Les Forts de Latour 2010, Pauillac
IN BOND
ABV 14%
Les Forts de Latour, the second wine of Château Latour
Tasting NotesBizarre as it may sound, the 2010 Les Forts de Latour is also the finest I have ever tasted from this selection, which comes from specific vineyards, not really so much a second wine as just another wine from estate holdings. A blend of 72.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27.5% Merlot that represents 40% of the production, this astonishing wine hit 14.3% natural alcohol. Extremely ripe and rich, it reminds me of the 1982 on steroids (and that wine is still drinking great 30 years after the vintage). Sensational notes of graphite, crushed rocks, black fruits, camphor and damp forest notes are present in this expansive, savory, full-throttle wine, which is better than many vintages of the great Latour itself from the past. (That may be a heretical statement, but it's the truth as I see it.) This wine needs a good 5-6 years of cellaring and should age for three decades at minimum, given the fact that the 1982 is in terrific form and wasn't this concentrated or prodigious.
Score: 97 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (205), March 2013
Score: 97 Robert Parker, Hedonists Gazette, February 2016
Possibly the most profound Forts de Latour ever produced, the 2010, like its bigger brother, Latour, was harvested between the third week of September and October 11. Representing 40% of the production and tipping the scales at 14.3% alcohol, it is a blend of 72.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot. Super-concentrated as well as unctuously textured and opulent, this pure, deep Forts de Latour should drink well for 25-30 years. It is as great as the prodigious 1982, which is still drinking well at age 29.
Score: 92/95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194), May 2011
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a very strong performance from Les Forts de Latour. It has a vivacious bouquet with ripe blackcurrant, raspberry, cedar and mint scents, very ripe and opulent with layers of discretely embroidered vanillary new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, well judged acidity and a sophisticated, graphite finish with a long cedar and sous-bois influenced tail. Excellent. Tasted January 2014.
Score: 95 Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, February 2014
The Les Forts de Latour has a very complex nose with subtle notes of raspberry preserve, blackcurrant, graphite and a very faint, almost marmalade-like scents. The palate is medium bodied with great tension and poise, the acidity slicing through the dense blackberry fruit laced with white pepper and graphite. This is a sense of "solidity" to this Les Forts that is paradigmatic of the vintage. Excellent - although it deserves a decade in bottle. Tasted November 2012.
Score: 94 Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, February 2013
A blend of 72.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25.5% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, 14.3% alcohol and representing 40% of the production. It has a glorious bouquet with stupendous delineation: blackberry, cedar, mint and a touch of pot pourri. The palate has a tannic entry, the Cabernet Sauvignon is very pronounced with cedar, tobacco and pencil lead. Very classic and very pure, symmetrical towards the finish. Great focus and length. Superb. Tasted March 2011.
Score: 93/95 Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, April 2011
Aromas of currants, blueberries and blackberries with a dark chocolate undertone. Perfumes and beautiful. Full body, with velvety tannins that are fine-tuned and tentative. It lasts for minutes. Gorgeous fruit and richness. Perhaps the greatest Les Fort ever? Try in 2018.
Score: 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2013
This is hyper fine, with beautiful tannins that are incredibly integrated. Full and super intense. Licorice and currants and violets. Splendid. 72.5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 25.5 percent Merlot, and 2 percent Petit Verdot.
Score: 94/95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2011
18 Drink 2020-2035
72.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25.5% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. 40% of production. Very, very dark purple. Scented and supple on the nose! Oddly enough this seems lighter than one might expect from this vintage and name - has it absorbed all the lighter cuvées? Really quite luscious and sweet, despite its IPT of 87! Very rich for Forts. Very flattering and winning. The open face of Latour. A bit sweeter than usual - very much the open face. Less classic Latour than usual. 14.3%
Score: 18 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2011
There is a lot of concentrated fruit serious and brooding rich blackcurrant backed by black cherry and slightly firmer sloe. Although the tannins are firm the richness, power, sweetness of the fruit is not over dominated. There is a fleshy power to the finish.
Score: 93/96 Derek Smedley MW, April 2011
Score: 95 Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2011
Slightly smoky nose, great expression of rich, vigorous fruit, superb freshness and structure. Drink 2020-35.
Score: 18 Steven Spurrier, Decanter.com, April 2011
