I decanted at 5 PM and it only began to integrate and soften around 10 PM. Big cedar on the nose, but tight on the palette. I can’t tell if this will improve with age or should just be given six hours to decant and drink
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bordeaux first-growth lunch: A serious, structured wine with the classic pencil lead marker of Pauillac. Fruit was a little roasted that made me think a warm vintage like '05. Clearly had more depth than the '03 HB alongside but this was so brooding that it was a rather difficult drink to me.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
many of the reviews a spot on. dark, dry, plenty of depth but still surprisingly young after resting for 22 years. Took a while to open but was exceptional. I look forward (if I have the patience) to perhaps opening one of these beauties each year over the next 11 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Académie des Cinquante 67th Annual Dinner: Deep and brooding, closed even after six hours in the decanter, extremely youthful, crisp Cabernet, twenty years too young, immense minerally energy, layered and deep, everything in the right place, hint of evolution, very firm structure, grippy tannins, excellent length. A marathon runner.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A fairly dark colour; the nose is rather muted, but the palate is full, with ripe blackcurrant fruit, quite pure and focussed, and with good length. Drinking well, but more time in bottle should add more complexity. Decanted for 2½ hours.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really opened up the 2nd day - very complex nose, earthy and dark red fruit, hints of vanilla - vevilty and very long finish - many more years in it. Certainly needs 6-8 hrs decanting. Next btl in 5+ yrs
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Happy birthday to me. This is a lovely mature bordeaux with all the accoutrements. I double decanted for 30 minutes before drining over 3 hours. It opens with a bouquet of a mature estuary bordeaux and tell tale almond scent, as soon as you pull the cork. While clearly mature, the verve of the fruit is evident, so we are not at the absolute pinnacle. I think this still has a decade of development, although at this point, the improvement will be minimal from here on out. This is a lovely mature Latour, exhibiting its power albeit in a shy vintage. Drink now or over the next decade.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deceptively light took a good hour to even show its Pauillac pedigree - enjoyed over 3 hours - lots of cedar and a touch of cigar (no pencil lead), vibrant acidity and largely mature red fruits. Lovely for sure but definitely one of the lightest young(ish) Latours I have had.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
medium deep red color, starting to brick at the rim, mature cassis and cedar on the nose, a bit of austerity, on the palate velvety fruit, tannins largely resolved, oak spice, walnut and a bit of dried herbs, fine length, elegant and understated- a more austere and slightly bigger version of the excellent 1989, regal, relaxing, in a great place but with decades of life ahead and perhaps even a bit more development.
****, ready to drink with time in hand
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Friday Night Brown Bagger (R&D's): Double blind. Aromas of leather, black fruit, tobacco and spice. Full-bodied, with flavors of plum, black fruit, cigar tobacco and dried herbs. Picks up a cedary element as it sits. Full-bodied, somewhat powerful, with a long finish. We are in the midst of a terrific flight of wines, wow. Another that I thought was an old school Napa cab blend. Flat out gorgeous, and not yet at peak. (R&D)
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 2 hours. Dried floral, mint, bellpepper, graphite, tobacco, blackcurrant, blackcherry. old leather, cedar and earth.
With just 13%abv, it is medium body, fresh and layered. Developing mushroom, undergrowth flavours noted. Not among the best vintages of Chateau Latour but definitely classy and good.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking very young, but a beautiful well balanced wine. Will easily go for another 20 years and stay youthful. Paired with prime roast beef perfectly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc
Dark core, reddish hue, compact rim. Fresh, though opaque with fine sediment.
Bouquet is layered with fresh blackberry, currant, red cherry, dried herb, forest floor, sauteed mushroom, smoke, still traces of charred cedary wood.
Palate is resolved. Medium acidity, medium body, dry. Lots of fresh dark fruits still. Blackberry, dark cherry, black olive, graphite, gunpowder. Quite lengthy on the finish.
Classy Latour that has just entered its peak drinkability. This is not a firework or a catchy love song. It is a ballad that soothes your soul. I had blockbusters before but this is as classy as it gets.
I popped the cork open and put it back before starting drinking 2 hours later.
93.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Forest floor, dried cherries, graphite on the nose. Very balanced and light on its feet on the palate. Terrific length. Not the most concentrated and dense, but for my taste this wine is outstanding. Plenty of life left.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I liked this wine. I decanted an hr and seemed plenty. Brought to a blind tasting and was paired with an 00 Figeac and an 89 Cheval Blanc. Group of 10 had 4 that favored the Latour over the others. Myself I found the Cheval best overall. Nose was a little austere and color seemed older than 21yrs. Still good fruit and intact but I wonder if this will be classically long lived.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Eight Decades of Decadence: For me, this was drinking the best I've had it over the course of my four tastings of the '01 Latour. This wine is really coming into its own and it confirms that "off vintages" in Bordeaux as not "off vintages", but just early maturing vintages. I may be dead before the 2010 Latour comes into its prime, but that's ok because I will gladly drink '01 in the meantime. So good and so Latour! Love it. Be sure to give it a proper decant.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Acker Pre-Auction September 2022 (Redbury Lounge): I’ve yet to have my ‘moment’ with Latour and this was no different although to be fair people who are strong fans were also not really convinced. I’ve heard it said the ‘01 vintage was overshadowed by ‘00 but much better than it gets credit for and while I am a big fan in the Rhone haven’t had much in Bordeaux that makes me give credit to that theory. This was decent Bordeaux but given it’s price point it really should be excellent.
this is delicious and rich. we opened and decanted it 3 hours ago and it was so good it was hard to wait for it to evolve, but we did so, tasting only twice in between. now round, full, rich and delicious. But I keep comparing latours to my first one, a 1970 drunk in 1981, and so far none have come close to that in depth and intellectual interest. so this is wonderful wine, and on a special occasion, possibly worth it, but straight up, only if you have unlimited funds.
edit: perhaps I decanted it a bit long, as it actually had more power and interest when first opened, although a bit tart. I would suggest pouring a full glass at the beginning and drinking that slowly over an hour or so while the wine decants, to experience its evolution more fully.
2nd edit: After reading notes from people underwhelmed by this wine, and not wanting to mislead anyone considering buying it, I feel an obligation to say that unless you are (like me) absolutely unable to resist occasionally having a Latour, this wine although lovely, cannot be said to be at all worth the current $800 price. I would say, in terms of quality, it should be priced at most $200-$250, but since it is one of the most sought after labels on earth...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A fine, elegant and slightly restrained claret, with very refined fruit, held back somewhat by some discreet tannin. Decanted 1 1/2 hours: more would help. Enjoyable now with food, but will continue to improve. A previous bottle was more developed than this and seemed almost perfect when we drank it: I gave that 96 points which is where this bottle would have been in a year or two.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark and tightly wound at first but opened up nicely after 2-3 hours. Structured, powerful and ripe but also elegant and silky with pretty aromatics. Drinking really well right now with air.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fragrant herbs, spice and oak, and dark fruit aromatics. Soft supple, forward fruit entry on the palate. Elegant for Chateau Latour. Probably at its peak and superbly enjoyable now. Medium length. Cork popped 4 hours before serving. Not a powerhouse, but so, so enjoyable right now. A great example of what the 2001 Bordeaux vintage was capable of.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite a deep colour, mid-red hue; a wine that is so good you could drink it and not notice; quite full blackcurrant fruit, with impeccable balance and length. Nothing out of place. Any tannin is fully integrated and the wine seems perfect to drink now, although it will keep for years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2nd bottle. Very pronounced nose with black currant, leather and mushroom. Silky palate and some tannins still exist. Fruits went on and on so did the depth and the complexity of the wine. Only appeared in first growth. To me slightly weaker vintage for first growth is more interesting than the super second in legendary vintage. This still needs 5+ year to reach fully maturity or give it a long decant. 96+
There are a few wines in my life that have played such a large part in my appreciation of the truly greatest. Château Latours for decades have beguiled me. . This is the first bottle I have ever had that was out of joint, largely at sixes and sevens, and hopefully, at best, needing another five years. And it was well stored. Deep forest earth, wisps of sophisticated cherry notes, lots of fleeting acid, the regal Latour scent wafting in and out for 2 hours but never sitting down at the table, and some interesting moments overshadowed by acid and youthful appearing fruit.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured, and drank over two hours. This thing is ripping! Like all 2001 Bordeaux recently, this is hitting above its weight and open for business. Love this wine!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Unfortunately my only bottle. More approachable than I imagined. The smell of tobacco here is mesmerizing. Plenty of life and room to develop but worth a pop and four-hour decant if you have a case to enjoy. Will not do the same for my 2000 and 2003 Ch. Latour.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking wonderfully! No need to consume quickly but it is in its prime today! Thanks to our friends Larry and Rose who brought this for our 45th anniversary!
Decanted two hours before serving, very little sediment, but not quite enough time--showed best at the four hour mark. Dark red fruit that got blacker in the glass, plummy, iron-rich earth, lightly herbacious, long long finish and a deeply resonating aftertaste. Superb match with green chile cheeseburgers. Yes, you heard that right. 1/2 lb grassfed beef patty--check. Muenster cheese melted on top--check. Thick onion slices tamed in vinegar--check. Arugula and fire-roasted green chiles to speak to Latour's characteristic herbal component--check. Finally a toasted Kaiser roll for neutrality, and the best part--no sweet goopy sauce to get in the way. Burgers and fine wine--you bet it can work.
Delicious from first pour, ripe, open and surprisingly fleshy but feeling very well built. Really opened up after about an hour or so. An almost merlot like lusciousness Coming through which I’ve never seen in the 2001. I’ve had a few bottles of the 01 and this was by far the best experience. it’s really hit it’s strides. given this is the latour clearly no rush I guess a couple of decades of ageing runway left but it’s so good now why wait?
14th Feb 2021 Decanted for 30mins; caveat: this followed the Leoville Barton of the same vintage and meal was rather strongly flavoured dishes.
This 20 year old wine has surprisingly clarity of a much younger wine especially with the light dancing in the claret tinged ripples of each swirl. Portrays an exuberance of youth not anticipated in wines of this age. No legs discernible The nose is uncomplicated; I would go so far to say fresh and enticing. The first sip was light on the palette perhaps even cleansing the strong flavours from the meal. I was concerned the meal would overwhelm this wine. However am pleasantly surprised how balanced this wine has evolved through 2 decades with its soft and sweet tannins elevating itself to the forefront. The finish is medium with a hint of liquorice lingering at the end. This wine is so easy to drink. Looking forward to enjoy the best bottle with a big fat steak.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted with Les Forts Latour same year; Les Forts dark red with some brown, not black; Latour more dark towards black; Les Forts blackberry, cedar, open, silky sweet, fully mature and ready; Latour licorice, less expressive than Les Forts, more concentrated, developing in the glas over the hour, early drinking window, plenty of more years before maturity
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 2.5 hours and enjoyed over the next 3 hours. This is very good Bordeaux, just not up to the high praise in some of the reviews (in MHO). Dark blue fruit on the nose, cool fruit on the palate with very good balance. But a bit short and compact on the finish. Tannin present but not in a bad way. Possible this expands with time and I am wrong but I would call this a very good, but not great, Latour. A-
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
WINO121’s review below sums up my thoughts well. Incredible wine. Bumping it up a point since last tasting because the nose is such Bordeaux perfection.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stunning at this point, fully mature with almost full fruit to oak integration. Drank over appx 5 hours after a 3 hour decant. As far as aging potential, why wait, it’s a beautiful wine right now. Drink now thru 2025.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I've had the pleasure of tasting this vintage of Latour four times now over its lifetime (2004, 2007, 2013, 2020). This is the first time that it was strutting its stuff as a fully mature Chateau Latour. All prior tastings it was primary and restrained. Not this time... classic Pauillac aromas soar from the glass with tertiary notes on the palate. There is wonderful balance and purity in this wine that you would expect from Chateau Latour. As other tasters have noted, this is not a powerhouse Latour, but a more elegant/femanine wine. Nevertheless, it is every bit as good and you don't have to wait another 20 years to drink it. It should be in this maturity plateau window for another 10 years and then might start to lose some of its fruit. For my palate, I would drink it in the next 10 years. Decanted for 1 hour and enjoyed over subsequent 2 hours over dinner.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Somewhat muted on nose at first, but amazing on palate. Drank neck & neck with a 2001 Ch. Haut Brion. Many years ahead for this wine, no rush. (Aug. 14, Gates Lodge)
Drunk from magnum at Da Domenico Hong Kong - This is probably one of the most open Latours I've had in awhile. The characteristic Latour nose is omnipresent, plenty of dark fruit but with particularly fine, silky tannins. Nevertheless, it has plenty of weight and is still very much on the ascendancy.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was a marvelous wine. I gave it the benefit of a 3 hour decant based on the experience and kind perspective of others here and it definitely needed it. The wine is drinking really well. Emphasis on elegance more than power; a true Bordeaux. Seems to have life left but I wouldn't be shy about drinking it now. I got plenty of secondary nuance to it, but only after it had been open a while.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tried the 2001 again, much more opened this time however still got many years to go. Wonderful nose of cassis, graphite, violets and a hint of leather. On the palate fruit driven, tannins still yet to be integrated. Classic grand vin without too much weight and richness. Much more ready than the first bottle I had 2 years back. Will wait for another 2-3 years before I open another bottle.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had blind with two 2009 Cabernets. One from California and one from Washington State. I immediately decided my favorite. Had great nose. Lucious in mouth. Went well with Standing Rib Roast. Ready to drink. Wow
Popped and poured, though a decant would have helped. Test for birthday v 05 Troplong Mondot and 05 Pavie Mac. This wine is drinking ok now, but would really benefit from another couple of years in the cellar. The nose was somewhat muted, but already offered the classic Latour cassis, and a complex combination of fed and black fruit. No secondary characteristics yet. A bit of a tannic bite at first. This is a very fine wine, but I think it needs a bit more time to reach peak.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
What a shame...Not ready after all this time and in contrast to the Pichon, this one had way more power and far less development. Surprisingly punk'd in my opinion. It feels somewhat in limbo still. It has allot of power, but the acidity sticks out a bit much to allow some of the mature characters shine on through. The acidity is probably a contributing factor to the slow aging...Who knows! Still a great wine, but needs time. drink or HOLD
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Chateau Latour - 30 year vertical (1983-2010) tasted blind (Switzerland): Hmm, not sure what is happening here. Nose of maggi beef stock but not oxidative, just off-message on terroir vs the other wines. Lots of alcoholic heat on the palate too. Felt forced. Jean-Marc meant the bottle was probably not representative given his many other encounters with this wine. NR
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2 hour decant and another 30 minutes after pouring, it opened up! Very concentrated aromatics of earth, truffles, wild berry, cherries Jubillee and some oak. LOVED the aroma and very complex, like sex. Flavor was elegant and seemless, without biting tannins. More on the red fruits side and not quite as concentrated. For those who love terroir aromas the the smell of sex, here it is. For those expecting more concentration Than elegance from a Latour, this is not for you. Can be drunk now, unless you like it on the older side.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent but not transcendental. Enjoyed with friends at a local restaurant after a splash decant. Medium-dark purple with lighter rim, this is nearing full maturity but still 5+ years away so give it lots of air before serving. Notes of plum, black fruits and Asian spice. If a date, this was a 30 year old Harvard MBA investment banker coming into her own after several years experience, about to blossom both at dinner and in the bedroom. AA+ but wait 3-5 years
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tried it with 1999 Mouton. Much more closed and restrained despite 3 hours in a decanter. The potential is certainly there but its quite shy at the moment. Could be at its "sleeping stage". Will open another bottle in 2 years and evaluate again. This is of course not as flamboyant and complete as the 2000. But if you enjoy a more classic style without the overwhelming ripeness and oak there is pleasure in this bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2001 Ch. Latour Parfymert, og samtidig litt macho nese med tobakk, plommer, blyantspiss, tørket frukt. Herlig. Litt forsiktig åpning med tynn frukt. Rips, tobakk, tørkede røde bær, blyantspiss. Drar på noe helt absurd i smakskurven med tobakk, plommer, lær, mineraler. Ettersmaken er helt dustete lang og sitter mange minutter. (smakt fra åpen flaske i vinbutikk) Herlig juice. 93-94
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Don's 50th: Decanted and aerated for 2-3 hours before consuming. Beautiful nose of forest floor, cedar and some tobacco. On the palate it's on the lighter side of what I'd expect from Latour, and it's still evolving and integrating. I would guess this wine has another 10 years before being at it's best.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 30 minutes and drank over the next three hours. Opened up with time as expected, but immediately showing from the get go. Not as deep and expressive as the 2000 vintage, but more approachable. This wine is open for business now, but will certainly last many more years in cellar.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fantastic wine, starting to drink well like many 2001, yet plenty of years left ahead. Impeccable balance, complex, beautiful finish. Doesn’t get much better than this.
Château Latour Vertical (Vaucluse): Nose is somewhat closed and astringent. Red cherry. Palate is similarly astringent right now but shows good structure. Not showy right now, but potential to blossom. Even if this is technically more sound, I preferred the '03 tonight, and certainly the '00.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still very closed. Not particularly expressive. You can sense the aristocratic potential underneath but unfortunately it did not really want to show itself tonight. Did not give it much time to decant. A bit disappointing.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Intimate Dinner Series: Domino and I Commemorate 15 Years w/Great 2001s (Gen Hoe, Geneva): Another courtesy of R&D, decanted four hours before being served alongside the Lafite and Margaux. Youthful dark color, opaque to the meniscus. The tightest and "biggest" of the three, which came as no surprise to the group. Black currant, plum and green tobacco notes. A bit more firm on the palate than the other two, with flavors that mirror the bouquet. A more powerful and deeper wine- black fruit, forest floor and...towards the end of the night...hints of graphite and roasted game. Whereas the others might be truly ready and open in five years, this may need ten. My score reflects the end of the evening, when this was its most open and expressive...initially I had this rated much lower.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I love this wine. Maybe more than just about anything I've ever had. Even using a Coravin, with only glass decanting, this wine is magical. Ethereal nose with fabulous basket of notes including blueberry, graphite, leather, dark berries, and very subtle oak. This, to me, is what a first growth should smell like. The taste matched the aromas and lingered wonderfully. I do not think that further cellaring is required but I am happy that I have additional bottles and can try it again in five and ten years. It should age very gracefully. Still plenty of muscle to hold on to life for decades.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 375, popped and poured into glasses, drank starting 30 minutes later. On early drinking plateau from 375, though I'll probably hold my 750s a bit longer. Wonderful, complex nose and palate, hitting Classic Latour notes. A bargain at its EP price, though less so now.
A terrific, complex wine at the beginning of a decade or two of fine drinking. Long, fine finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Double decanted 12 hours prior. Classic graphic nose. Earth. Leather. Elegant and focused on the palate. just beginning to show well at the end of the night. Open now with a long decant or in 10-15 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Given about 2 hours of air in a decanter before drinking. Lovely nose - full of gravel, ripe dark berries. On the palate, this was a little more restrained and closed, and perhaps needed more air to really show its stuff. Plenty of dark fruit, hints of anise. Still, the wine showed admirably, full of structure and balance. I love the fruit in this wine, just perfectly in harmony with everything else. Nicely integrated at this point, with lush and silky tannins. This is still young IMO, and will really hit its stride in 5-10. Although enjoyable and interesting to try from a development standpoint, I really feel that this bottle was opened a little early, and hence, didn't get to show what all the fuss is about. 92 for now, 95+ in 5-10 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opens up with busy, detailed aromatics though also with quite a beastly amount of tannin that puts this probably about a decade away from primetime, for my tastes. Even so, it delivers quite an engaging and dynamic performance today. It has deep, black-pitched flavors with a touch of cedar and gravel, but not so much like the famous 'lead pencil' of the northern end of Pauillac - for some reason this feels almost more like a St.-Julien to me, kind of reminiscent of a Leoville-Barton with a bit more sinewy muscle. And then, about three hours in, it announces, "Hey, by the way, this is what a first growth can do," and those muscular tannins almost in an instant turn exquisitely refined, liquid cashmere.
K&L High-End Bordeaux Tasting - October 2015 (K&L): First First Growth wine! The nose is on the dirty side - ripe to overripe plum, dog fur, bacterial aromas as well ("Central Park West"). The nose isn't really compelling to me. Plummy in the mouth - a definitely medium between cabernet and merlot character (surprising - this is 75% cab). Medium body, just medium acid, slightly warm alcohol - 13.5% ish? Slight mintiness from pyrazines, slight brett spice, new oak doesn't stick out - it's well integrated. Flavor balance is great but it's not really compelling to me. It's complex but nothing is really grabbing me. Overall the flavors seem a bit washed out, watercolored, withered. I don't get anything awesome from age.
Score: Around 9
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
K&L Bordeaux Tasting (K&L, Redwood City): Medium-deep ruby with little bricking; aromatic nose with minerality, black fruit, highly wound; palate is full bodied, very youthful tannins, dense black fruit, fresh minerals, very slight graphite; long finish. Excellent but this needs at least 5 more years to evolve. 93-94+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The Four Seasons Tasting Bordeaux First Growths (Aubergine Restaurant): Mid to deep garnet: Complex, intense, brooding bouquet displaying earth, dark fruits and smashed rocks. The entry is powerful, masculine and mysterious! Full-bodied with a fabulous frame of solid, dense iron-clad tannins. This soaring-high wine has vertiginous fresh acidity, giving depth and fantastic concentration yet never appearing heavy. Impressive and precise, like an athletic javelin thrower, the flavours are blackcurrant, oak hints, and graphite, presented in pure form. Incredible length and continues to impress.
L.A.W. Tasting: Brunello, Barolo, Super Tuscan, and Bordeaux (LA Hutchinson Cocktail and Grill): Animal hyde, lead pencil nose, with perhaps even the slightest touch of brett on the nose. Palate of pebble, plum, graphite, savory herb, and just a slight hint of green pepper. Very good acid and a persistent plus mineral finish. A wine that is simultaneously pure and nuanced and plenty of life left in it.
From 375, popped and poured. Consumed under less than ideal conditions, after 11pm without food after a long journey. But it was my birthday, dammit, and I wanted to drink a FG. Although this is fine now from 375, I think it could benefit from either a bit more time in the cellar or an hour or two decant. A very fine wine, that was a bargain by today's standards when I bought it EP in 2003.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Spicy, animale nose, otherwise shut down. Palate was flat and closed, even given more time in glass. I feel this was a distinctly off bottle, but can't point to any specific flaw.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
the best of this wine a the good to great balance, between tannins, acidity and fruits. well made. I was expecting a bit more opulence from both fruits and tannins; maybe I over-expected and thought the wine was still a bit of light weight, I am hoping that with time it will become a litttle bit more "extraordinary", somehow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
first bottle from a case. 2 hour decant. i was a little disappointed. more elegant than powerful. the final glass 6 hours later was the best so hopefully some upside potential. will re-visit in a couple of years.
Slow oxed all day and then to Morton's for 91st birthday Boyd and bob Still tok time to open there and start to show richer full fruit profile So smooth and very light on its feet This is not a heavyweight but elegant and a little subtle Probably trying hard on my end bc Latour Worth the price I paid but hard to imagine paying today's price of admission
Decant this for about two hours. Opens up to reveal a stunning, complex mix of flavors. Sensory overload. Elegant and powerful at the same time with a very smooth texture.
Dinner at C's (Singapore): Third flight. This was WOTN for me. Guessed 2000 Pomerol double blind as I though I was tasting some Cabernet Franc here. After the excellent 2000 Gruaud Larose, this added a bit of weight and concentration to the previous but came across just every bit as balance and elegant, and was longer in the finish. Silky with perfectly integrated tannins but at the same time precise and not overly heavy. I guess this might still develop more complexity with more bottle age but it just so good to drink now.
Quelle dommage! Latour has been my guiding standard, even while migrating to burgundy, and after drinking scores of Latours from 1945-1983, I expected this to approximate the 1967 or 1976. Instead, this bottle, at least, showed little of the regal dominant, powerful cassis, dark fruit and stone Latour nose, that gateway into the Valhalla of wine gods. The wine was neither corked nor off, just not showing, even after an hour's decant, much beyond mellifluous dark cherry, cassis, smokey earth and a nice finish-- all without expressive definition. Could need time, could be an off bottle, but even off vintages like 1973, 1974 and 1980 always tasted like Latour. And 2001 Bordeaux generally are classic wines.
Very pretty wine with dry explosive presence in the mouth. A big Latour that lacks Latour lingo, yet it makes up for it in a different language. The lack of fruit gives way to alcohol. Not overpowering on a stand alone basis by any means. A very very pretty and wonderful wine. A beautiful dry wine (if u like that style), but the lack of fruit make it a drink candidate for sooner rather than later…Perhaps a 93 is rather harsh for such a beautiful wine, but be mindful that my 93 is in comparison to other great Latours, not other wines :-)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A lot of charm in every sip is the right motto for this wine. It's elegant, fresh, supple and round. The fruit is vibrant and refined, with a sweet, soft, pure, dark red berry core. I liked this a lot and expect to enjoy it even more with additional bottle age.
From 375. Regal dark purple to the rim. Wonderful, complex nose, with cassis, leather, Bordeaux funk, blackberries and earth. Smooth, but tannins not completely resolved. Nice, lingering finish. Still several years short of full maturity, especially from 750 or larger formats, but still a pleasure to drink today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Joe's): Inky garnet color. Aromas of red and black currants, beef blood, florals, licorice and roasted herbs. Tobacco notes emerge with additioanl air. Full-bodied with firm but approachable tannins and flavors of black fruit, herbs and iodine. The finish lingers for well over a minute. 94-95 pts. Guessed Bordeaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 1h. Discrete but beautiful nose of black fruit, peat and minerals, very Pauillac, very Latour. On the palate medium bodied with great balance and aromatic depth (cassis, forest floor, spicy pepper and minerals). Highly delicious and drinkable, a bit too lean for a higher score though. This bottle confirms the strong impression it made on a recent vertical. While this is not the most powerful Latour, it is very elegant and aristocratic. Attractive price compared to other vintages. Ready now if decanted for 1-2h.
It's fair to say this is a lighter style of Latour. Yet, there is still a lot to like about the wine with its stylish, purity of fruit, elegant textures and refined, mineral driven personality. More focused on freshness and purity than power, for Latour, this will be a wine to enjoy on the early side. I'll start popping mine in 2016 and enjoy it for at least 20 years after that.
Chateau Latour vertical with Commercial Director Jean Garandeau (Grand Hotel Dolder, Zurich): At Arvi Chateau Latour vertical tasting, Grand Hotel Dolder. This wine was the positive surprise of the evening. Discrete, almost muted nose of black fruits. On the palate however outstanding balance and complexity with typical Latour aromas of dark fruit, forest floor and minerals. Highly delicious and drinkable. Very classic Pauillac indeed.
The most pleasurable bottle of wine I have tasted...ever!!! This ethereal elixir warmly entreated me to ponder life's intrinsic meaning as I slowly absorbed its enthralling virtues. This Grand Vin fundamentally altered my understanding of the riveting world of wine; I will forever remain spellbound by its captivating allure.
Cabernet Sauvignon strikes a harmonious chord with me that surpasses all other varietals; this is my bias. This wine conveys the noble purity of Cabernet Sauvignon, wonderfully accentuated by other varietals, combined with Bordeaux's exceptional terroir. It features far too many layers and enticing elements to name and more charming elegance than one might ever know what to do with. It is also unquestionably the best balanced wine I have tasted; it possesses a texture unlike anything else. Finally, this Château Latour stands as a monument of well-made simplicity in a world of countless overdone wines.
I realize 2001 was not a celebrated vintage but I do not think that matters here. Perhaps the only difference with more renowned vintages is aging potential. If the best vintages truly exceed this wine's complexity, purity, and balance, then the rating system may require reevaluation. Still, I have left open the possibility by scoring this 99 points.
Paired with prime rib and creamed spinach. Splash decanted and drank over two hours. Everything is going well for this wine. The aroma screams Latour and could be enjoyed 10 feet away. The wine was tight at first but quickly opened up to reveal the classic gravel, lead pencil, and blueberry purée that is so pervasive in Pauillac. The last glass was better than the first and I only wish I was able to decant it longer before indulging. I simply do not understand why so much attention is paid to vintage, because 2001 was not a celebrated year, yet this wine was phenomenal.
Definitely young but very smooth and velvety from begining to end. I will not try another for 2 years but I am already looking forward to it as this will certainly gain more prominence in the coming years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still asleep..but creeping closer to the drinking window. 2 or so years to open another. Not as massive as one would have thought but I think it will gain weight as it matures. Super smooth front to back.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium/full bodied, with a refined, elegant nature, for Latour, it’s on a rapid course of evolution. The wine is fresh, clean and pure, with layers of rich, spicy black cherry, tobacco, smoke, gravel and truffle. The soft, round tannins and regal, crisp finish are a pleasure to taste and feel.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Clear appearance with medium-intensive cranberry colour. Clean and strong nose is rustic. Lots of foresty and earthy aromas. Tannins smell strongly. Some leathery touch and a hint of rowanberries. Full-bodied taste is earthy and a bit woody at first. Sawdust-like tannins mellow soon to fruitiness. Acidity is balanced. Lengthy wine. Soft after decanting for four hours. Pencil shavings after being open for 7h. Needs air but opens up OK. Rather smooth in the end.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consumed from Magnum. Nice wine. Cedar and cassis on the nose. Beautiful balance and structure. More cedar and black fruit on the palate. Showed much better than I was expecting from a young first growth Pauillac. No secondary characteristics yet still primary but quite enjoyable nonetheless. Gladd I bough more of this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow, this was just amazing. Probably one of my best Pauillac ever drank. Amazing aromas, deep colour, extra long and smooth finish. Currant, leather. Just incredible with filet mignon with Sir Wilfred Laurier cheese melted on top.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
great nose of darkfruit and earth tones. a crazy long finish, approx one min, a nice weight on the palate. Eventhough the finish was long, I did find it a bit harsh and rough. I am ssuming that will mellow out with more time in the bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consumed at a 10-years-out horizontal of 4 First Growths (Mouton, Latour, Margaux and Haut Brion) dinner event. All wines had been decanted about 5 hours prior for a period of about 2 hours and then returned to bottle. For me, this was the best of the 4. From the outset, this wine had a rich smoothness that was unexpected from the wine at only age 10. Still tons of material, but the balance and mouthfeel were ahead of its siblings at this dinner. Nose was excellent, typical and strong as well. This wine should continue to develop for years to come. Tremendous!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic Latour nose of black fruits and walnuts with a lovely earthiness. Medium-bodied with good black fruit flavors and classic notes of cedar and walnuts. Drinking well now but not showing much secondary flavor development and should improve. The tannins are slightly coarse and this may never be as fine as a top vintage of Latour but it's a balanced and delicious wine that really shows off the terroir of the site. 93+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Floral nose, light garnet color. Decanted an hour. Nice fruit, touch of earthiness medium weight, medium finish. Very nice balance, smooth, drinking well. Classy wine. Perfect example of how too many of the lesser Bordeaux really try too hard.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Martin Weiner's Magnificent Ch. Latours (1934-2002) Plus the Best of ths Grand Cru Neighbors (Martin Weiner): From a magnum. Deep burgundy color with a hint of garnet in the core. Minimal rim. Nose was a little hot. Sweet bouquet of pine and floral notes - nice depth. A hint of salt on the palate with blueberry, cherry, and some forest underpinnings. Very fine tannins that added to the finish. Perhaps a little fat. Worked very well with the lamb that it was served with. 93+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sigh. Sad to see it go. Classic Latour and really flirts with perfection for this vintage. Not a huge wine for the very long term, but there are simply no issues here with thinness, lack of fruit, greeness, or balance. At this stage, it is showing great Latour cedar notes, but it is still very primary and basic in its evolution - the colour, the nose, and the mouthfeel are still very much "purple". Needs another 10 years to show the complexity for which one really buys this stuff. At the moment, a 1996 Cos came a surprisingly close second. 94 this evening and 95+ for potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank with leg of lamb alongside with a 2001 Haut-Brion. Very fresh nose. Superb match with mint and rosemary on lamb. Strong finish. The wine was double decanted for four hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2001 Latour opens with cassis, spice, cedar, earth and blackberry notes. This is an elegant style of Latour that will drink well early. While charming, it lacks the body and depth found in the best years for this Bordeaux wine producer. Another 5-7 years will add more complexity to this wine. 93 Pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red with ruby rim. Impeccable nose with red fruits followed by cedar and black currant. Inebriating mouth, with chocolate, clovers, cinnamon, coffee....a wine to die for.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2001 Bordeaux (Lavandou): On first pour rather tight but with swirling and time, it began to emerge. The Latour is the less brooding of the two. It has a silky repose to it that was quite regal. Nice notes of boysenberry and cassis began to emerge with more time, very reticent notes of lead pencil. While there was tannic backbone on the finish, it never felt harsh or protruding, merely strong and reassuring. It is an inviting wine that seduced the drinker without being overly showy. While at first I thought it to be my favorite of the three, I think the Lafite eventually expressed a more dynamic nervosity to it. This wine is like a fine suit yet untailored. Give it time to flesh out and find its form. For current consumption, I'd recommend a 4 hour double decant if opening soon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is an incredibly well made wine and has all the components a great wine should have ... except for a modicum of fruit. This is clearly a Bordeaux thing and for those that love the veggies, this is an incredible wine. A bit young still, so I would wait at LEAST 5 more years before trying this again. However, for $350 that it would cost to purchase this wine in the secondary market, there is absolutely no way that one can see that as anywhere near worth that ... for that amount, I expect to be absolutely blown away. However, I reiterate that this is a very, very good wine, just very vegetal. If you have some and don't like veg-wine then sell it and buy 3 bottles of your fave $100 bottle. Just sayin ...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened two hours before dinner. Completely integrated with only a bite of tannin on the finish. Smooth and elegant with rich red/dark fruit and tobacco hints. Pretty hard to find much fault with this, though it did not show the depth of layered flavors as did the 1988 Cheval Blanc from the previous night. At Pescadou.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
With just a pop and pour this wine demonstrated quite superbly just how delicious and approachable the 2001 vintage in Bordeaux can be. Great Latour typicity but forward and remarkably accesible. Real quality of fruit, a smooth satin finish and balance to die for. Very under-rated. Will improve further of course.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sweet dark cherries, lots of intense graphics smoke, lovely nose with a matching finish. A very powerful and classic pauillac with nice texture, but could be silkier / more seamless to reflect its pedigree. Would love to taste this again in 10 years time, as I'm sure it'll become something even more special ... but in its current young state I'd say an 04 PC would give me the same amount of refinement and pleasure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Masculine nose of currants, raspberry, and smoke. Quite tannic on the palate with more berry subtle green pepper and strong earthy undertones. Long finish. Will improve for a decade at least!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Double decanted several times well before drinking. Enormously complex and beautiful bouquet. Cassis, lead pencil and luxurious oak. Smelling this is almost enough. I am not disappointed on the palate. It all come back in a beautiful way. Very juicy fruits, soft tannin and bitterness and a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity. Thanks to the decanting we can taste there is already some development, but this will last for many, many years. Great classical Bordeaux. For the moment 97 and there might be a bonus in 7 years from now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
(93-94) Opened at our house with Yuri and Alison, along with lots of cheeses. This was the first wine that AN could tell was too young BUT REALLY LIKED. The only thing that was not excellent was the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very expressive nose. Quite masculine and powerful. Impressive finish. Some smoke on the nose. On the second taste, supple, rich, well rounded, explosive finish. Tasted blind.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Spice, cedar and cassis with hints of tobacco make an attractive perfume. On the palate, the wine is not going to win awards for concentration. The quality of the fruit is very classy and stylish. But, for a First Growth, I wanted more. Today, the 02 remains my favorite current vintage. It is a stunning wine as well as a very good Latour. The 01 is surprisingly mature for Latour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Phil & Ena's (Phil & Ena's home): Decanted for 1.5 hrs. Served blind with leg of lamb, which i would rate in the high 90's. our gracius host served these wines bline, with the 01 caymus special selection(90) and the Hedges red mountain reserve(91). He did not tell us the variatal nor the origin. I was able to pick this as a claret, however was shocked at the the caliber. Incrediable nose that filled the room with floral notes, blue fruits, smoke and terroir (I would rate the nose a(98) and the palate an (82) which was thin, metalic, with mineral notes and a short finish. On the bright positive side the palate seam to improve over the 3+ hrs. it took to consume, suggjesting improvement is in its future. Concenus was #3 in the group.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine Spectator Grand Tour (Las Vegas): Better . More earth but not as much. More minerality or graphite but also some fruit. Something I havent really sensed in the 1st growths so far. Plum tobacco and leather with firm acidity and tannins. Did enjoy this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
AN and SN drank this along with a half bottle of 2002 Preuses at Palena. The chablis was good, but the Latour . . . . Absolutely delicious! We’ll have to open one of these each year (if we can wait that long) to watch it develop.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ruby in color. On the nose, with hint of spicy, balck currant. Vailla, low acidity, leather. Decant 1.5 hour. Slightly sweetness base, strong leather and minerals. Lovely tannic, slightly high acidity. After 3 hours. Fruity, powerful. Generally very elegant. However, good but not really great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank side by side Pétrus 1999 (lucky me), and I must admit that I preferred the Latour (although both wines clearly were excellent). I have always loved the 2001's and think they are a bit underrated (for Bordeaux standards). Anyway, this is clearly a 1st growth wine, with indeed lots of coffee, meat, truffle?, nice acidity, still a bit tight. I would love to see how this will taste in 10-15 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Kevin's - Huge style, lots of expresso, dark fruits, leather and that "Latour" terroir. Oddly enough it drank a bit tight and completely closed down an hour later. This wine needs at least 10 years, I have had a number of 01 Bordeaux and they all seem to be drinking nice right now, not this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blackcurrant, blackberry, pencil lead, earth, leather and caramel. Excellent depth and complexity with beautiful acidity. Great structure and power. Still very closed and after about an hour in the glass starting to shut down further. Needs time to come around. 13% alcohol.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Was very pleased to see the condition of the cork was excellent, got it at Costco on the cheap (well if $200 can ever be called a cheap wine) and it's always a worry in the back of my mind. Anyway... A pleasant wine, but quite young and tight. It may be accessible "for Latour" but it is not accessible in the grand scheme of things. Decanted for a couple of hours and it got better, but I would not open another bottle for at least 5 years. Should be quite lovely down the road. I would be very comfortable bargain hunting in the '01 vintage based on this experience.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderfully complex,, with layers of slate, lead pencil, blackberry, and cedar resin. Finish was long, but the wine was perhaps overly restrained. even after decanting, and time, it wouldn't give. I have to say I did expect more from this great chateau, even in a moderately good year like 01. Drank a Schrader Beckstoffer-Tokalon afterwards, and it was better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great wine but probably should have decanted longer or cellared more -- but celebrations aren't always scheduled. Pencil lead and slate on the nose with some subtle dark fruit as it began to open up. Very soft fruit with complexity and medium body on the palate with a lingering finish. Fine tannins. Much softer than I imagined a relatively young bordeaux to be but could imagine another decade of drinkability as the fruit was still a bit closed. Yummy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Seminoles”. Dark purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of roasted coffee beans, roasted meat and lots of dark fruits. Flavors of plums, blackberries, currants and minerals. Perfectly balanced and full bodied. Either the 2001 Insignia or the 2001 Latour. Seems new world. Really good either way. COMMENTS: I believe this wine was deanted upwards of 8 hours or more before returning to bottle for the tasting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blind Birthday Tasting (Win's House - Texas): Initially opened alongside a 2000 Château Haut-Brion. Long cork. The Latour was definitely darker than the Haut-Brion—the Latour was a big wine—lots of deep, brooding aromas emanating, but not a huge amount of fruit showing. Obviously, still closed, but after an hour, more complex, deep fruit aromas were present. After 9 hours in bottle, still somewhat closed....92-96 (Noles)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine Country: Garnet red--more purple than Mouton; soft blk berry, earthiness; richer, rounder than Mouton, more upfront t’s; a bit closed, lite toasty notes, more mocha in end; powerful potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2001 Claret Tasting (Vintners' Hall, London): Most muted nose at first, but with a little coaxing it soon opens up, quite concentrated. Rich layers of strong dark fruits, a very fine tuned almost metallic backbone. Excellent
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The nose had leather, spice, with hints of bing cherries. This wine was thick throughout the mouth, with a finish that just keeps pumping through the heat! Ate with filet mignon, potatos, and sauteed mushrooms.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Heritage: Superb unsweet. choc., tabacco leaves, hint of cassis, cigar box--perfectly balanced in the mouth with structured t’s. Not over the top, but rich and deliscious. Amazing balance--Icould drink lots of this despite it being fairly big. Drank 2 glasses.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My favorite of the vintage. A dark, nearly black beauty that reeks of ripe black cherry, cassis, coffee and rare steak. The brooding nose gives way to big fruit on the palate. It has beautifully balanced acid and tannin that starts and finishes with a smooth, tannic curve. It's a bit closed but the forever finish bodes for a great evenings ten year from now. Not a typical Latour but a really good one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Farmington Wine Class - 2001 Bordeaux Tasting. Very different from my last tasting of this wine, but still fantastic. Dark, opaque rusty red color. Fantastic, complex nose of bacon fat, smoke, coffee, tar, chocolate, and more. Lots of acid and tannin on the palate, but perfectly balanced and supported by loads of ripe dark fruit. Great mouthfeel and texture. At first, the finish seemed slightly clipped, but as the wine evolved in the glass, the finish grew longer and more complex. Great wine, with plenty of room for improvement.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted at K&L Bordeaux Tasting (Redwood). Phenomenal! This was wine really impressed. It's so approachable now, it was completely enjoyable. Nose of dense espresso, which just kept revealing layer and layers black fruit and notes of oak just hidden there. Very nice texture and weight in the mouth. Full finish that was medium to med/long in length. Very elegant and balanced. Wine was decanted for five hours prior to tasting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The best of the First Growths being poured at the Las Vegas WS Grand Tour. Round with firm tannins. Should be a young drinking wine (relatively speaking). Full bodied with rich red and black fruit notes. Integrated texture. 93+ points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Farmington Wine Class. Dark, opaque purple. Leather, cassis, menthol, perhaps a touch of green pepper on the complex and inviting nose. Soft, open and voluptuous on the palate. Definite notes of caramel and buttered movie popcorn. Bright and balanced with a long beautiful finish. Amazingly open and fruit forward for a young Latour, but possesses good structure for aging.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Chateau Latour vertical (K&L Wines; moderated by Robert Parker) (San Francisco, CA): 2001 Chateau Latour Young, ripe, sweet nose of blackcurrant, toasted oak, with low acidity and overall balanced elegance. Intensely flavorful, difficult to perceive tannins. When an hour went by, it developed some licorice and the acidity became more obvious. A surprise for me given some of the downgrades that publications gave it from barrel. This was the 1st time Mr. Parker tasted this from bottle and he admitted to having started writing a formal tasting note, but abandoned the effort when all the distractions prevented him from concentrating. When pushed for an evaluation of this wine by a fan, Mr. Parker reluctantly (and somewhat quietly) mumbled a “94 points”. I agree with that rating and I’m glad to have purchased this wine on futures. 94 points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/17/2024 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 96 Points
Mid garnet in the glass. Nose of perfume, red fruit and root beer?
Palate demonstrates great balance and backing acidity. Wish I had more descriptors but it's an easy 96 for me tonight.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
4/7/2024 - KenCT Likes this wine: 91 Points
I decanted at 5 PM and it only began to integrate and soften around 10 PM. Big cedar on the nose, but tight on the palette. I can’t tell if this will improve with age or should just be given six hours to decant and drink
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2024 - melvinyeowq wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux first-growth lunch: A serious, structured wine with the classic pencil lead marker of Pauillac. Fruit was a little roasted that made me think a warm vintage like '05. Clearly had more depth than the '03 HB alongside but this was so brooding that it was a rather difficult drink to me.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2023 - Mjuste wrote: 84 Points
Thin like water. No good and simply just a bad wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (2)
12/12/2023 - Collector1855 wrote: 93 Points
Salon Ficofi Paris walkabout tasting and dinner, no detailed tasting notes. From DMG. Relatively light on the palate, steict.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2023 - def Likes this wine: 94 Points
many of the reviews a spot on. dark, dry, plenty of depth but still surprisingly young after resting for 22 years. Took a while to open but was exceptional. I look forward (if I have the patience) to perhaps opening one of these beauties each year over the next 11 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2023 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 95 Points
Académie des Cinquante 67th Annual Dinner: Deep and brooding, closed even after six hours in the decanter, extremely youthful, crisp Cabernet, twenty years too young, immense minerally energy, layered and deep, everything in the right place, hint of evolution, very firm structure, grippy tannins, excellent length. A marathon runner.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/30/2023 - La Grappe Likes this wine: 94 Points
A fairly dark colour; the nose is rather muted, but the palate is full, with ripe blackcurrant fruit, quite pure and focussed, and with good length. Drinking well, but more time in bottle should add more complexity. Decanted for 2½ hours.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/17/2023 - JHSP Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really opened up the 2nd day - very complex nose, earthy and dark red fruit, hints of vanilla - vevilty and very long finish - many more years in it. Certainly needs 6-8 hrs decanting. Next btl in 5+ yrs
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/9/2023 - O'Meara Likes this wine:
Happy birthday to me. This is a lovely mature bordeaux with all the accoutrements. I double decanted for 30 minutes before drining over 3 hours. It opens with a bouquet of a mature estuary bordeaux and tell tale almond scent, as soon as you pull the cork. While clearly mature, the verve of the fruit is evident, so we are not at the absolute pinnacle. I think this still has a decade of development, although at this point, the improvement will be minimal from here on out. This is a lovely mature Latour, exhibiting its power albeit in a shy vintage. Drink now or over the next decade.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2023 - Malarky997 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2023 - dharrison93 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Enjoyed with friends at a restaurant after a brief decant. Fully mature with years of pleasure ahead.
Spectacular brooding nose of black fruit and red berries on a mocha stage. Deep with endless finish.
If a date, this was a 35-year-old Wall Street banker just entering her prime earning years at the top of the firm.
Terrific but not transcendent, with 15-20 years of pleasure ahead.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2023 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Well the smell is magically complex. Earthy, and red fruit, and savory and rather amazingly complex.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2023 - Fuel55 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deceptively light took a good hour to even show its Pauillac pedigree - enjoyed over 3 hours - lots of cedar and a touch of cigar (no pencil lead), vibrant acidity and largely mature red fruits. Lovely for sure but definitely one of the lightest young(ish) Latours I have had.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2023 - alexbhurst1678 wrote: 97 Points
Drank at dinner party courtesy of Cooper; really flourished after after thirty minutes; elegant finish; hints of dried fruits but not overwhelming.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2023 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
medium deep red color, starting to brick at the rim, mature cassis and cedar on the nose, a bit of austerity, on the palate velvety fruit, tannins largely resolved, oak spice, walnut and a bit of dried herbs, fine length, elegant and understated- a more austere and slightly bigger version of the excellent 1989, regal, relaxing, in a great place but with decades of life ahead and perhaps even a bit more development.
****, ready to drink with time in hand
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2023 - AllRed wrote: 95 Points
Friday Night Brown Bagger (R&D's): Double blind. Aromas of leather, black fruit, tobacco and spice. Full-bodied, with flavors of plum, black fruit, cigar tobacco and dried herbs. Picks up a cedary element as it sits. Full-bodied, somewhat powerful, with a long finish. We are in the midst of a terrific flight of wines, wow. Another that I thought was an old school Napa cab blend. Flat out gorgeous, and not yet at peak. (R&D)
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2023 - soyhead wrote:
spicy, loads of dark fruit, and compared to the '96 somewhat unevolved. Though I quite enjoyed the fruit purity. Two Latour in one night, yikes!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2022 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Dried floral, mint, bellpepper, graphite, tobacco, blackcurrant, blackcherry. old leather, cedar and earth.
With just 13%abv, it is medium body, fresh and layered. Developing mushroom, undergrowth flavours noted. Not among the best vintages of Chateau Latour but definitely classy and good.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2022 - t.c.green Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drinking very young, but a beautiful well balanced wine. Will easily go for another 20 years and stay youthful. Paired with prime roast beef perfectly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2022 - NarunP Likes this wine: 93 Points
79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc
Dark core, reddish hue, compact rim. Fresh, though opaque with fine sediment.
Bouquet is layered with fresh blackberry, currant, red cherry, dried herb, forest floor, sauteed mushroom, smoke, still traces of charred cedary wood.
Palate is resolved. Medium acidity, medium body, dry. Lots of fresh dark fruits still. Blackberry, dark cherry, black olive, graphite, gunpowder. Quite lengthy on the finish.
Classy Latour that has just entered its peak drinkability. This is not a firework or a catchy love song. It is a ballad that soothes your soul. I had blockbusters before but this is as classy as it gets.
I popped the cork open and put it back before starting drinking 2 hours later.
93.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2022 - streethawk wrote:
Forest floor, dried cherries, graphite on the nose. Very balanced and light on its feet on the palate. Terrific length. Not the most concentrated and dense, but for my taste this wine is outstanding. Plenty of life left.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2022 - wa2ofd Likes this wine:
I liked this wine. I decanted an hr and seemed plenty. Brought to a blind tasting and was paired with an 00 Figeac and an 89 Cheval Blanc. Group of 10 had 4 that favored the Latour over the others. Myself I found the Cheval best overall. Nose was a little austere and color seemed older than 21yrs. Still good fruit and intact but I wonder if this will be classically long lived.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2022 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Eight Decades of Decadence: For me, this was drinking the best I've had it over the course of my four tastings of the '01 Latour. This wine is really coming into its own and it confirms that "off vintages" in Bordeaux as not "off vintages", but just early maturing vintages. I may be dead before the 2010 Latour comes into its prime, but that's ok because I will gladly drink '01 in the meantime. So good and so Latour! Love it. Be sure to give it a proper decant.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2022 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Acker Pre-Auction September 2022 (Redbury Lounge): I’ve yet to have my ‘moment’ with Latour and this was no different although to be fair people who are strong fans were also not really convinced. I’ve heard it said the ‘01 vintage was overshadowed by ‘00 but much better than it gets credit for and while I am a big fan in the Rhone haven’t had much in Bordeaux that makes me give credit to that theory. This was decent Bordeaux but given it’s price point it really should be excellent.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (6)
9/7/2022 - hprphf wrote: 92 Points
Light, not very elegant, is ok but not up to the usual Latour standard. 92
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2022 - mathwonk wrote:
this is delicious and rich. we opened and decanted it 3 hours ago and it was so good it was hard to wait for it to evolve, but we did so, tasting only twice in between. now round, full, rich and delicious. But I keep comparing latours to my first one, a 1970 drunk in 1981, and so far none have come close to that in depth and intellectual interest. so this is wonderful wine, and on a special occasion, possibly worth it, but straight up, only if you have unlimited funds.
edit: perhaps I decanted it a bit long, as it actually had more power and interest when first opened, although a bit tart. I would suggest pouring a full glass at the beginning and drinking that slowly over an hour or so while the wine decants, to experience its evolution more fully.
2nd edit: After reading notes from people underwhelmed by this wine, and not wanting to mislead anyone considering buying it, I feel an obligation to say that unless you are (like me) absolutely unable to resist occasionally having a Latour, this wine although lovely, cannot be said to be at all worth the current $800 price. I would say, in terms of quality, it should be priced at most $200-$250, but since it is one of the most sought after labels on earth...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2022 - La Grappe wrote: 93 Points
A fine, elegant and slightly restrained claret, with very refined fruit, held back somewhat by some discreet tannin. Decanted 1 1/2 hours: more would help. Enjoyable now with food, but will continue to improve. A previous bottle was more developed than this and seemed almost perfect when we drank it: I gave that 96 points which is where this bottle would have been in a year or two.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2022 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very dark and tightly wound at first but opened up nicely after 2-3 hours. Structured, powerful and ripe but also elegant and silky with pretty aromatics. Drinking really well right now with air.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2022 - VinhoVerde Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fragrant herbs, spice and oak, and dark fruit aromatics. Soft supple, forward fruit entry on the palate. Elegant for Chateau Latour. Probably at its peak and superbly enjoyable now. Medium length.
Cork popped 4 hours before serving. Not a powerhouse, but so, so enjoyable right now. A great example of what the 2001 Bordeaux vintage was capable of.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/5/2022 - La Grappe wrote: 96 Points
Quite a deep colour, mid-red hue; a wine that is so good you could drink it and not notice; quite full blackcurrant fruit, with impeccable balance and length. Nothing out of place. Any tannin is fully integrated and the wine seems perfect to drink now, although it will keep for years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2021 - Bullethead Likes this wine: 96 Points
2nd bottle. Very pronounced nose with black currant, leather and mushroom. Silky palate and some tannins still exist. Fruits went on and on so did the depth and the complexity of the wine. Only appeared in first growth. To me slightly weaker vintage for first growth is more interesting than the super second in legendary vintage. This still needs 5+ year to reach fully maturity or give it a long decant. 96+
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/6/2021 - dtabony@comcast.net Likes this wine: 95 Points
Moderate tannin, decanted for 3+ hours, opened up nicely well balanced full of berries
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2021 - Sotto325 wrote: 90 Points
There are a few wines in my life that have played such a large part in my appreciation of the truly greatest. Château Latours for decades have beguiled me. . This is the first bottle I have ever had that was out of joint, largely at sixes and sevens, and hopefully, at best, needing another five years. And it was well stored. Deep forest earth, wisps of sophisticated cherry notes, lots of fleeting acid, the regal Latour scent wafting in and out for 2 hours but never sitting down at the table, and some interesting moments overshadowed by acid and youthful appearing fruit.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2021 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for about an hour before drinking over the next two. Always a pleasure and absolutely ripping. Great perfume-like scent as well. Drink now!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2021 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Popped and poured, and drank over two hours. This thing is ripping! Like all 2001 Bordeaux recently, this is hitting above its weight and open for business. Love this wine!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2021 - Simoncino wrote: 97 Points
Unfortunately my only bottle. More approachable than I imagined. The smell of tobacco here is mesmerizing. Plenty of life and room to develop but worth a pop and four-hour decant if you have a case to enjoy. Will not do the same for my 2000 and 2003 Ch. Latour.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/21/2021 - kenthecpa Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drinking wonderfully!
No need to consume quickly but it is in its prime today!
Thanks to our friends Larry and Rose who brought this for our 45th anniversary!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
3/28/2021 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Decanted two hours before serving, very little sediment, but not quite enough time--showed best at the four hour mark. Dark red fruit that got blacker in the glass, plummy, iron-rich earth, lightly herbacious, long long finish and a deeply resonating aftertaste. Superb match with green chile cheeseburgers. Yes, you heard that right. 1/2 lb grassfed beef patty--check. Muenster cheese melted on top--check. Thick onion slices tamed in vinegar--check. Arugula and fire-roasted green chiles to speak to Latour's characteristic herbal component--check. Finally a toasted Kaiser roll for neutrality, and the best part--no sweet goopy sauce to get in the way. Burgers and fine wine--you bet it can work.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)
2/24/2021 - jmoon Likes this wine: 96 Points
Delicious from first pour, ripe, open and surprisingly fleshy but feeling very well built. Really opened up after about an hour or so. An almost merlot like lusciousness Coming through which I’ve never seen in the 2001. I’ve had a few bottles of the 01 and this was by far the best experience. it’s really hit it’s strides. given this is the latour clearly no rush I guess a couple of decades of ageing runway left but it’s so good now why wait?
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)
2/14/2021 - willmark wrote: 90 Points
14th Feb 2021
Decanted for 30mins; caveat: this followed the Leoville Barton of the same vintage and meal was rather strongly flavoured dishes.
This 20 year old wine has surprisingly clarity of a much younger wine especially with the light dancing in the claret tinged ripples of each swirl. Portrays an exuberance of youth not anticipated in wines of this age. No legs discernible
The nose is uncomplicated; I would go so far to say fresh and enticing.
The first sip was light on the palette perhaps even cleansing the strong flavours from the meal. I was concerned the meal would overwhelm this wine. However am pleasantly surprised how balanced this wine has evolved through 2 decades with its soft and sweet tannins elevating itself to the forefront. The finish is medium with a hint of liquorice lingering at the end. This wine is so easy to drink. Looking forward to enjoy the best bottle with a big fat steak.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2021 - Miceri Likes this wine: 97 Points
Tasted with Les Forts Latour same year; Les Forts dark red with some brown, not black; Latour more dark towards black; Les Forts blackberry, cedar, open, silky sweet, fully mature and ready; Latour licorice, less expressive than Les Forts, more concentrated, developing in the glas over the hour, early drinking window, plenty of more years before maturity
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2021 - MC wrote:
Decanted 2.5 hours and enjoyed over the next 3 hours. This is very good Bordeaux, just not up to the high praise in some of the reviews (in MHO). Dark blue fruit on the nose, cool fruit on the palate with very good balance. But a bit short and compact on the finish. Tannin present but not in a bad way. Possible this expands with time and I am wrong but I would call this a very good, but not great, Latour. A-
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2020 - SonnyChiba wrote: 97 Points
WINO121’s review below sums up my thoughts well. Incredible wine.
Bumping it up a point since last tasting because the nose is such Bordeaux perfection.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2020 - wino121 wrote: 95 Points
Stunning at this point, fully mature with almost full fruit to oak integration.
Drank over appx 5 hours after a 3 hour decant.
As far as aging potential, why wait, it’s a beautiful wine right now.
Drink now thru 2025.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2020 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
I've had the pleasure of tasting this vintage of Latour four times now over its lifetime (2004, 2007, 2013, 2020). This is the first time that it was strutting its stuff as a fully mature Chateau Latour. All prior tastings it was primary and restrained. Not this time... classic Pauillac aromas soar from the glass with tertiary notes on the palate. There is wonderful balance and purity in this wine that you would expect from Chateau Latour. As other tasters have noted, this is not a powerhouse Latour, but a more elegant/femanine wine. Nevertheless, it is every bit as good and you don't have to wait another 20 years to drink it. It should be in this maturity plateau window for another 10 years and then might start to lose some of its fruit. For my palate, I would drink it in the next 10 years. Decanted for 1 hour and enjoyed over subsequent 2 hours over dinner.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2020 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine: 95 Points
Somewhat muted on nose at first, but amazing on palate. Drank neck & neck with a 2001 Ch. Haut Brion. Many years ahead for this wine, no rush. (Aug. 14, Gates Lodge)
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
7/12/2020 - Dmax808 wrote: 97 Points
So powerful but still so young after almost 20 years. Beautiful..
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2020 - KoalaHK wrote:
Drunk from magnum at Da Domenico Hong Kong - This is probably one of the most open Latours I've had in awhile. The characteristic Latour nose is omnipresent, plenty of dark fruit but with particularly fine, silky tannins. Nevertheless, it has plenty of weight and is still very much on the ascendancy.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2020 - dnnk88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
6th CB Wine Night - CT 91 & above!: Controversial one as we are not sure if we had this mixed up with the Hosanna 2000!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/2020 - nvandyk wrote: 96 Points
This was a marvelous wine. I gave it the benefit of a 3 hour decant based on the experience and kind perspective of others here and it definitely needed it. The wine is drinking really well. Emphasis on elegance more than power; a true Bordeaux. Seems to have life left but I wouldn't be shy about drinking it now. I got plenty of secondary nuance to it, but only after it had been open a while.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2020 - kentlaw wrote: 93 Points
Tried the 2001 again, much more opened this time however still got many years to go. Wonderful nose of cassis, graphite, violets and a hint of leather. On the palate fruit driven, tannins still yet to be integrated. Classic grand vin without too much weight and richness. Much more ready than the first bottle I had 2 years back. Will wait for another 2-3 years before I open another bottle.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2019 - Zinlady Likes this wine: 98 Points
Had blind with two 2009 Cabernets. One from California and one from Washington State. I immediately decided my favorite. Had great nose. Lucious in mouth. Went well with Standing Rib Roast. Ready to drink. Wow
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
9/13/2019 - Ibetian wrote:
Popped and poured, though a decant would have helped. Test for birthday v 05 Troplong Mondot and 05 Pavie Mac. This wine is drinking ok now, but would really benefit from another couple of years in the cellar. The nose was somewhat muted, but already offered the classic Latour cassis, and a complex combination of fed and black fruit. No secondary characteristics yet. A bit of a tannic bite at first. This is a very fine wine, but I think it needs a bit more time to reach peak.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2019 - LB88 wrote: 93 Points
Needs at least 3-4 hours in a decanter. Leather and tobacco. Cones together nicely but just about starting to drinks.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2019 - Purple Tooth wrote: 93 Points
What a shame...Not ready after all this time and in contrast to the Pichon, this one had way more power and far less development. Surprisingly punk'd in my opinion. It feels somewhat in limbo still. It has allot of power, but the acidity sticks out a bit much to allow some of the mature characters shine on through. The acidity is probably a contributing factor to the slow aging...Who knows! Still a great wine, but needs time. drink or HOLD
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2018 - Collector1855 wrote: flawed
Chateau Latour - 30 year vertical (1983-2010) tasted blind (Switzerland): Hmm, not sure what is happening here. Nose of maggi beef stock but not oxidative, just off-message on terroir vs the other wines. Lots of alcoholic heat on the palate too. Felt forced. Jean-Marc meant the bottle was probably not representative given his many other encounters with this wine. NR
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2018 - Winemaker51 Likes this wine: 93 Points
2 hour decant and another 30 minutes after pouring, it opened up! Very concentrated aromatics of earth, truffles, wild berry, cherries Jubillee and some oak. LOVED the aroma and very complex, like sex. Flavor was elegant and seemless, without biting tannins. More on the red fruits side and not quite as concentrated. For those who love terroir aromas the the smell of sex, here it is. For those expecting more concentration Than elegance from a Latour, this is not for you. Can be drunk now, unless you like it on the older side.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2018 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Very primary, cassis plum. Velvetly texture with serious depth. Finishes bitter.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2018 - dharrison93 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent but not transcendental. Enjoyed with friends at a local restaurant after a splash decant.
Medium-dark purple with lighter rim, this is nearing full maturity but still 5+ years away so give it lots of air before serving.
Notes of plum, black fruits and Asian spice.
If a date, this was a 30 year old Harvard MBA investment banker coming into her own after several years experience, about to blossom both at dinner and in the bedroom. AA+ but wait 3-5 years
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2018 - kentlaw Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tried it with 1999 Mouton. Much more closed and restrained despite 3 hours in a decanter. The potential is certainly there but its quite shy at the moment. Could be at its "sleeping stage". Will open another bottle in 2 years and evaluate again. This is of course not as flamboyant and complete as the 2000. But if you enjoy a more classic style without the overwhelming ripeness and oak there is pleasure in this bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/8/2018 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 93 Points
2001 Ch. Latour
Parfymert, og samtidig litt macho nese med tobakk, plommer, blyantspiss, tørket frukt. Herlig. Litt forsiktig åpning med tynn frukt. Rips, tobakk, tørkede røde bær, blyantspiss. Drar på noe helt absurd i smakskurven med tobakk, plommer, lær, mineraler. Ettersmaken er helt dustete lang og sitter mange minutter. (smakt fra åpen flaske i vinbutikk) Herlig juice. 93-94
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2018 - jmoon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely classic Pauillac. Lacking real depth or length though, despite a 3 hour decant. A bit closed.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2018 - Ibetian wrote:
Decanted about 3 hours before Easter dinner of rack of lamb. First bottle of 750 after several from 375.
Bottom line, this is drinking well from 375 but needs at least a couple of years from the standard size.
Nose pleasant but closed, as is palate.
Try this again from 750 in 2020.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/17/2018 - djdaqm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Don's 50th: Decanted and aerated for 2-3 hours before consuming. Beautiful nose of forest floor, cedar and some tobacco. On the palate it's on the lighter side of what I'd expect from Latour, and it's still evolving and integrating. I would guess this wine has another 10 years before being at it's best.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2018 - Vino vayne wrote:
Wow. What a nose. Still young. But beautiful and Full. Had it next to 2000 Gruaud Larose. No comparison. 97+. 99 in 2 years for sure.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2018 - Ibetian wrote: 94 Points
From 375, decanted just before dinner. Fine nose, dominated by cassis. No secondary notes. Medium plus body. Drinking well, but clear upside.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2017 - steinersing wrote: 94 Points
From DM - a real smooth powerhouse for that vintage. Deep and long, bit still quite tannic.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2017 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Palais. Exuberant, youthful, violet aromatics, classical palate. From double mag.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2017 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes and drank over the next three hours. Opened up with time as expected, but immediately showing from the get go. Not as deep and expressive as the 2000 vintage, but more approachable. This wine is open for business now, but will certainly last many more years in cellar.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2017 - SonnyChiba wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic wine, starting to drink well like many 2001, yet plenty of years left ahead. Impeccable balance, complex, beautiful finish. Doesn’t get much better than this.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
11/15/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 91 Points
Château Latour Vertical (Vaucluse): Nose is somewhat closed and astringent. Red cherry. Palate is similarly astringent right now but shows good structure. Not showy right now, but potential to blossom. Even if this is technically more sound, I preferred the '03 tonight, and certainly the '00.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2017 - nywine68 wrote: 91 Points
Still very closed. Not particularly expressive. You can sense the aristocratic potential underneath but unfortunately it did not really want to show itself tonight. Did not give it much time to decant. A bit disappointing.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2017 - RayOB wrote: 95 Points
Drank at 67
Needs about four hours decanting to open up. Pure graphite with power.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2016 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Intimate Dinner Series: Domino and I Commemorate 15 Years w/Great 2001s (Gen Hoe, Geneva): Another courtesy of R&D, decanted four hours before being served alongside the Lafite and Margaux. Youthful dark color, opaque to the meniscus. The tightest and "biggest" of the three, which came as no surprise to the group. Black currant, plum and green tobacco notes. A bit more firm on the palate than the other two, with flavors that mirror the bouquet. A more powerful and deeper wine- black fruit, forest floor and...towards the end of the night...hints of graphite and roasted game. Whereas the others might be truly ready and open in five years, this may need ten. My score reflects the end of the evening, when this was its most open and expressive...initially I had this rated much lower.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2016 - Too much practice. wrote: 87 Points
Very closed. Clearly a stunning wine here, but this is way too young. Shame as there is everything here to promise a very exciting future.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/28/2016 - WineGoblin Likes this wine: 97 Points
I love this wine. Maybe more than just about anything I've ever had. Even using a Coravin, with only glass decanting, this wine is magical. Ethereal nose with fabulous basket of notes including blueberry, graphite, leather, dark berries, and very subtle oak. This, to me, is what a first growth should smell like. The taste matched the aromas and lingered wonderfully. I do not think that further cellaring is required but I am happy that I have additional bottles and can try it again in five and ten years. It should age very gracefully. Still plenty of muscle to hold on to life for decades.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2016 - Ibetian wrote: 95 Points
From 375, popped and poured into glasses, drank starting 30 minutes later. On early drinking plateau from 375, though I'll probably hold my 750s a bit longer. Wonderful, complex nose and palate, hitting Classic Latour notes. A bargain at its EP price, though less so now.
A terrific, complex wine at the beginning of a decade or two of fine drinking. Long, fine finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2016 - FYC wrote:
Double decanted 12 hours prior. Classic graphic nose. Earth. Leather. Elegant and focused on the palate. just beginning to show well at the end of the night. Open now with a long decant or in 10-15 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2016 - jonanator wrote: 92 Points
Given about 2 hours of air in a decanter before drinking. Lovely nose - full of gravel, ripe dark berries. On the palate, this was a little more restrained and closed, and perhaps needed more air to really show its stuff. Plenty of dark fruit, hints of anise. Still, the wine showed admirably, full of structure and balance. I love the fruit in this wine, just perfectly in harmony with everything else. Nicely integrated at this point, with lush and silky tannins. This is still young IMO, and will really hit its stride in 5-10. Although enjoyable and interesting to try from a development standpoint, I really feel that this bottle was opened a little early, and hence, didn't get to show what all the fuss is about. 92 for now, 95+ in 5-10 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2016 - RayOB wrote: 95 Points
Drank in Hong Kong
Needs a couple of hours decanting to really open up. Nose of dark fruit, pencil, dear and earth. Smooth rich deep palate. Nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2015 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opens up with busy, detailed aromatics though also with quite a beastly amount of tannin that puts this probably about a decade away from primetime, for my tastes. Even so, it delivers quite an engaging and dynamic performance today. It has deep, black-pitched flavors with a touch of cedar and gravel, but not so much like the famous 'lead pencil' of the northern end of Pauillac - for some reason this feels almost more like a St.-Julien to me, kind of reminiscent of a Leoville-Barton with a bit more sinewy muscle. And then, about three hours in, it announces, "Hey, by the way, this is what a first growth can do," and those muscular tannins almost in an instant turn exquisitely refined, liquid cashmere.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
11/18/2015 - MRichman wrote:
Dinner in NYC (Gander): Young. Strong and dark with good dried herb. Very good.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2015 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 90 Points
K&L High-End Bordeaux Tasting - October 2015 (K&L): First First Growth wine! The nose is on the dirty side - ripe to overripe plum, dog fur, bacterial aromas as well ("Central Park West"). The nose isn't really compelling to me. Plummy in the mouth - a definitely medium between cabernet and merlot character (surprising - this is 75% cab). Medium body, just medium acid, slightly warm alcohol - 13.5% ish? Slight mintiness from pyrazines, slight brett spice, new oak doesn't stick out - it's well integrated. Flavor balance is great but it's not really compelling to me. It's complex but nothing is really grabbing me. Overall the flavors seem a bit washed out, watercolored, withered. I don't get anything awesome from age.
Score: Around 9
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2015 - aagrawal wrote: 94 Points
K&L Bordeaux Tasting (K&L, Redwood City): Medium-deep ruby with little bricking; aromatic nose with minerality, black fruit, highly wound; palate is full bodied, very youthful tannins, dense black fruit, fresh minerals, very slight graphite; long finish. Excellent but this needs at least 5 more years to evolve. 93-94+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2015 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 98 Points
The Four Seasons Tasting Bordeaux First Growths (Aubergine Restaurant): Mid to deep garnet: Complex, intense, brooding bouquet displaying earth, dark fruits and smashed rocks. The entry is powerful, masculine and mysterious! Full-bodied with a fabulous frame of solid, dense iron-clad tannins. This soaring-high wine has vertiginous fresh acidity, giving depth and fantastic concentration yet never appearing heavy. Impressive and precise, like an athletic javelin thrower, the flavours are blackcurrant, oak hints, and graphite, presented in pure form. Incredible length and continues to impress.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
7/26/2015 - yossarian.livez wrote: 95 Points
L.A.W. Tasting: Brunello, Barolo, Super Tuscan, and Bordeaux (LA Hutchinson Cocktail and Grill): Animal hyde, lead pencil nose, with perhaps even the slightest touch of brett on the nose. Palate of pebble, plum, graphite, savory herb, and just a slight hint of green pepper. Very good acid and a persistent plus mineral finish. A wine that is simultaneously pure and nuanced and plenty of life left in it.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/2/2015 - Ibetian wrote:
From 375, popped and poured. Consumed under less than ideal conditions, after 11pm without food after a long journey. But it was my birthday, dammit, and I wanted to drink a FG. Although this is fine now from 375, I think it could benefit from either a bit more time in the cellar or an hour or two decant. A very fine wine, that was a bargain by today's standards when I bought it EP in 2003.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2015 - joshbryer wrote:
Spicy, animale nose, otherwise shut down. Palate was flat and closed, even given more time in glass. I feel this was a distinctly off bottle, but can't point to any specific flaw.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2015 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 96 Points
Blackberry,black currant, anise, wet stone and coffee round out this lovely wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2014 - CyroW Likes this wine: 92 Points
the best of this wine a the good to great balance, between tannins, acidity and fruits. well made. I was expecting a bit more opulence from both fruits and tannins; maybe I over-expected and thought the wine was still a bit of light weight, I am hoping that with time it will become a litttle bit more "extraordinary", somehow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2014 - jamie24 Likes this wine: 93 Points
first bottle from a case. 2 hour decant. i was a little disappointed. more elegant than powerful. the final glass 6 hours later was the best so hopefully some upside potential. will re-visit in a couple of years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
9/21/2014 - RossS wrote: 90 Points
OK not worth the money
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/20/2014 - Mr T wrote:
Slow oxed all day and then to Morton's for 91st birthday Boyd and bob
Still tok time to open there and start to show richer full fruit profile
So smooth and very light on its feet
This is not a heavyweight but elegant and a little subtle
Probably trying hard on my end bc Latour
Worth the price I paid but hard to imagine paying today's price of admission
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
6/25/2014 - Old Claret wrote: 93 Points
Soft tannins, less complex than anticipated, disappointing nose. But astill a well-structured wine. From a half bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/14/2014 - Rob MacKay wrote: 97 Points
Decant this for about two hours. Opens up to reveal a stunning, complex mix of flavors. Sensory overload. Elegant and powerful at the same time with a very smooth texture.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (3)
6/7/2014 - pavel_p wrote: 96 Points
Dinner at C's (Singapore): Third flight. This was WOTN for me. Guessed 2000 Pomerol double blind as I though I was tasting some Cabernet Franc here. After the excellent 2000 Gruaud Larose, this added a bit of weight and concentration to the previous but came across just every bit as balance and elegant, and was longer in the finish. Silky with perfectly integrated tannins but at the same time precise and not overly heavy. I guess this might still develop more complexity with more bottle age but it just so good to drink now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
4/12/2014 - Sotto325 wrote: 90 Points
Quelle dommage! Latour has been my guiding standard, even while migrating to burgundy, and after drinking scores of Latours from 1945-1983, I expected this to approximate the 1967 or 1976. Instead, this bottle, at least, showed little of the regal dominant, powerful cassis, dark fruit and stone Latour nose, that gateway into the Valhalla of wine gods. The wine was neither corked nor off, just not showing, even after an hour's decant, much beyond mellifluous dark cherry, cassis, smokey earth and a nice finish-- all without expressive definition. Could need time, could be an off bottle, but even off vintages like 1973, 1974 and 1980 always tasted like Latour. And 2001 Bordeaux generally are classic wines.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
4/7/2014 - BoozNooz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quite delicious but considering the price, I just couldn't give it a higher score. I really enjoyed it but I have had better wines at half the price
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (3)
3/3/2014 - Purple Tooth wrote: 93 Points
Very pretty wine with dry explosive presence in the mouth. A big Latour that lacks Latour lingo, yet it makes up for it in a different language. The lack of fruit gives way to alcohol. Not overpowering on a stand alone basis by any means. A very very pretty and wonderful wine. A beautiful dry wine (if u like that style), but the lack of fruit make it a drink candidate for sooner rather than later…Perhaps a 93 is rather harsh for such a beautiful wine, but be mindful that my 93 is in comparison to other great Latours, not other wines :-)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2014 - dhano wrote: 92 Points
Drank after 1 and half hour. Continuously improved. Berries and herbs.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
A lot of charm in every sip is the right motto for this wine. It's elegant, fresh, supple and round. The fruit is vibrant and refined, with a sweet, soft, pure, dark red berry core. I liked this a lot and expect to enjoy it even more with additional bottle age.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/15/2013 - LWI wrote: 93 Points
27 Vintages of Latour: Surprisingly rich and with moderate acid for a 2001, almost complex, sweet fruit. More of a ‘in your face’ wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (3)
9/2/2013 - Ibetian Likes this wine: 94 Points
From 375. Regal dark purple to the rim. Wonderful, complex nose, with cassis, leather, Bordeaux funk, blackberries and earth. Smooth, but tannins not completely resolved. Nice, lingering finish. Still several years short of full maturity, especially from 750 or larger formats, but still a pleasure to drink today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/31/2013 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Joe's): Inky garnet color. Aromas of red and black currants, beef blood, florals, licorice and roasted herbs. Tobacco notes emerge with additioanl air. Full-bodied with firm but approachable tannins and flavors of black fruit, herbs and iodine. The finish lingers for well over a minute. 94-95 pts. Guessed Bordeaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/13/2013 - Collector1855 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 1h. Discrete but beautiful nose of black fruit, peat and minerals, very Pauillac, very Latour. On the palate medium bodied with great balance and aromatic depth (cassis, forest floor, spicy pepper and minerals). Highly delicious and drinkable, a bit too lean for a higher score though. This bottle confirms the strong impression it made on a recent vertical. While this is not the most powerful Latour, it is very elegant and aristocratic. Attractive price compared to other vintages. Ready now if decanted for 1-2h.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (3)
8/1/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
It's fair to say this is a lighter style of Latour. Yet, there is still a lot to like about the wine with its stylish, purity of fruit, elegant textures and refined, mineral driven personality. More focused on freshness and purity than power, for Latour, this will be a wine to enjoy on the early side. I'll start popping mine in 2016 and enjoy it for at least 20 years after that.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (2)
6/14/2013 - Collector1855 wrote: 94 Points
Chateau Latour vertical with Commercial Director Jean Garandeau (Grand Hotel Dolder, Zurich): At Arvi Chateau Latour vertical tasting, Grand Hotel Dolder. This wine was the positive surprise of the evening. Discrete, almost muted nose of black fruits. On the palate however outstanding balance and complexity with typical Latour aromas of dark fruit, forest floor and minerals. Highly delicious and drinkable. Very classic Pauillac indeed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
3/23/2013 - Motz wrote: 99 Points
The most pleasurable bottle of wine I have tasted...ever!!! This ethereal elixir warmly entreated me to ponder life's intrinsic meaning as I slowly absorbed its enthralling virtues. This Grand Vin fundamentally altered my understanding of the riveting world of wine; I will forever remain spellbound by its captivating allure.
Cabernet Sauvignon strikes a harmonious chord with me that surpasses all other varietals; this is my bias. This wine conveys the noble purity of Cabernet Sauvignon, wonderfully accentuated by other varietals, combined with Bordeaux's exceptional terroir. It features far too many layers and enticing elements to name and more charming elegance than one might ever know what to do with. It is also unquestionably the best balanced wine I have tasted; it possesses a texture unlike anything else. Finally, this Château Latour stands as a monument of well-made simplicity in a world of countless overdone wines.
I realize 2001 was not a celebrated vintage but I do not think that matters here. Perhaps the only difference with more renowned vintages is aging potential. If the best vintages truly exceed this wine's complexity, purity, and balance, then the rating system may require reevaluation. Still, I have left open the possibility by scoring this 99 points.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)
3/3/2013 - sandwich Likes this wine: 97 Points
Paired with prime rib and creamed spinach. Splash decanted and drank over two hours. Everything is going well for this wine. The aroma screams Latour and could be enjoyed 10 feet away. The wine was tight at first but quickly opened up to reveal the classic gravel, lead pencil, and blueberry purée that is so pervasive in Pauillac. The last glass was better than the first and I only wish I was able to decant it longer before indulging. I simply do not understand why so much attention is paid to vintage, because 2001 was not a celebrated year, yet this wine was phenomenal.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/14/2012 - NEwino Likes this wine: 94 Points
Definitely young but very smooth and velvety from begining to end. I will not try another for 2 years but I am already looking forward to it as this will certainly gain more prominence in the coming years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2012 - wino121 wrote: 93 Points
Still asleep..but creeping closer to the drinking window.
2 or so years to open another.
Not as massive as one would have thought but I think
it will gain weight as it matures. Super smooth front to back.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2012 - Beaune wrote: 94 Points
Still young but decanted 1.5 hrs in advance. Complex, deep, but very smooth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Medium/full bodied, with a refined, elegant nature, for Latour, it’s on a rapid course of evolution. The wine is fresh, clean and pure, with layers of rich, spicy black cherry, tobacco, smoke, gravel and truffle. The soft, round tannins and regal, crisp finish are a pleasure to taste and feel.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2012 - midieh wrote:
Clear appearance with medium-intensive cranberry colour.
Clean and strong nose is rustic. Lots of foresty and earthy aromas. Tannins smell strongly. Some leathery touch and a hint of rowanberries.
Full-bodied taste is earthy and a bit woody at first. Sawdust-like tannins mellow soon to fruitiness. Acidity is balanced. Lengthy wine. Soft after decanting for four hours. Pencil shavings after being open for 7h.
Needs air but opens up OK. Rather smooth in the end.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2012 - astrauss wrote: 93 Points
Consumed from Magnum. Nice wine. Cedar and cassis on the nose. Beautiful balance and structure. More cedar and black fruit on the palate. Showed much better than I was expecting from a young first growth Pauillac. No secondary characteristics yet still primary but quite enjoyable nonetheless. Gladd I bough more of this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2012 - MichelBesner Likes this wine: 99 Points
Wow, this was just amazing. Probably one of my best Pauillac ever drank. Amazing aromas, deep colour, extra long and smooth finish. Currant, leather. Just incredible with filet mignon with Sir Wilfred Laurier cheese melted on top.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2011 - clarktoews wrote: 92 Points
great nose of darkfruit and earth tones. a crazy long finish, approx one min, a nice weight on the palate. Eventhough the finish was long, I did find it a bit harsh and rough. I am ssuming that will mellow out with more time in the bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2011 - Blair Curtis wrote: 95 Points
Consumed at a 10-years-out horizontal of 4 First Growths (Mouton, Latour, Margaux and Haut Brion) dinner event. All wines had been decanted about 5 hours prior for a period of about 2 hours and then returned to bottle. For me, this was the best of the 4. From the outset, this wine had a rich smoothness that was unexpected from the wine at only age 10. Still tons of material, but the balance and mouthfeel were ahead of its siblings at this dinner. Nose was excellent, typical and strong as well. This wine should continue to develop for years to come. Tremendous!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2011 - dream wrote: 93 Points
Classic Latour nose of black fruits and walnuts with a lovely earthiness. Medium-bodied with good black fruit flavors and classic notes of cedar and walnuts. Drinking well now but not showing much secondary flavor development and should improve. The tannins are slightly coarse and this may never be as fine as a top vintage of Latour but it's a balanced and delicious wine that really shows off the terroir of the site. 93+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2011 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
Vertical of 15 vintages Latour followed by a 3* Michelin dinner and 11 magnums. (@ the Librije in Zwolle, Netherlands.): Beautiful and deep, luxurious bouquet with cedar, luxurious oak and cassis. On the palate a concentrated wine with the same cassis, cedar and oak. Lush and a bit sweet but also good and firm acidity as well as ripe, firm tannin. Already approachable and a great future ahead. Well balanced and harmonious wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2011 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 93 Points
Verticaal Latour (De Librije, Zwolle): Kleur: Robijnrood, wat transparanter Aroma / bouquet: Gesloten, kruidig, donker kersenfruit, Smaak / Afdronk: Toegankelijk, verleidelijke kracht, mokka, cacao, Mon Cherie, donker fruit, krachtige zuren en dito tannines, mooie balans, enorme lengte. Algemeen / potentieel: Wat mij betreft kindermoord, desondanks heel goed doordrinkbaar. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 93/100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2011 - BobJohnson1 wrote:
Floral nose, light garnet color. Decanted an hour. Nice fruit, touch of earthiness medium weight, medium finish. Very nice balance, smooth, drinking well. Classy wine. Perfect example of how too many of the lesser Bordeaux really try too hard.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2011 - Grenik wrote: 93 Points
Martin Weiner's Magnificent Ch. Latours (1934-2002) Plus the Best of ths Grand Cru Neighbors (Martin Weiner): From a magnum. Deep burgundy color with a hint of garnet in the core. Minimal rim. Nose was a little hot. Sweet bouquet of pine and floral notes - nice depth. A hint of salt on the palate with blueberry, cherry, and some forest underpinnings. Very fine tannins that added to the finish. Perhaps a little fat. Worked very well with the lamb that it was served with. 93+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2010 - Ho Bryan wrote: 94 Points
Sigh. Sad to see it go. Classic Latour and really flirts with perfection for this vintage. Not a huge wine for the very long term, but there are simply no issues here with thinness, lack of fruit, greeness, or balance. At this stage, it is showing great Latour cedar notes, but it is still very primary and basic in its evolution - the colour, the nose, and the mouthfeel are still very much "purple". Needs another 10 years to show the complexity for which one really buys this stuff. At the moment, a 1996 Cos came a surprisingly close second. 94 this evening and 95+ for potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2010 - normanhebert wrote:
Drank with leg of lamb alongside with a 2001 Haut-Brion. Very fresh nose. Superb match with mint and rosemary on lamb. Strong finish. The wine was double decanted for four hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2010 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
2001 Latour opens with cassis, spice, cedar, earth and blackberry notes. This is an elegant style of Latour that will drink well early. While charming, it lacks the body and depth found in the best years for this Bordeaux wine producer. Another 5-7 years will add more complexity to this wine. 93 Pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2010 - Ludi Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark red with ruby rim. Impeccable nose with red fruits followed by cedar and black currant. Inebriating mouth, with chocolate, clovers, cinnamon, coffee....a wine to die for.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2010 - Ibetian wrote: 95 Points
375. Followed the 96 Pichon Baron, so tough comps. Popped and poured. Rich and wonderful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2010 - Faryan wrote: 95 Points
2001 Bordeaux (Lavandou): On first pour rather tight but with swirling and time, it began to emerge. The Latour is the less brooding of the two. It has a silky repose to it that was quite regal. Nice notes of boysenberry and cassis began to emerge with more time, very reticent notes of lead pencil. While there was tannic backbone on the finish, it never felt harsh or protruding, merely strong and reassuring. It is an inviting wine that seduced the drinker without being overly showy. While at first I thought it to be my favorite of the three, I think the Lafite eventually expressed a more dynamic nervosity to it. This wine is like a fine suit yet untailored. Give it time to flesh out and find its form. For current consumption, I'd recommend a 4 hour double decant if opening soon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2010 - cns wrote:
This is an incredibly well made wine and has all the components a great wine should have ... except for a modicum of fruit. This is clearly a Bordeaux thing and for those that love the veggies, this is an incredible wine. A bit young still, so I would wait at LEAST 5 more years before trying this again. However, for $350 that it would cost to purchase this wine in the secondary market, there is absolutely no way that one can see that as anywhere near worth that ... for that amount, I expect to be absolutely blown away. However, I reiterate that this is a very, very good wine, just very vegetal. If you have some and don't like veg-wine then sell it and buy 3 bottles of your fave $100 bottle. Just sayin ...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2010 - Colima74 wrote: 95 Points
Opened two hours before dinner. Completely integrated with only a bite of tannin on the finish. Smooth and elegant with rich red/dark fruit and tobacco hints. Pretty hard to find much fault with this, though it did not show the depth of layered flavors as did the 1988 Cheval Blanc from the previous night. At Pescadou.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2010 - Khamen wrote: 94 Points
With just a pop and pour this wine demonstrated quite superbly just how delicious and approachable the 2001 vintage in Bordeaux can be. Great Latour typicity but forward and remarkably accesible. Real quality of fruit, a smooth satin finish and balance to die for. Very under-rated. Will improve further of course.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2010 - jonphillips wrote: 95 Points
Noble
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2010 - Hazeo wrote: 93 Points
Sweet dark cherries, lots of intense graphics smoke, lovely nose with a matching finish. A very powerful and classic pauillac with nice texture, but could be silkier / more seamless to reflect its pedigree. Would love to taste this again in 10 years time, as I'm sure it'll become something even more special ... but in its current young state I'd say an 04 PC would give me the same amount of refinement and pleasure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2009 - ecnemergut wrote: 94 Points
Masculine nose of currants, raspberry, and smoke. Quite tannic on the palate with more berry subtle green pepper and strong earthy undertones. Long finish. Will improve for a decade at least!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2009 - Zweder wrote: 97 Points
Double decanted several times well before drinking. Enormously complex and beautiful bouquet. Cassis, lead pencil and luxurious oak. Smelling this is almost enough. I am not disappointed on the palate. It all come back in a beautiful way. Very juicy fruits, soft tannin and bitterness and a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity. Thanks to the decanting we can taste there is already some development, but this will last for many, many years. Great classical Bordeaux. For the moment 97 and there might be a bonus in 7 years from now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2009 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 97 Points
Paris Tasting in Zwolle (De Librije - Zwolle): 2001 Chateâu Latour Grand Vin (Frankrijk, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac) Kleur: Diep donkerrood Aroma / bouquet: Subtiele, verfijnde neus die zich in geen enkel opzicht aan je opdringt. Veel complexiteit, donker fruit, prachtig geïntegreerd hout. Groen-kruidig, luxueus houtgebruik. Smaak / Afdronk: Prachtig glas, milde entree, sublieme balans, mooie zachte zuren, krachtige maar prachtig gerijpte tannines. Grote finale met heel veel lengte. Algemeen / potentieel: Prachtige wijn, mooi in balans. Klassiek en opvallend 'van een hoog niveau'. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 14 + Smaak / Afdronk: 19 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 97/100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/30/2009 - nakagm01 wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic bottles. Very good. Decanted for 3 hours before showing up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/21/2009 - Old Claret wrote: 93 Points
(93-94) Opened at our house with Yuri and Alison, along with lots of cheeses. This was the first wine that AN could tell was too young BUT REALLY LIKED. The only thing that was not excellent was the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/5/2009 - Wil wrote: 95 Points
Very expressive nose. Quite masculine and powerful. Impressive finish. Some smoke on the nose. On the second taste, supple, rich, well rounded, explosive finish. Tasted blind.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/24/2009 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Spice, cedar and cassis with hints of tobacco make an attractive perfume. On the palate, the wine is not going to win awards for concentration. The quality of the fruit is very classy and stylish. But, for a First Growth, I wanted more. Today, the 02 remains my favorite current vintage. It is a stunning wine as well as a very good Latour. The 01 is surprisingly mature for Latour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2009 - wineshaman wrote: 89 Points
Phil & Ena's (Phil & Ena's home): Decanted for 1.5 hrs. Served blind with leg of lamb, which i would rate in the high 90's. our gracius host served these wines bline, with the 01 caymus special selection(90) and the Hedges red mountain reserve(91). He did not tell us the variatal nor the origin. I was able to pick this as a claret, however was shocked at the the caliber. Incrediable nose that filled the room with floral notes, blue fruits, smoke and terroir (I would rate the nose a(98) and the palate an (82) which was thin, metalic, with mineral notes and a short finish. On the bright positive side the palate seam to improve over the 3+ hrs. it took to consume, suggjesting improvement is in its future. Concenus was #3 in the group.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2008 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
Classically styled, reticent, somewhat leathery, quite closed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2008 - gorm wrote: 94 Points
Uncorked DK BYO - 85 Cristal Rose, 90 DRC RSV, 90 La Landonne, 82 Mouton and more... (Søllerød Kro): Dark red. Intriguing nose of tobacco, mint, caramel, sour milk and some saltiness from the wood. In the mouth there is lots of dark spicy fruit and great intensity. Give it time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2008 - WineForRob wrote: 92 Points
Wine Spectator Grand Tour (Las Vegas): Better . More earth but not as much. More minerality or graphite but also some fruit. Something I havent really sensed in the 1st growths so far. Plum tobacco and leather with firm acidity and tannins. Did enjoy this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2008 - Old Claret wrote: 96 Points
AN and SN drank this along with a half bottle of 2002 Preuses at Palena. The chablis was good, but the Latour . . . . Absolutely delicious! We’ll have to open one of these each year (if we can wait that long) to watch it develop.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2008 - KS wrote: 93 Points
Ruby in color.
On the nose, with hint of spicy, balck currant. Vailla, low acidity, leather.
Decant 1.5 hour. Slightly sweetness base, strong leather and minerals. Lovely tannic, slightly high acidity.
After 3 hours. Fruity, powerful.
Generally very elegant. However, good but not really great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/25/2008 - Roughl wrote: 94 Points
Drank side by side Pétrus 1999 (lucky me), and I must admit that I preferred the Latour (although both wines clearly were excellent). I have always loved the 2001's and think they are a bit underrated (for Bordeaux standards). Anyway, this is clearly a 1st growth wine, with indeed lots of coffee, meat, truffle?, nice acidity, still a bit tight. I would love to see how this will taste in 10-15 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2007 - jivey wrote: 94 Points
Kevin's - Huge style, lots of expresso, dark fruits, leather and that "Latour" terroir. Oddly enough it drank a bit tight and completely closed down an hour later. This wine needs at least 10 years, I have had a number of 01 Bordeaux and they all seem to be drinking nice right now, not this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 93 Points
Blackcurrant, blackberry, pencil lead, earth, leather and caramel. Excellent depth and complexity with beautiful acidity. Great structure and power. Still very closed and after about an hour in the glass starting to shut down further. Needs time to come around. 13% alcohol.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2007 - jivey wrote: 95 Points
Expresso, meat, smoke, red fruits, leather, huge wine with only 13% alcohol. I can't weight to taste this in 10-15 years..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2007 - Alex G. wrote:
Was very pleased to see the condition of the cork was excellent, got it at Costco on the cheap (well if $200 can ever be called a cheap wine) and it's always a worry in the back of my mind. Anyway... A pleasant wine, but quite young and tight. It may be accessible "for Latour" but it is not accessible in the grand scheme of things. Decanted for a couple of hours and it got better, but I would not open another bottle for at least 5 years. Should be quite lovely down the road. I would be very comfortable bargain hunting in the '01 vintage based on this experience.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2007 - kushned wrote: 93 Points
Needs time. Good Potential. Taste was slightly shut, hints of lead pencil, fruit,oak, a little spice and earth. Will be great in 10-15 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2007 - mmyette wrote: 93 Points
Wonderfully complex,, with layers of slate, lead pencil, blackberry, and cedar resin. Finish was long, but the wine was perhaps overly restrained. even after decanting, and time, it wouldn't give. I have to say I did expect more from this great chateau, even in a moderately good year like 01. Drank a Schrader Beckstoffer-Tokalon afterwards, and it was better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/17/2007 - J-Sho wrote: 93 Points
Great wine but probably should have decanted longer or cellared more -- but celebrations aren't always scheduled. Pencil lead and slate on the nose with some subtle dark fruit as it began to open up. Very soft fruit with complexity and medium body on the palate with a lingering finish. Fine tannins. Much softer than I imagined a relatively young bordeaux to be but could imagine another decade of drinkability as the fruit was still a bit closed. Yummy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 94 Points
win's 40th Birthday Party (win's house in The Colony, TX): WIML94,WA95,WS95
Tasted October 14, 2006 at win’s 40th birthday party. Served blind in a Riedel restaurant series Bordeaux wine glass. Bag labeled as “Seminoles”. Dark purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of roasted coffee beans, roasted meat and lots of dark fruits. Flavors of plums, blackberries, currants and minerals. Perfectly balanced and full bodied. Either the 2001 Insignia or the 2001 Latour. Seems new world. Really good either way. COMMENTS: I believe this wine was deanted upwards of 8 hours or more before returning to bottle for the tasting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2006 - win wrote: 92 Points
Blind Birthday Tasting (Win's House - Texas): Initially opened alongside a 2000 Château Haut-Brion. Long cork. The Latour was definitely darker than the Haut-Brion—the Latour was a big wine—lots of deep, brooding aromas emanating, but not a huge amount of fruit showing. Obviously, still closed, but after an hour, more complex, deep fruit aromas were present. After 9 hours in bottle, still somewhat closed....92-96 (Noles)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2005 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Wine Country: Garnet red--more purple than Mouton; soft blk berry, earthiness; richer, rounder than Mouton, more upfront t’s; a bit closed, lite toasty notes, more mocha in end; powerful potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2005 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 95 Points
2001 Claret Tasting (Vintners' Hall, London): Most muted nose at first, but with a little coaxing it soon opens up, quite concentrated.
Rich layers of strong dark fruits, a very fine tuned almost metallic backbone.
Excellent
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2005 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
WS New York Wine Experience Grand Tastings; 10/20/2005-10/21/2005 (Marriott Marquis NYC): Clear full red. Huge big aroma of spicy licorice and black fruit. Nice tight rich red and black fruit on a firm tannic frame. Will definitely benefit from time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2005 - duchamp wrote: 94 Points
Tight, tannic and acidic but backed by complex layers of fruit, tar, cigar box, tea leaf, leather, etc., one for the cellar
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/24/2005 - markfarrell22 wrote: 89 Points
The nose had leather, spice, with hints of bing cherries. This wine was thick throughout the mouth, with a finish that just keeps pumping through the heat! Ate with filet mignon, potatos, and sauteed mushrooms.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2005 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Heritage: Superb unsweet. choc., tabacco leaves, hint of cassis, cigar box--perfectly balanced in the mouth with structured t’s. Not over the top, but rich and deliscious. Amazing balance--Icould drink lots of this despite it being fairly big. Drank 2 glasses.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2005 - Blair Curtis wrote: 89 Points
Wine Olympics (Picasso Restaurant, Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada): Mocha, gorgeous palate presence, but medium finish. (Group = 89.2)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2004 - johnnywebs wrote: 94 Points
My favorite of the vintage. A dark, nearly black beauty that reeks of ripe black cherry, cassis, coffee and rare steak. The brooding nose gives way to big fruit on the palate. It has beautifully balanced acid and tannin that starts and finishes with a smooth, tannic curve. It's a bit closed but the forever finish bodes for a great evenings ten year from now. Not a typical Latour but a really good one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2004 - Spencer wrote: 94 Points
Farmington Wine Class - 2001 Bordeaux Tasting. Very different from my last tasting of this wine, but still fantastic. Dark, opaque rusty red color. Fantastic, complex nose of bacon fat, smoke, coffee, tar, chocolate, and more. Lots of acid and tannin on the palate, but perfectly balanced and supported by loads of ripe dark fruit. Great mouthfeel and texture. At first, the finish seemed slightly clipped, but as the wine evolved in the glass, the finish grew longer and more complex. Great wine, with plenty of room for improvement.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2004 - Mark wrote: 95 Points
Tasted at K&L Bordeaux Tasting (Redwood). Phenomenal! This was wine really impressed. It's so approachable now, it was completely enjoyable. Nose of dense espresso, which just kept revealing layer and layers black fruit and notes of oak just hidden there. Very nice texture and weight in the mouth. Full finish that was medium to med/long in length. Very elegant and balanced. Wine was decanted for five hours prior to tasting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/27/2004 - jamiekutch wrote:
Amazing how this wine is not that far off from the 2000 thus far. Makes me want to run out and buy some tomorrow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/13/2004 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
The best of the First Growths being poured at the Las Vegas WS Grand Tour. Round with firm tannins. Should be a young drinking wine (relatively speaking). Full bodied with rich red and black fruit notes. Integrated texture. 93+ points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/23/2004 - Spencer wrote: 94 Points
Farmington Wine Class. Dark, opaque purple. Leather, cassis, menthol, perhaps a touch of green pepper on the complex and inviting nose. Soft, open and voluptuous on the palate. Definite notes of caramel and buttered movie popcorn. Bright and balanced with a long beautiful finish. Amazingly open and fruit forward for a young Latour, but possesses good structure for aging.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2003 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 89 Points
2001 Latour
Quite dark. Nose pretty, precocious, a little shy. Delicious. Round, plenty ripe, silky. Excellent finish. Again, delicious. 5-11-16-7-89/100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/15/2003 - hcampana wrote: 94 Points
Chateau Latour vertical (K&L Wines; moderated by Robert Parker) (San Francisco, CA): 2001 Chateau Latour
Young, ripe, sweet nose of blackcurrant, toasted oak, with low acidity and overall balanced elegance. Intensely flavorful, difficult to perceive tannins. When an hour went by, it developed some licorice and the acidity became more obvious. A surprise for me given some of the downgrades that publications gave it from barrel. This was the 1st time Mr. Parker tasted this from bottle and he admitted to having started writing a formal tasting note, but abandoned the effort when all the distractions prevented him from concentrating. When pushed for an evaluation of this wine by a fan, Mr. Parker reluctantly (and somewhat quietly) mumbled a “94 points”. I agree with that rating and I’m glad to have purchased this wine on futures. 94 points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment