Château Latour 2016
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 2016 Reviews / Tasting Notes
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate
Point Score: 96
Chateau Latour's 2016 grand vin is a knockout-perfectly encapsulating the estate's paradoxical signature of at once possessing jaw-dropping power with hauntingly gorgeous fragrance and finesse: Bordeaux's iron fist in a velvet glove. Very deep purple-black in color, the nose of the 2016 Latour is quite closed to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal chocolate-covered cherries, licorice, red roses and violets with Indian spices, blueberry compote, blackcurrant cordial and cigar box plus wafts of pencil lead and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the mid-palate explodes with densely packed black fruits and tons of earth, mineral and spice accents, with a super ripe, fine-grained frame and seamless freshness, finishing very long and seductively perfumed.
Side Note:
In 2016 there was some mildew pressure early on in the growing season at Chateau Latour, but not nearly so much as they saw in 2018. "2016 was our first year in bio (organic) conversion," Latour's winemaker, Helene Genin, told me. "So, from 2016 we cut right back on the amount of SO2 in the winemaking. We now need to finish at less than 100 grams per liter (100 parts per million) to maintain our certified organic status." I asked Genin what the greatest winemaking challenge was when going organic. "We need to be much more careful with oxygen," she replied, "especially during aging. We need oxygen at the beginning, but it varies by tank. And we used to use SO2 to help manage Brettanomyces, but we now know this is not the most efficient way to manage it. We limit the time between each vinification-we don't cold soak and never have. We add our own yeast immediately after filling the tank. And we ensure the fermentation happens quickly and efficiently using our own yeast." Latour now only uses a specially chosen cocktail of yeast strains that were selected from their own vineyards from 2014 to 2017. Going forward, they are looking to work more on the characteristics and abilities of each yeast.
Neal Martin - Vinous
Point Score: 100
The 2016 Latour showed in stunning fashion out of barrel. Bottled in July 2018, it has retained a very deep, almost opaque color. The utterly beguiling bouquet features blackberry, graphite, crushed rose petals and a touch of licorice, though this ebbs with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with such fine tannins that the power and backbone of this Latour are barely registered by the senses. There is bewitching symmetry here, and incredible length, plus a persistency on the finish that is enthralling. Is it a perfect Latour like the best bottles of the 1928, 1961, 1982, 2000 and 2010? I think it might be. The 13.5% alcohol is a whole percentage point less than the 2010, making it more approachable. Drink 2023-2060
James Suckling
Point Score: 98-99
A muscular Latour with a vibrant depth of fruit and power. Superb length and polish. Full-bodied, tight and closed. Fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. Steely and edgy. Strong, regal wine.