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Chateau Latour

Although viticulture did not come to dominate the landscape of the Médoc until the early 18th century, once the Dutch engineers had drained the marshland and exposed the gently rolling hills of gravel so suited to the vine, that does not mean there is no history here before that time. Chateau Latour is a prime example, as although the extensive vineyards were not fully established until about 1670, the history of the estate itself dates back to at least the 14th century.

The Tower and the Dovecot

At this time there stood a defensive battlement, the Tor à St-Lambert (the name of which mutates from Lambert, to Mambert and then Maubert through history), built by Gaucelme de Castillon in 1331. The Tor à St-Lambert was the scene of a battle between the warring Plantagenets and the French, a minor skirmish in the Caroline War, the second stage of the Hundred Years' War. It is this tower that gave its name to Latour, as evinced by the existence of a seigneurie of the same name. The Sieur de Larsan held that title when he fled in 1453, following the defeat of the English at the Battle of Castillon, the closing chapter of 116 years of English-French conflict, and sadly the tower was then razed to the ground. Nothing of it today remains, although the grandiose dovecot that today overlooks the vines (shown below), and which is commonly mistaken for the tower after which Latour is named, is said to be constructed using stone from the original edifice. This is a distinct possibility, although it should be noted that nearly two centuries separate the fall of one structure and the rising forth of the next.

Upon the departure of the English and the supporting nobility, many properties including Latour, Talbot and others returned to French control. By the following century, the seigneurie was extensive, although viticulture was a minor activity and the land was much more likely to be used for growing wheat and other arable crops. By the early 17th century, however, documents show that tending vines was certainly part of life on the estate, and it was also about this time, between 1620 and 1630, that the famous dovecot was erected. Within a few decades, however, viticulture would play an increasingly more significant part in Latour's fortunes. In 1670 the estate was acquired by M de Chavannes, and from him it passed by marriage to a M de Clauzel. As the 18th century dawned, Latour had already established a reputation on important export markets such as England as being a very fine wine, and had quickly risen to unofficial first growth status alongside Lafite, Margaux and Pontac, which had yet to take on the name by which we know it today, Haut-Brion. This early and rapid success did not go unnoticed, and when Alexandre de Ségur, one of the Médoc's most prodigious landowners, married Marie-Thérèse de Clauzel he added Latour to his already enviable holdings, which included Lafite, among others. On Alexandre's death in 1716 it passed to his son, Marquis Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur, otherwise known as the Prince des Vignes. All told Alexandre's descendents ran Latour for nearly three centuries, although upon the death of Nicolas-Alexandre in 1755 the extensive estate was broken up, and Latour had an absentee landlord. The estate was managed by a régisseur whose job it was to keep things running smoothly, and also to keep his employers appropriately informed; the correspondence between them is an important historical source regarding Chateau Latour and the viticulture of 18th century Bordeaux. It should be noted, though, that despite this perhaps less than adequate state of affairs the wine was widely exported, particularly to England, and it found favour with oenophile Thomas Jefferson, US ambassador to France, as did a number of other wines from the Ségur portfolio.

Control of much of Nicolas-Alexandre's estate initially passed to his eldest daughter, named Marie-Thérèse after her grandmother, and she and her husband, a cousin named Alexandre de Ségur-Calon, ran both Lafite and Latour until they eventually handed over control of the latter to Marie-Thérèse's three younger sisters. Passing as it did through the generations, as the end of the 18th century drew near the estate had three owners; the Comte de Ségur-Cabanac, son of one of the three sisters, the Comte de la Pallu and the Marquis André de Beaumont, the latter two both sons-in-law to the third sister. With the Revolution the Comte de Ségur-Cabanac fled France, and his portion was auctioned off by the state in 1794, passing through a number of owners hands before eventually, in the 1830s, coming into the ownership of Barton & Guestier, the négociant firm established by Hugh Barton and Daniel Guestier, and a portion also came in 1840 to Nathaniel Johnston, the merchant business established by William Johnston. The merchants had their slice for but a few years, however, as in a shrewd move their more noble counterparts put the estate up for auction, buying it back themselves and essentially giving their commercial bedfellows the elbow. The Ségur family swiftly formed a Société Civile and took on the new role of shareholders. The firm of Barton & Guestier was reduced once more to that of a mere négociant as far as Latour was concerned, but the firm did retain exclusive rights of distribution of Latour from 1844 until 1853, a very lucrative deal indeed.

Latour: a Modern History

The 19th century was a time of revolution and yet also disaster for Bordeaux. Viticultural practices improved, as did work in the chai, and yet this was all done in the face of new and sometimes devastating vine pests and diseases, such as downy mildew and, of course, Phylloxera. There was careful selection of vines, and lesser varieties were excluded from the vineyard so that Cabernet Sauvignon came to dominate. There were even some attempts at chateau-bottling, early by any standards. The wines garnered a superior reputation, and sold at a good price, and the estate was duly classified as a first growth in the 1855 classification. The income was sufficient to enable the construction of a small chateau perhaps befitting such a prestigious property, and the relatively small, two-storey building (shown right), erected between 1862 and 1864, still stands today. The latter half of the century saw a number of superb vintages that secured Latour's reputation, if there had ever been any doubt. It was Phylloxera that draws the curtain on this era in Latour's evolution though, the estate first experiencing the vine disease in 1880, with the commencement of planting grafted vines in 1901, and the entire vineyard not replaced until circa 1920. Despite these upheavals, it is commendable that the quality of the wine in the bottle is reported to have been maintained.

It was 1962 before any change in ownership was threatened, when the Beaumont and Courtrivon (descended from the Comte de Pallu) families sold off a large proportion of the total number of shares, partly to Pearson & Sons, a family business headed up to Lord Cowdray, and partly to the merchants Harvey's of Bristol. This opened a new era for Latour, marked by research and investment, driven forward by the appointment of Henri Martin, of Chateau Gloria, and Jean-Paul Gardère as managers. The vineyards were expanded by the acquisition of new land, or by replanting on land left fallow; many of the newly planted vines gave forth fruit for a newly introduced second wine. In addition, old vines were replaced on an individual basis, and some of the 19th century drains, long since blocked, were replaced. The chai was extended and new stainless steel temperature-controlled vats were installed, just in time for the wet and miserable 1964 harvest. Despite these considerable investments the chateau passed into the hands of Allied Lyons in 1989, and in 1993 into the management of French billionaire François Pinault, Latour thus becoming part of a business portfolio which was later augmented by the addition of Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Christie's auction house. No doubt Latour gives Pinault something to think about when he isn't obsessing over his unrivalled collection of contemporary art, housed in several privately-owned museums.

Having one of the world's richest men as proprietor has naturally been beneficial for Latour in terms of investment and vitalisation. Pinault entrusts the day-to-day management of the property and vineyards to Frederic Engerer, and together the two have been responsible for continued improvements to the estate. Most recent is another renovation of the chai, it having been updated to a fabulous specification, and fully equipped with gleaming new equipment. On a visit to Bordeaux in 2006 one of my travelling companions, a correspondent for Wine & Spirit, quipped that he would gladly eat his dinner off the floor such was the cellar's condition (as well as drink a bottle of their wine to accompany the meal, no doubt). Despite obvious investment and commitment to the property, however, in late 2008 rumours surfaced about the proposed sale of Latour by Pinault, supposedly being handled on the quiet by French investment bank Lazard. Reported both by Decanter and the Sunday Times, it was alleged that Bernard Magrez of Pape-Clément was an interested party, the suggested price tag anywhere between €150-600 million. At a time of international financial crisis, when even the richest industrialists watched their net worth plummet, the story seemed entirely believable, but it ultimately seems to have come to nothing. It appears to have been little more than the product of the Bordeaux rumour-mill, and today Latour remains under the sole control of Pinault

The Latour Vineyard

The Latour vineyard covers around 78 hectares of the Pauillac appellation, of which 47 hectares surround the chateau, these being referred to as L'Enclos. This, the source of the grand vin, extends from the commune boundary with St Julien, where the vines meet those of Léoville Las-Cases (shown running up the slope opposite in the image below), from which it is separated by the Ruisseau de Juillac, which drains into the Gironde, up to the road to Haut-Bages-Libéral. Other plots, acquired during the 19th century under the aegis of the Ségur family, include Comtesse de Lalande and Petit-Batailley, although these are not generally utilised for the grand vin. The soil underfoot is Gunzian gravel, a surface layer just 60 - 100cm deep, originally carried down from the Pyrenees and the Massif Central by the Gironde when the glaciers melted in the early Quaternary period. Beneath that is a subsoil of clay and marl which has a depth of up to 5m, whilst deeper still is the limestone bedrock of Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for 80% of the vines, the remainder Merlot (18%), planted wherever clay is more prominent, and then Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot (together 2%).

After harvest there is a rigorous selection in the new chai, before the grapes are destemmed prior to fermentation, with separate tanks for the numerous aliquots of wine, divided up according to plot of origin, age of vine and naturally grape variety. Then a three week cuvaison followed by malolactic in vats, prior to selection of the vats for the grand vin. This is Chateau Latour, which is typically 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, although naturally this can vary greatly depending on the vintage. There are perhaps 18000 cases of the grand vin produced each year (again very variable). The next cuvée in the Latour line-up is Les Forts de Latour, introduced in 1966, and typically 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, of which there are perhaps 11000 cases produced each year. Although often referred to as a second wine this description is not wholly appropriate, as the wine tends to be sourced from the same vines outside L'Enclos every year; as such it is a distinctive wine, made from a recognised and delimited set of vines on a distinctive terroir, rather than purely a vessel for rejected fruit. Having said that, the fruit of young vines within L'Enclos, and also some aliquots of the L'Enclos wine tasted and deemed of insufficient quality for the grand vin, might be included here. Wine not thought suitable for either of these cuvées may be sold off as generic Pauillac de Latour, this typically being based on fruit from young vines outside L'Enclos. Introduced with the 1973 vintage, this cuvée was also produced in 1974 and 1987, before being cemented in place as a permanent feature from the 1990 vintage. After selection, the wines are blended before barrel ageing in oak for a period of eighteen months, the wines transferred from one area to the next by a gentle gravity feed. For Latour new barrels are used, for Les Forts it is a 50/50 mix of new and one-year-old barrels. After regular racking at three-monthly intervals, the wine is fined and then bottled on the in-house bottling line.

For many, Chateau Latour is the epitome of claret. Many would regard it as the leading first growth, and in the eternal quest to find 'the wine of the vintage' it is frequently Latour that comes out on top. Indeed, when it came to the primeur tastings of the 2008 vintage, this was indeed where I ranked Latour. One of its strengths is said to be that it outperforms in weaker vintages, and so when the weather has not been so favourable it is perhaps to Latour that buyers of first growths should look first (although the 2007 was, based on an admittedly limited assessment of a barrel sample at just a few months of age, perhaps an exception to this rule). The wine also has, as is fitting for a first growth, a phenomenal propensity for ageing well, with many tasters remarking that the 1899, 1900, 1928 or perhaps the 1945 (or in fact any number of other vintages) come high in their list of candidates for favourite Latour vintage. I am not so lucky to have tasted such exalted elixirs, and indeed tasting opportunities of mature vintages have come along infrequently, in recent years, during the time I have been publishing my notes; just a few vintages, of which one was corked. So I am not in no position to pass personal judgement on these wines, save to say that those vintages which I have tasted have been exemplary, and the 1964 shows very well what can be achieved in a less than adequate vintage. (10/3/04, updated 17/1/07, 29/5/09)

Contact details:
Address: Chateau Latour, 33250 Pauillac
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 56 73 19 80
Fax +33 (0) 556 73 19 81
Internet: www.chateau-latour.com

Chateau Latour - Tasting Notes

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Chateau Latour (Pauillac) 2009: Cabernet Sauvignon 91.3%, Merlot 8.7%. Alcohol 13.7%, IPT 87, 38.3% of the harvest. Dense, red purple, very creamy concentration. The aromas here are magnificently perfumed and lifted, but with a very dense and tightly-creamed layer of dark berry fruits tinged with a sweet exoticism. What a palate too, broad and svelte, creamy seamlessness, but underneath this upper layer a ripe, dense, velvety but mouth-coating layer of prodigious tannins. The fruit copes admirably with them, and the acidity plays its part, providing a gentle balance rather than a vigorous tingle. This is an exceptional vin de garde which will need 20 or 30 years before this is anywhere near drinking. How can this be so harmonious, so balanced, and yet so structured and built up? The tannins persist in the mouth for minutes, the flavours slowly fading during this time. Undoubtedly a wine to make you sit up and pay attention. This is what Bordeaux is all about! Incredible; a wine to move me to tears. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 19.5-20/20 (March 2010)

Les Forts de Latour (Pauillac) 2009: The second wine of Latour. Cabernet Sauvignon 65.1%, Merlot 32.3%, Cabernet Franc 0.6%, Petit Verdot 1.9%. Alcohol 13.5%, IPT 80, 45.9% of the harvest. A darker hue, a concentrated cherry red. A sweet and lightly creamed character to the fruit on the nose, with a suggestion of deeper substance too, a savoury meatiness behind the sweet fruit. Beautifully creamed fruit as the nose suggested on the palate, broad and impressive, with bold tannins and finely judged texture. Good lifting acidity too. Wonderful composition, very fine breadth and persistence. Beautiful tingling acidity from the start. Svelte and very serious tannins. A very good second wine, showing a very seductive style. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 17.5-18.5+/20 (March 2010)

Pauillac de Chateau Latour (Pauillac) 2009: The third wine of Latour. Cabernet Sauvignon 53.8%, Merlot 46.2%. Alcohol 13.6%, IPT 83, 15.8% of the harvest. Crisply framed fruit on the nose. Fresh and quite classically presented. Very approachable style on the palate, good fruit to the fore, well defined and quite crisp but with rounded, harmonious edges. Good substance too. Very classically Pauillac. Well judged tannins, good and bright acidity at the front of it as well. Really nice sappy finish. Normally a wine I merrily pass over without too much thought, in this vintage the quality is extremely good. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 15-16+/20 (March 2010)

Chateau Latour (Pauillac) 2008: A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot, with a few spoonfuls of Cabernet Franc (0.75%) and Petit Verdot (0.25%). The harvest ran from September 29th to October 29th. Reserved but clearly very rich in character on the nose, with tight, compact, crunchy red cherry fruit. This is immediately looking far superior to the 2007. A beautiful presence on the palate, very polished, but stony and structured. There is a fine core of tannin, with a powerful, grippy, forthright midpalate. The fruit is spicy, vibrant and vigorous, with a very linear style. This is intense and classic Latour. Compared with Lafite, it is more linear, silky on the surface but an iron fist hides within. A true vin de garde, potentially great, and probably my wine of the vintage. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 18.5-19.5+/20 (April 2009)

Les Forts de Latour (Pauillac) 2008: The second wine of Latour, which in the 2008 vintage is 66.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31.5% Merlot. Harvest dates as for the grand vin. This has dense, meaty fruit on the nose, and is less open than the third-level Pauillac that follows. An austere palate, but fairly good texture in the middle, but certainly tight, backward and tannic. Fresh fruit, stony at the end. Balanced, and it has good length. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 16-17+/20 (April 2009)

Pauillac de Chateau Latour (Pauillac) 2008: The third wine of Latour, comprising 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 55% Merlot, marketed as a generic Pauillac. Harvest dates as for the grand vin. Reserved, with firm plum fruit on the nose. A nice character on the palate, fairly lean at the start, but developing more middle in the mouth. Lots of overt structure though, but it does have texture to compensate. Very classically styled; this has potential and may offer good value. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 15-16+/20 (April 2009)

Chateau Latour (Pauillac) 2007: A blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot in the 2007 vintage. Rather unyielding on the nose, revealing a little sweet stony fruit with time. Reserved and fairly classic, also showing a little tobacco character but it remains much tighter than the other wines shown here. There is a more flattering character on the palate, although it is still devoid of any real flesh. The tannins seem to slowly build through the palate, and these are nicely balanced with the acidity. The tannins, grip and tightness are perhaps to be expected, but I was anticipating more flesh or substance. A note of caution here for Latour lovers. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 16-17+?/20 (April 2008)

Les Forts de Latour (Pauillac) 2007: This is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot. Rather organic quality on the nose, some better fruit than the generic Pauillac (the third wine) below, but also a minerally and stony character. With a little time it shows a more open, tobacco-tinged character. Very reserved on the palate, with a lot of peppery midpalate structure. Grippy and a but hard, through to the finish which is unyielding and stony. Short, but decent Pauillac. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 14-15+/20 (April 2008)

Pauillac de Chateau Latour (Pauillac) 2007: The third wine of Latour, comprising 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot, marketed as a generic Pauillac. It has a stony freshness on the nose, but it doesn't seem to be expressing any fruit. Firm on entry, quite a lot of midpalate tannin, grippy with no flesh. A gentle weight and a lot of structure. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 13-14+/20 (April 2008)

Chateau Latour (Pauillac) 1983: A moderately rich looking, purple wine. Another classic, mature claret nose. The palate has intense, rich fruit. A lovely creamy texture, with a touch of vanillin oak. A pleasant, softly tannic backbone. Superb balance, good peppery fruit on the finish. Gorgeous length. A first growth. From a Bordeaux 1983 horizontal blind tasting. 18.5/20 (November 2000)

Chateau Latour (Pauillac) 1981: Quite a dense, caramel-mahogany wine. Unfortunately there are horrendous corked aromas from this wine, which I just couldn't get past on the nose. On the palate, good fruit, strong tannins and a nice structure shows that this may have been a lovely wine. From a Bordeaux 1981 horizontal blind tasting. Not rated. (September 2001)

Chateau Latour (Pauillac) 1964: An intense red colour, with again little tawniness to the hue. On the nose rich, ripe fruit, some spices and pepper. On the palate, an amazing quantity of black fruit, still just a little too much tannin but good acidity. Finishes smoothly with good length. Latour have also done well in 1964, and amazingly this wine is still not at its peak. From a Bordeaux 1964 horizontal blind tasting. 17.5+/20 (October 2000)

Chateau Latour (Pauillac) 1961: This is a wine with a very deep, dense hue at the core, but with a very bright and clean appearance nevertheless. It is slightly soapy at first, a perfumed and chalky quality, but this then yields to a more coconutty, minerally character, Sweet, dense, textured on the palate, with a core of grippy tannins still showing despite this wine's venerable age. Full, structured and creamy, dense and showing its grip right through to the finish. Full of substance. Very impressive indeed, and it is remarkable to think that this wine seems to yet have more to give. The wine of the tasting for me I would say. From a 1961 Bordeaux tasting. 19/20 (June 2007)