Château Latour Pauillac 2015 - 1er Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Admirable body, perfectly integrated oak, a great start in life! Drink between 2030 and 2045

About the domain :

Latour is one of the most famous Médoc estates, having, like Lafite, belonged to the Marquis de Ségur. Acquired by François Pinault in 1993, the cru which, with the exception of the second half of the 1980s, was consistency incarnate, has not rested on its laurels. Under the impetus of its rigorous director Frédéric Engerer, Latour has further raised its standards over the last fifteen years. The château's great wine has never been so harmonious from birth, with, when the climate is exceptional, a texture of incomparable density. The conversion of the vineyard to biodynamic viticulture, which is well advanced, should give it even greater brilliance. The château's second wine, les-forts-de-latour, made largely from an independent vineyard, fully deserves the esteem in which it is held, for its remarkable level of quality. A third wine, labelled simply pauillac but made with a high proportion of press wines from the great terroirs, is aging with panache and regularity. Since 2012, the château has stopped marketing its wines en primeur, and the marketing of older vintages for the three cuvées produced has become the rule.

Decanter

About the wine:

The aromas are truly magnificent, extremely aromatic, pure, clear and precise, with notes of tobacco, cocoa, ash and licorice. Round and heady, this is a sexy wine with a lot to say, generous and open, sweet and layered - it immediately deepens vertically. I love the juiciness, the clarity of the raspberries, blueberries and cassis, the finesse and joie de vivre, but the texture is there, with wet stone and licorice tannins that give this wine grip and power. It's still young and quite serious, but there's something very appealing about it, with a sexy character and great complexity. Bright and lively, but with the sweetness of a mature vintage and luscious notes of truffle, cocoa and dark chocolate to contrast. Pleasing violet floral scents follow the wine from start to finish. This wine is perfectly mastered and delivered with supreme appeal. A wine you want to sit down and take your time with, before gobbling it up! 2025 - 2048

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

The 2015 vintage will be remembered as one of extremes and records, with very hot, dry periods (June and July) and very wet ones (August and September). The fruit of this extraordinary vintage, this great wine once again offers a masterful definition of its origin. The visual appearance of this almost pure Cabernet Sauvignon (over 97% of the blend) immediately foreshadows an intense tasting experience, with the depth of its practically black color. The explosive nose, dominated by black fruits (blueberry, blackberry, black cherry), also evokes flowers (violet, peony), leather, coffee and spices (vanilla, cinnamon). With astonishing breadth, this 2015 unfurls an extraordinary palate, combining strength and elegance with an almost delicate touch of finesse in the tannins and aromas. The finish, fresh and with extraordinary aromatic persistence, leaves an impression of great purity, without heaviness or softness. A wine as unique as ever. 2026 - 2040

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the domain :

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

Owner of the estate since 1993, François Pinault can congratulate himself on his investment. The vineyard is at the very top of the Bordeaux hierarchy, and continues to show unfailing consistency over several decades. Latour is hard to fault, even in small vintages. It represents the very essence of great Pauillac: full, rich and complete, developing a complex, racy bouquet with age. There is no shortage of legendary vintages, and anyone lucky enough to have tasted 1945, 1947, 1961 or 1982 knows what this fantastic terroir is capable of. The current director, Frédéric Engerer, faithfully maintains the uncompromising style. A complete overhaul of the cellars and technical facilities in recent years, together with a drastic selection process, have enabled the cru to reach new heights. At the same time, Les Forts de Latour has established itself as an equally extraordinary cru, surpassing many other crus classés in refinement and depth. Finally, a third label, Latour's Pauillac, also merits the interest of wine lovers. It should be noted that since the 2012 vintage, the château no longer sells its wine en primeur, but only "en livrable" when the team believes it has reached maturity. A unique sales policy for a grand cru classé.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

Barrel sample. Highly structured yet soft, this wine has great concentration and powerful tannins. It's wonderfully juicy, and its dense, dusty tannins are never hard, but always velvety. It will be a great wine when released in a decade or so. The wine comes exclusively from biodynamic vineyards.

James Suckling

About the wine:

Aromas of iron, oyster shell, rust and stone with blueberry and blackberry. Full-bodied, but as polished and refined as ever. It rolls off the palate with fruity and savory flavors. Tight, concentrated and still refined. Good length. 97% Cabernet Sauvignon gives it its sparkle.

Jean-Marc Quarin

About the wine:

In 2015, Latour presented an almost single-varietal wine, with 97.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, just 2.6% Merlot and 0.3% Petit Verdot. On the Médoc's greatest terroirs, Cabernet Sauvignon is becoming extremely dominant and will probably soon be the only variety. Fine, pure, creamy nose. Ample on the attack, powerful in development, rich in the mid-palate, the wine evolves on a noble texture with lots of flavor, towards a finely creamy, richly aromatic finish. Immediately captivating.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

The color is still deep. The wine is already showing some evolution, with notes of truffle, oyster shell, blackcurrant, Asian spices, dark red fruit and cherry. This is a Latour of great elegance, purity of fruit and silky texture, with layers of concentrated fruit and a structure that will allow it to age for generations to come.