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1996 Château Latour Grand Vin Pauillac Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

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1996
Château Latour Grand Vin  (Pauillac)
98
The best deal on a Latour with age kicks off with cedar, mint, cigar box, spice, currants and graphite. The full-bodied palate is balanced, spicy, vibrant, and multi-layered, with waves of sweet, pure, tobacco/laden currants and spice. The almost seamless finish carries. Decanted for 60 minutes, this is about to go up in score. Drink from 2024-2055.

The best deal on a Latour with age kicks off with cedar, mint, cigar box, spice, currants and graphite. The full-bodied palate is balanced, spicy, vibrant, and multi-layered, with waves of sweet, pure, tobacco/laden currants and spice. The almost seamless finish carries. Decanted for 60 minutes, this is about to go up in score. Drink from 2024-2055.

3,038 Views   Tasted
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Offering a sublime tasting experience., the wine is packed with all the spicy cedar, tobacco leaf, cigar box, ash, currants, blackberries, and smoke you could ask for. Full-bodied, deep, long, earthy, rich, and long, the wine unfurls on your palate and stays there. This is still the best buy for a Latour that is close to maturity on the market today. Drink from 2023-2055.

Offering a sublime tasting experience., the wine is packed with all the spicy cedar, tobacco leaf, cigar box, ash, currants, blackberries, and smoke you could ask for. Full-bodied, deep, long, earthy, rich, and long, the wine unfurls on your palate and stays there. This is still the best buy for a Latour that is close to maturity on the market today. Drink from 2023-2055.

5,283 Views   Tasted
This keeps getting better and better. With a few more years, I would think it is going to get an upgraded score. And why not? The fruit displays a beautiful sense of purity, harmony, refinement, power, and elegance. The wine is incredibly concentrated, yet balanced, sweet, elegant and complex. Mouthcoating and seamless, there is still more to come with perhaps 4-5 years or more in the cellar.

This keeps getting better and better. With a few more years, I would think it is going to get an upgraded score. And why not? The fruit displays a beautiful sense of purity, harmony, refinement, power, and elegance. The wine is incredibly concentrated, yet balanced, sweet, elegant and complex. Mouthcoating and seamless, there is still more to come with perhaps 4-5 years or more in the cellar.

5,122 Views   Tasted
Youthful, but even at this stage it is an absolute pleasure to imbibe. Full-bodied, concentrated, deep, long and intense, the wine lingers, builds and expands at every stage. You can enjoy this now quite easily. Or if you are patient, you can wait another 2 decades for a different experience.

Youthful, but even at this stage it is an absolute pleasure to imbibe. Full-bodied, concentrated, deep, long and intense, the wine lingers, builds and expands at every stage. You can enjoy this now quite easily. Or if you are patient, you can wait another 2 decades for a different experience.

5,475 Views   Tasted
A stunning wine in every sense of the word. Full-bodied, deep, concentrated, regal and long, the wine is packed with ripe, juicy, sweet, fresh dark red fruits, tobacco, earth and spice. Concentrated, balanced and complex, this is still youthful. The finish really hangs in there. You can enjoy it now with 2 hours of air. Or give it another 5-10-15 years in the cellar for more development.

A stunning wine in every sense of the word. Full-bodied, deep, concentrated, regal and long, the wine is packed with ripe, juicy, sweet, fresh dark red fruits, tobacco, earth and spice. Concentrated, balanced and complex, this is still youthful. The finish really hangs in there. You can enjoy it now with 2 hours of air. Or give it another 5-10-15 years in the cellar for more development.

5,808 Views   Tasted
A little more air would have added more to this stunner. Still, it would be impossible not to grasp the power, refinement, purity and length. This is the perfect blend of stoicism, firm tannins and regal fruit and textures. This bottle seemed younger than previous examples. Perhaps as mentioned, more decanting would have added to the experience.

A little more air would have added more to this stunner. Still, it would be impossible not to grasp the power, refinement, purity and length. This is the perfect blend of stoicism, firm tannins and regal fruit and textures. This bottle seemed younger than previous examples. Perhaps as mentioned, more decanting would have added to the experience.

7,446 Views   Tasted
This is really in the perfect spot, where it will reign for decades. This has it all. The cool, detached power and elegance that comes from Pauillac. Ripe, dense, complex, yet regal, in a kingly manner. The tannins are present, but they are soft. The fruit has an earthy, spicy quality, with a hint of salt, of minerality in the long, expansive, fruit, earth and rock filled finish. 90 minutes or so of air helped the wine soften and fill out.

This is really in the perfect spot, where it will reign for decades. This has it all. The cool, detached power and elegance that comes from Pauillac. Ripe, dense, complex, yet regal, in a kingly manner. The tannins are present, but they are soft. The fruit has an earthy, spicy quality, with a hint of salt, of minerality in the long, expansive, fruit, earth and rock filled finish. 90 minutes or so of air helped the wine soften and fill out.

8,201 Views   Tasted
I love this wine! If you like the wines I like, that should say it all. But for those that like a bit more detail, while not mature, it's drinking great today. The wealth of fruit, elegant refined tannins, purity of fruit, balance, harmony, length, concentration and complexity are almost off the charts. Drink this now, or wait 20-30 years, either way, it's sublime!

I love this wine! If you like the wines I like, that should say it all. But for those that like a bit more detail, while not mature, it's drinking great today. The wealth of fruit, elegant refined tannins, purity of fruit, balance, harmony, length, concentration and complexity are almost off the charts. Drink this now, or wait 20-30 years, either way, it's sublime!

7,921 Views   Tasted
This could hit triple digits some day. It's a truly stunning vintage for Latour. It's completely filled with lush, elegant, sweet, perfectly ripe fruits, silky, powerful, regal tannins and a finish that does not quit. I enjoyed drinking it as it approaches its 20th birthday. Meaning, it's more than fine to pop a cork today. But if you can wait another decade, this will be one of the best wines you're ever going to taste.

This could hit triple digits some day. It's a truly stunning vintage for Latour. It's completely filled with lush, elegant, sweet, perfectly ripe fruits, silky, powerful, regal tannins and a finish that does not quit. I enjoyed drinking it as it approaches its 20th birthday. Meaning, it's more than fine to pop a cork today. But if you can wait another decade, this will be one of the best wines you're ever going to taste.

7,593 Views   Tasted
Young, but oh so good. Power, elegance, refinement and sensuality combine to produce a wine that gabs you, and does not let go. With about an hour of air, the wine started to get going. I'm waiting on my few bottles for at least 4-5 more years. This should easily offer great drinking for 50 years.

Young, but oh so good. Power, elegance, refinement and sensuality combine to produce a wine that gabs you, and does not let go. With about an hour of air, the wine started to get going. I'm waiting on my few bottles for at least 4-5 more years. This should easily offer great drinking for 50 years.

7,368 Views   Tasted
This is a stunner. If you have the money, run, do not walk and buy this majestic elixir. The fruit is perfect, mouth filling and palate coating. The tannins are soft, silky and refined. There is so much of everything going on in this wine, it knocks on the door of almost too much of a good thing. The wine was produced from a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

This is a stunner. If you have the money, run, do not walk and buy this majestic elixir. The fruit is perfect, mouth filling and palate coating. The tannins are soft, silky and refined. There is so much of everything going on in this wine, it knocks on the door of almost too much of a good thing. The wine was produced from a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

10,059 Views   Tasted
Absolutely stunning in every way. The nose grabs you with its earthy, spicy, tobacco and cassis perfume and never lets go. On the palate, this is even better with its long, lush, polished, deep fruits and silky tannins. Drink this young if you like plush primary fruit, or age it for 2 decades for secondary characteristics. Expensive yes, but it is the best deal for a high quality Latour in the market today.

Absolutely stunning in every way. The nose grabs you with its earthy, spicy, tobacco and cassis perfume and never lets go. On the palate, this is even better with its long, lush, polished, deep fruits and silky tannins. Drink this young if you like plush primary fruit, or age it for 2 decades for secondary characteristics. Expensive yes, but it is the best deal for a high quality Latour in the market today.

9,554 Views   Tasted
WOW! The tannins are soft, ripe and starting to integrate with the powerful, elegant, silky, refined character. Rich, dense and concentrated, there is a great depth of flavor found in the long finish. Great wines almost always show well young. But this is only starting to deliver its essence. In 10, 15, 20 or 30 years, this will only be better.

WOW! The tannins are soft, ripe and starting to integrate with the powerful, elegant, silky, refined character. Rich, dense and concentrated, there is a great depth of flavor found in the long finish. Great wines almost always show well young. But this is only starting to deliver its essence. In 10, 15, 20 or 30 years, this will only be better.

10,080 Views   Tasted
Richly colored, the wine is deep, powerful, intense, concentrated and packed with layer after layer of juicy, ripe, sweet, pure Cabernet Sauvignon and polished tannins. The long, velvety, fruit drenched finish must last at least 60 seconds! This was about $125 as a future. I remember how shocked people were at the time as well. Glad I bought some!

Richly colored, the wine is deep, powerful, intense, concentrated and packed with layer after layer of juicy, ripe, sweet, pure Cabernet Sauvignon and polished tannins. The long, velvety, fruit drenched finish must last at least 60 seconds! This was about $125 as a future. I remember how shocked people were at the time as well. Glad I bought some!

10,353 Views   Tasted
The first great vintage produced after Frédéric Engerer joined the property, the nose explodes with wet forest floor aromas, smoke, tobacco, cassis, spice box, cedar chest, cigar wrapper and licorice aromas. Full bodied, rich, intense, concentrated, refined and powerful, with 2 hours of decanting, the wine continued to expand and add layers of complexity in the glass throughout the night. This graceful wine can be enjoyed now, but its best qualities will take at least a decade or more to come around.

The first great vintage produced after Frédéric Engerer joined the property, the nose explodes with wet forest floor aromas, smoke, tobacco, cassis, spice box, cedar chest, cigar wrapper and licorice aromas. Full bodied, rich, intense, concentrated, refined and powerful, with 2 hours of decanting, the wine continued to expand and add layers of complexity in the glass throughout the night. This graceful wine can be enjoyed now, but its best qualities will take at least a decade or more to come around.

11,673 Views   Tasted
1996 Latour offers a complicated nose of truffle, licorice, tobacco, cassis, cloves, cinnamon, cocoa, cigar box, cedar chest, black plums and ash. The perfume gains additional layers of fragrances with each swirl and sniff. This Bordeaux wine is perfectly balanced, harmonious and intense. Full bodied, rich and concentrated with pure dark, spicy fruits, this is easily described as power blended with elegance. The seamless finish ends with countless waves of ripe, cassis, spice and blackberry. While already approachable, this stunning wine will continue evolving and improving for decades. Sonia from Latour made the perfect comment about the wine saying, “The 96 Latour speaks to you for hours, meaning the wine develops well in the glass and continues offering new aromatics with each breath you take of the perfume.” She was right.

1996 Latour offers a complicated nose of truffle, licorice, tobacco, cassis, cloves, cinnamon, cocoa, cigar box, cedar chest, black plums and ash. The perfume gains additional layers of fragrances with each swirl and sniff. This Bordeaux wine is perfectly balanced, harmonious and intense. Full bodied, rich and concentrated with pure dark, spicy fruits, this is easily described as power blended with elegance. The seamless finish ends with countless waves of ripe, cassis, spice and blackberry. While already approachable, this stunning wine will continue evolving and improving for decades. Sonia from Latour made the perfect comment about the wine saying, “The 96 Latour speaks to you for hours, meaning the wine develops well in the glass and continues offering new aromatics with each breath you take of the perfume.” She was right.

16,825 Views   Tasted

When to Drink Chateau Latour, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

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

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

Serving Chateau Latour with Wine and Food Pairings

Chateau Latour is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau Latour is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised and grilled dishes. Chateau Latour is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms and pasta.

In 2011, Chateau Latour added to their holdings in Pauillac when they purchased the 4-hectare vineyard of Chateau La Becasse from the Fonteneau family. The vines are used for the production of Forts de Latour.

Chateau Latour became one of the first major Bordeaux chateaus to embrace anti-counterfeiting measures with the use of the Prooftag system which is in place on the label, bottle and capsule of all future and current releases.

In 2015, Chateau Latour completed renovations which included new offices, tasting rooms and cellars. In fact, Chateau Latour became the first estate in the Medoc to maintain a cellar solely devoted to keeping magnums and other large-format bottling's dating back to 1900. The new cellars were a necessity as they allowed Latour to retain vast stocks of wines, for later releases.

The Pinault family also own other wineries through their holding company the Artemis Group. In Burgundy, they own Domaine d’Eugenie, previously known as Domaine Rene Engel. The vines are located in the Vosne Romanee appellation in the Cote de Nuits. Late 2017, marked another addition to their holdings in Burgundy when they purchased Clos de Tart for a record-setting price of more than 30 Million Euros per hectare!

In the Northern Rhone Valley, they own Chateau Grillet, which prior to their recent sale had been owned by the same family since 1830!

In July 2013, the family added to their list of vineyards with the purchase of Araujo Estate wines, in the Napa Valley. Araujo has since been renamed Eisele Vineyards. The following year, in 2014, The Artemis Group made their first purchase in the Right Bank, when they invested in Chateau Vray Croix de Gay, Pomerol, Chateau Siaurac, which is located in the Lalande de Pomerol appellation and Chateau Le Prieure in St. Emilion. They sold all their Right Bank vineyards, September 2020 to Suravenir Insurance, the owner of Chateau Calon Segur.

www.chateau-latour.com