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 Ch‰teaux 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.

Bordeaux produces some of the most highly sought after and revered wines in the world. Located close to the coast, in the south-west of France the town and is divided by the Gironde River. Wines to the west of the river are referred to as left bank, and are Cabernet dominant. To the East of the river, on the right bank Merlot is the dominant grape variety. Throughout the 57 appellations, over 10,000 wine-making châteaux grow the red grapes; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. These are commonly blended and collectively referred to as clarets. Smaller amounts of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc is also grown in Bordeaux.

In 1855, due to the high export demands of Bordeaux wines, Emporer Napoleon III requested an official Bordeaux classification system, based on market costs of the wines at the time. The Chateaux were classified in to five ‘growths’ from first growth to fifth growth and cru Bourgois. Also in 1855 The Sauternes and Barsac classification covered the sweeter wines, with Chateau d’Yquem the only Superior First Growth, followed by Premiers Crus and Deux Deuxièmes Crus.