Château Latour 2014
Review of the Estate
Established in the 1670s, the vineyards of Château Latour are some of the oldest in the Mèdoc, pre-dating the existing Château (which was built between 1862 and 1864) by almost 200 years.
The grandiose Tower of St Lambert depicted on the wine's label is instantly recognisable. Built as a fortress during the Hundred Years' War in the late 1300s, it was burned to the ground in the 1450s and replaced by a pigeon tower, built from the stones of the former Château, between 1620 and 1630.
It was not until the early 18th century that Chateau Latour came to prominence as a producer of first class wines. This success can largely be attributed to the demands of a budding wine market in Northern Europe and the Marquis de Sègur's concurrent investment in Chateau Latour's vineyard and winery. Ownership remained in the de Sègur family for almost 300 years until 1963 when three quarters of the shares in Château Latour were sold to a British company, the Pearson group.
The intensive modernisation and attention to detail that followed this change in ownership has continued with the management of Francois Pinault, the current owner of Chateau Latour, who acquired the estate in 1993. Together Pinault and Frèdèric Engerer, his estate manager, are renowned for producing exemplary yet consistent wines, which are especially fine, even in weaker vintages. This notable finesse, as any discerning consumer will attest, is an exceptional and rare occurrence.
Vineyard
Surface area: 247 acres
Grape Varieties: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot
Average age of vines: 45 years
Density of plantation: 7,500 vines per hectare
Average yields: 48 hectoliters per hectare
Average cases produced: 17,500 per year
Plateau of maturity: 10-50 years
Château Latour 2014 Reviews / Tasting Notes
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate
Point Score: 96
The 2014 Latour, which was bottled in July 2016, but of course will not be released for several years depending upon subsequent vintages, has a very pure, tightly-wound bouquet with blackberry fruit infused with black olive and graphite, just as it was out of barrel during en primeur. After several minutes, it is joined by subtle hints of pressed violets. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. This is very classic in style, exhibiting superb freshness and harmony, the texture perhaps a little silkier than I recollect from barrel. It fans out with a very attractive marine influence that it shares with its neighbor Leoville Las-Cases, whilst the persistence is very impressive and reinforces its First Growth pedigree. This should be a quintessential Latour once released: aristocratic and noble.
Neal Martin - Vinous
Point Score: 95
The 2014 Latour has a backward and austere bouquet that does not respond to coaxing from the glass. This is so broody and sultry, only reluctantly eking out pencil shaving and sous-bois aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, finely judged acidity, quite dense and "solid" at the moment and yet there is elegance and stylishness to spare here. It just needs to manifest more charm and personality a la Mouton-Rothschild, but do not under-estimate this Latour whenever it is released. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2025 - 2055
James Suckling
Point Score: 99
So much violets, licorice, pencil, flowers and currants define this on the nose before it moves to fresh mushrooms. It's full-bodied yet compacted with tension and a compressed center palate. Incredible, fine-grained tannins and energy. The length is truly great. Should be even more beautiful in 2024. Give it time.