Latour 2005

The wine in this vintage

2005 is one of Bordeaux's great vintages: a very dry, sunny season with cool nights produced small, concentrated berries and wines of monumental structure, freshness and exceptional longevity. The 2005 Château Latour is a majestic example, with 100 points from Wine Enthusiast and 99 from Wine Spectator. The nose is deep, with cassis, blackberry, graphite, cedar, tobacco and mineral notes; the palate is dense and powerful, supported by imposing yet ultra-fine tannins and extraordinary length. Years on, it remains young and closed: it should be awaited patiently, as its full expression is still far off.

The producer · Château Latour

Château Latour is one of the five Médoc First Growths, enshrined by the 1855 classification and for centuries a byword for greatness in Pauillac. Its name recalls the tower that once guarded the Gironde estuary, close to which lies the Enclos, the historic heart of the property: a vineyard on deep gravels that provide drainage and warmth, ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon. Since 1993 the estate has belonged to François Pinault and, under Frédéric Engerer's direction, has enjoyed an era of unprecedented investment and rigour, including conversion to organic farming. In 2012 Latour made a historic decision to leave the en primeur system: wines are released only when the estate judges them ready. The style is unmistakable: power, density and noble tannins, with remarkable consistency even in difficult years. The Grand Vin, alongside Les Forts de Latour and the Pauillac, is among the longest-lived reds in the world, able to evolve for half a century.

Critics' scores

• 100 Wine Enthusiast
• 99 Wine Spectator
• 98 Robert Parker
• 19/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Château Latour

Region

Bordeaux

Country

Francia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2005

When to drink

Not yet at its peak

Critics' average

99/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0250105