Château Latour
Château Latour

Château Latour

Château Latour is a Bordeaux wine estate that produces wines under the Pauillac appellation. Premier Cru Classé in the Official Classification of Bordeaux wines created in 1855, it is undoubtedly a reference in the Médoc.

Created around 1680, the Château Latour vineyard is one of the oldest in the Médoc. At the heart of the estate, the main plot, named 'l'Enclos', consists of 47 hectares of old vines that are preciously maintained, as they are the only ones capable of giving birth to the 'Grand Vin'.

>> Read our article 'Latour, Premier Cru Classé in 1855'

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The history of Château Latour

 

A full-fledged vineyard since the late 17th century under the impetus of Alexandre de Ségur, Château Latour began to flourish in the heart of the 18th century, driven by the increasing demand for quality red wine from the English aristocracy. Even at that time, Château Latour stood out; in 1767, the price of a barrel of Latour was equivalent to 20 times that of a standard Bordeaux wine barrel. In the 1855 classification, Château Latour occupied the rank of Premier Cru Classé along with Châteaux Margaux, Lafite, and Haut-Brion. In the mid-20th century, the excessive number of heirs in the Ségur family led to the sale of the château, which was held for three decades by English financial groups before falling back into French hands in 1993 through businessman François Pinault. The latter brought a wind of renewal, renovated the infrastructure, and allowed the château to become a pioneer in several areas. Thus, Château Latour is currently the only Premier Grand Cru Classé to produce organic wines (since 2018) and also the only one not to sell its wines en primeur (since the 2012 vintage). The current cellar master is Hélène Gérin.

Château Latour wines can be found several times in cinema and television, for example in the film Ratatouille (2007), the series Angel (season 2) and The Simpsons (season 4).

 

What are the characteristics of Château Latour wines?

 

Spread over an area of 93 hectares, the grape varieties of Château Latour consist of Cabernet Sauvignon (~75%), Merlot (~23%), and Petit Verdot (~2%).

The Château Latour vineyard is located on gravelly hilltops overlooking the Gironde estuary. This unique geology, combined with gravel on the surface and clay in depth, gives Château Latour's terroir a remarkable singularity. The vines, especially the old ones, have deep roots (up to 3 meters) that draw from the lower marly-clay layers to ensure adequate nutrition, even during periods of drought.

Château Latour benefits from typical Médoc climate conditions but is further privileged by its proximity to the Gironde estuary (located 300 meters away), which helps to moderate climatic excesses such as frost and cold.

Château Latour wines are renowned for their solid tannic structure and aromatic depth, which give them great complexity. They are also distinguished by a remarkable balance between the richness of ripe fruits, freshness, aromatic complexity, and harmoniously integrated acidity. The gravel and clay soils give the wines a distinct minerality, aromas of black fruits, notes of cedar, or even tobacco.

 

The best vintages of Château Latour

 

Two exceptional vintages stand out, the Latour 1961 and the Latour 1982.

The following vintages are also of very good quality: Latour 1959, 1970, 2003, 2009, and 2010.

 

Food and wine pairings

 

Château Latour wines pair perfectly with beef, game, and poultry in general. We can also mention dishes such as truffle omelette, Pauillac milk-fed lamb, or porcini mushroom ravioli. As for cheeses, Maroilles will pair perfectly with this red wine.

 

Official website of the château

 

https://www.chateau-latour.com

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