2002 Forts de Latour
By Chateau Latour
2002 Forts de Latour from Chateau Latour, Pauillac, Bordeaux
In the tapestry of Bordeaux vintages, the 2002 Forts de Latour conspicuously defies general expectation of its year by expressing a finesse that could easily be overlooked by those unacquainted with the intricacies of Pauillac's terroir. As a devout chronicler of these wines, I find this vintage to personify resilience amidst challenge.
A Vintage Shaped by Nature's Whims
The climatic ballet in 2002 juxtaposed early growing season rain with a salvaging dry and sunny September, granting a reprieve that was nothing short of providential for the grapes. This stroke of luck allowed Chateau Latour to harvest at optimal ripeness, ensuring the 2002 Forts de Latour captured the nuanced spectrum of blackcurrant and plums, trimmed with a savoury edge that speaks not just of fruit but of the very earth it sprung from.
Investment Merit Amidst Subtlety
For collectors and investors honing in on vintage idiosyncrasies, this offering is a compelling dossier on the house's adept adaptation to less celebrated but quietly complex years. Decanting reveals layers; time introduces a developing character with whispers of tobacco and leather subtly woven through its firm tannic structure. Even as it approaches its third decade, it shows that Pauillac robustness seldom wanes.
In my esteemed experience, there is enduring allure in a wine such as the 2002 vintage from Forts de Latour. Its expert balance between youthful fruit and emerging secondary characteristics provides an investing ground fertile with opportunity for both immediate enjoyment and long-term appreciation.
In Conclusion: A Sophisticated Proposition
To conclude, the nuances of the 2002 Forts de Latour are an eloquent testament to both vintage variance and vinous virtuosity. Amidst an ever-evolving market landscape, this particular expression upholds its value as a captivating asset within any sophisticated wine investment portfolio. It is a living study in resilience; an objet d'art from Chateau Latour that embodies both potential growth and distinguished pleasure.
Market price (USD)
$1,990.00
12x75cl
Highest score
92
POP score
135.83
Scores and tasting notes
A classic second wine that shows outstanding potential, the dark ruby/purple-colored 2002 has notes of cedar wood, black currants, earth, and truffles in a medium to full-bodied, supple-textured, beautifully concentrated style that can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 years.
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 28 April 2005
Tasted blind at Farr's 2002 Bordeaux tasting. This has a lifted, ebullient liquorices-scented nose with ripe black cherries and blueberries to the fore. Good definition. Full-bodied on the palate with a succulent entry, very ripe and sweet with noticeable glycerine and spice the cloaks the structure underneath. Very smooth and succulent on the finish. Moderate length. This is a polished, you could almost say over-polished, Pauillac, but it hits the spot. Tasted October 2009.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Jan 2010