November 25, 2022 - Blackberry and warm bread on the aroma. Similar flavor character. Body is medium. Acidity is medium-plus. Tannin is medium-plus. Plenty of finesse in this wine, but not worth the price. Drinks like an $80-100 bottle.
August 6, 2022 - A young Fort. But surprisingly accessible. Perhaps that’s how they are made these days. Can drink now or wait 5 to 10 years.
July 31, 2022 - very impressive - purple cab fruit, and this amazing sense of energy - a freshness/acidity/zingyness on the tongue that I associate with limestone-grown cab, but with the density and fruit of clay. Hard to believe this is the LESSER terroir at Latour; most folks would kill for grapes with this profile. I found the lower new oak on the Forts a little easier to drink young than the 100% new oak on a 2009 Latour earlier this year, which was a little obtrusive. This is certainly a wine that is going to continue to improve. Blows away Carruades or Clarence or Pavillion - this is easily as good as the first wine from anything other than the super seconds.
December 2, 2021 - Ripe dark fruit with lots of tension across the palate.
December 2, 2021 - Off the cork pull a beautiful cherry note to it. Palate is strong willed and forceful. Dramatic.
November 1, 2021 - Well Latour may release these when they think they are ready but I didn't think it was ready. Much better on day two. Shared with Franny and friend. Pounded down, they didn't know what they were drinking. Maybe I didn't either.
September 8, 2021 - Epic Bordeaux for an Epic Birthday!; 9/1/2021-9/12/2021 (Paris & Bordeaux): Served blind but when you are having dinner with a winemaker it's usually a pretty good guess it will be one of the wines from his estate. Funny because we'd just had this a few hours before at the winery. We were able to get that it wasn't quite as bold as the Grand Vin so the Les Forts, but not the exact year. Clearly young. Need to learn more on my recent Bordeaux vintages although we never drink those since not ready.
September 8, 2021 - Epic Bordeaux for an Epic Birthday!; 9/1/2021-9/12/2021 (Paris & Bordeaux): Slightly softer and a bit more forgiving than the '16 Pauillac but with lots of structure to it, tannin, some earth, a bit of black fruit. You can tell they are siblings.
July 13, 2021 - 2021 Bordeaux Tasting Trip; 7/12/2021-7/16/2021 (Bordeaux): A tasting in Bordeaux of 71 wines, some of the best I have ever had and others, umm, well were disappointing. If you read the Tasting story (and my grading history) I think it will do a much better job putting this in perspective.
Hmm after an amazing tour and a nervous anticipation of what this holy grail of Bordeaux would allow me to taste, I was floored by the wines in front of me. I very much wanted to taste the lineup and was hoping, and assuming no, it would be in my favorite vintages and the Chateau graciously over delivered by allowing me to taste the
2016 Pauillac de Latour
2015 Forts de Latour
2005 Chateau Latour (this one I still cannot believe)
I have to admit, after trying the 2014 Forts previously I came in with perhaps unfair expectations as I thought the 2015 would be killer and over shoot its ‘14 brother. While maybe that was unfair, it played a role in my initial reaction but not the overall impression. The wine is very good solid wine and one that doesn’t disappoint however this wine should not be drank young and needs time to round out and soften the tannins. In time the wine should blossom and really come together nicely. I would recommend a min 10 years from vintage.
March 18, 2021 - Chocolate coated currants, cigar box, flowers and tobacco leaf come through easily on the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium/full-bodied, concentrated, firm, fresh, juicy and lively, with a creamy textured, sweet, aristocratic, Pauillac, red currant packed finish. This should age and evolve for another 15-20 more years.