Latour 2015

Containing one of the largest ever percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, partly because the Merlot wasn’t up to snuff, this is a very pure, focused wine of considerable power and intensity. Pauillac at its very best, with stylish tannins and the concentration to age for two decades or more. Drink: 2028-40

This is extremely compressed and elegant with fantastic finesse and structure. Full body, tight and racy. Lots of black currants and black berries. The quality of tannins are like tight, yet velvety tannins. Very minerally.

The 2015 Latour is a blend of 97.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.6% Merlot (just one historical vat courtesy of old vines interpolated with the Cabernet) and 0.3% Petit Verdot. It represents 30% of the production and is matured in 100% new oak as usual. It has a very complex, nuanced bouquet that needs 10-15 minutes to open. It blossoms with blackberry, briary, hoisin and slate notes, but it remains very focused and linear. The palate is extremely well balanced with fine grain tannin. For certain, this is an intense Latour with a strong and tangible undertow of mineralité. This is classic Latour: aristocratic, aloof at first, perhaps enigmatic compared to other vintages. I wonder if this has something hiding up its sleeve for after bottling?

Very dark crimson. Scented and quite heady. Lively and muscular. Racy and really pacy. Not a charmer though. Very introvert. Bone-dry finish. A bit more tingle and life than in earlier vintages, though 2014 was probably the turning-point vintage for Latour. Hélène says the wine is more closed today than usual.