95 Points
95 Points
96 Points
94 Points
94 Points

Chateau Latour 'Les Forts de Latour' 2018

SKU: CHLF201810 UCAU

$649.99

Unit price: per

Second label of Chateau Latour.

Ready to drink now, but will cellar for the next 40 years.

Arriving directly from the Chateau's cellar.

Critic Scores

95 // James Suckling

"A solid and steely red with lots of blackcurrant and blueberry character. Medium-to full-bodied and polished, fine tannins. Flavorful finish."

95 // The Wine Independent

"Les Forts de Latour 2018 is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a fair bit of coaxing to unlock bright, youthful notes of crushed blackcurrants, black raspberries, and warm plums, plus hints of licorice, violets, and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has exquisitely ripe, fine-knit tannins and fantastic tension supporting the layered black and red fruits, finishing very long and fragrant. Classy!"

96 // Jeb Dunnuck

"Stepping up on the serious scale, the 2018 Les Forts De Latour checks in as a mix of 65.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and just a splash of Petit Verdot. It boasts a deeper purple color as well as powerful notes of high-class smoke tobacco, graphite, crushed rocks, and ample black and blue fruits. Rich, full-bodied, concentrated, and yet still perfectly balanced, it's another brilliant second wine from Latour that competes with most estates’ top wines."

94 // Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

"The 2018 Les Forts de Latour is made up of 65.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 0.4% Petit Verdot, with 14.2% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. It was aged in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a fair bit of swirling to reveal notions of baked black cherries, cassis and blackberry pie with hints of pencil lead, clove oil, cardamom and allspice with a waft of violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers impressive density with velvety tannins and a lively backbone supporting the generous black fruits, finishing long with all the earthy nuances coming through at the very end."

94 // Antonio Galloni

"The 2018 Les Forts de Latour is surprisingly approachable. It boasts serious concentration because of the warm dry summer and ensuing low yields, yet the intensity of the fruit pretty much covers the tannins, quite unusual for young Forts de Latour. Dark-toned fruit, gravel, incense, licorice and scorched earth add to the wine's distinctive sepia-toned personality. The 2018 turned out beautifully."

Product Details

Red

2018

Cabernet Blend

Chateau Latour

Medoc, Bordeaux, France

15 Plus Years

Cork

13.7%

750ml (Bottle)

In Stock

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Description
Les Forts de Latour is produced with the same meticulous care as the Grand Vin, both in the vineyard and in the winery. The only notable difference, apart from the origin of the grapes, is the proportion of new barrels (50 to 60%) used in the maturing stage. The blend for Forts de Latour can vary from one year to the next but there is always a higher proportion of Merlot (25 to 30%) compared to the Grand Vin.

Chateau Latour's second wine in 2018 shows the concentration and density of the vintage, with intense dark fruit and licorice. Earthy notes and aromatic incense add complexity, and there are lots of velvety, dense tannins. This feels approachable, but has serious heft that will soften with more time in bottle.
Tasting Profile

Light

Full

Low Tannin

Tannic

Sweet

Dry

Low Acidity

High Acidity

Aroma:

Blueberry, Boysenberry, Herbal

Palate:

Blue Fruits, Cassis, Graphite

Food Pairings:

Pork

Red Meat

Tasting Notes

Description

Les Forts de Latour is produced with the same meticulous care as the Grand Vin, both in the vineyard and in the winery. The only notable difference, apart from the origin of the grapes, is the proportion of new barrels (50 to 60%) used in the maturing stage. The blend for Forts de Latour can vary from one year to the next but there is always a higher proportion of Merlot (25 to 30%) compared to the Grand Vin.

Chateau Latour's second wine in 2018 shows the concentration and density of the vintage, with intense dark fruit and licorice. Earthy notes and aromatic incense add complexity, and there are lots of velvety, dense tannins. This feels approachable, but has serious heft that will soften with more time in bottle.

Tasting Profile

Light
Full

Low Tannin
Tannic

Sweet
Dry

Low Acidity
High Acidity

Aroma:

Blueberry, Boysenberry, Herbal

Palate:

Blue Fruits, Cassis, Graphite

Food Pairings:

Pork

Red Meat

Chateau Latour

Chateau Latour lies at the very southeastern tip of the commune of Pauillac AOC in the Medoc region of Bordeaux next to the Gironde estuary. One of the oldest estates in Bordeaux, it dates back to 1378 and was among five noted First Growths in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Latour, French for 'the tower' takes its name from a tower constructed on the estate in the 1620s which is now a well-recognized symbol depicted on the Latour label. French businessman Francois Pinault, who remains its owner today, purchased the Chateaux in 1993. The estate boast 78 hectares under vine in which 80% is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. A 47-hectare portion is dedicated solely to the grand vin, whose blend historically features Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in a 75/20 ratio, with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The soil is a mixture of gravel and clay, which lends itself well to Cabernets and Merlot, respectively.

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