a time machine, whisking me away to the smoky halls where my guitar riffs echoed, and the spirit of rebellion fueled our creative endeavors.
  
  Yet, beyond the notes of nostalgia, there was a romantic undertone to the Les Forts de Latour, a whisper of passion that lingered on the palate. It was as if the wine held within its depths the echoes of countless shared moments, intimate conversations, and stolen glances exchanged in the moonlit corners of glamorous soirées. The soft tannins and the wine's ethereal finish spoke of love affairs that had weathered the storms of time, leaving only the sweet residue of enduring romance.
  
  As the evening progressed and the bottle neared its end, I couldn't help but reflect on the ephemeral nature of life and the timeless allure of wines like the 1970 Les Forts de Latour. In a world that often moves too fast, this vintage was a reminder to pause, to savor the beauty that lies in the intersection of past and present, and to appreciate the craftsmanship that transforms grapes into liquid poetry.
  
  In conclusion, this is a damn good wine, but drink now my lovelies.
  
  NOTE TO SELF: SHOULD OF DECANTED LONGER. 1.4 HOURS NEXT TIME

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  8/29/2023 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Deep garnet, with browning edges, and somewhat murky, possibly from super fine sediments. Dried floral potpourri nose, with dried grass, and dried, nearly candied blackberry, as well as lichens, fungals, and forest floor. Structurally resolved completelg, but the acids still lively, whilst with still some weight, with prunes, dried cranberry and red cherry, some brine, seaweed, leaf compost, and a slight smoky feel. Quite lengthy still, and having a rather refined feel though it seems starting to lose in the realm of complexity. Old, but still lovely

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  2/15/2023 - Ruby99 Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Bottom of neck fill; perfect cork
  Served without decanting
  Musty basement on the cork
  Wine is still dark with no appreciable bricking
  Lovely scorched earth nose that gives way to barnyard and leather Drinking superbly right now. Still has some tannin. Raspberry and black cherry with tobacco and leather. Has an elegant mouthfeel. Initially ended a bit abruptly and fruit was a bit hidden behind the tannin, but after 15 minutes the tasting experience blossomed with fruit coming forward and the tannin far in the background. There is a lovely, complex and long finish

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