2017 Chateau Latour Pauillac Premier Grand Cru Classé

The 2017 Château Latour Pauillac Premier Grand Cru Classé is a benchmark Left Bank Bordeaux from one of the most revered First Growth estates. In this cooler, classical vintage, Latour delivers a wine of remarkable precision, purity and structure, built for both contemplation and long-term cellaring. Combining the power of Pauillac with the refinement that has made Latour legendary, this is a collector’s bottle that will reward patience for decades.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2017 Latour shows a deep, saturated ruby to garnet core with a vibrant, almost inky hue, reflecting its high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose opens with an elegant, tightly woven bouquet of blackcurrant and black cherry, layered with graphite, crushed stone, tobacco leaf, and hints of cedar, olive tapenade and subtle smoky oak. With air, more floral notes of violet and a touch of licorice and cocoa powder emerge, adding complexity and lift. On the palate, this is a precise, linear and deeply focused wine, with the density and energy that are hallmarks of Latour. Intense flavors of cassis, black cherry and ripe plum are wrapped in fine-grained yet authoritative tannins, supported by bright, fresh acidity that keeps everything poised and vibrant. Notes of pencil shavings, dark chocolate, earth and a faint saline, mineral edge from the Gironde estuary give the finish great drive and length. While already showing superb balance and refinement, the 2017 has a long life ahead; it will develop beautifully over 20–30 years or more, gaining truffle, cedar and savory complexity with time in bottle.

Production
Château Latour’s grand vin is drawn primarily from the famed l’Enclos vineyard, a walled, historic core of the estate overlooking the Gironde estuary in the heart of the Médoc. Here, deep gravel soils over clay and limestone, exceptional drainage and the moderating influence of the river create ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen slowly and evenly. The 2017 blend is 92.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.8% Merlot and 0.1% Petit Verdot, harvested parcel by parcel between 11 September and 4 October after a dry, moderately warm growing season and an early, even flowering. Yields from frost-affected plots outside l’Enclos were directed away from the grand vin, preserving its usual rigor and purity. Grapes are hand-harvested, meticulously sorted and vinified in temperature-controlled vats, with each parcel kept separate to respect the nuances of terroir. The wine is then aged in French oak barriques, a high proportion new, allowing the powerful structure to harmonize and integrate without overwhelming the natural character of the fruit.

Food & Serving
This 2017 Latour is a natural partner for classic, richly flavored dishes: roast or grilled lamb with rosemary and garlic, prime rib or ribeye steak, slow-braised beef, venison, or other game birds such as duck and pheasant. Its structure and acidity also complement aged hard cheeses like Comté, aged Gouda or mature Cheddar. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) to highlight its aromatic complexity and finely etched tannins. In its youth, decanting for 2–3 hours is recommended to allow the wine to open fully; as it gains age and nuance, a shorter decant of around 1 hour will usually suffice, primarily to remove any sediment.

Producer
Château Latour is one of the great names of Bordeaux, ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 classification and widely regarded as one of Pauillac’s most consistent and long-lived estates. Situated about 50 km northwest of Bordeaux, at the very heart of the Médoc, Latour has built its reputation over centuries on the singular terroir of l’Enclos, whose proximity to the Gironde estuary and complex gravel-clay soils give the wines their unmistakable power, depth and longevity. Since 1993, under the ownership of the Pinault family (Artémis Domaines), Latour has undergone major investments in the vineyard and cellar, with a strong focus on sustainability and precision viticulture. The estate’s decision to leave the traditional Bordeaux marketplace and release its wines only when they judge them ready underscores Latour’s commitment to excellence and to offering bottles that truly express their pedigree and potential.

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