Château Latour Pauillac 2014
- js99
- ws97
- wa97
- we97
- v96
- jd96+
Category | Red Wine |
Varietals | |
Brand | Château Latour |
Origin | France, Bordeaux, Pauillac |
Other vintages
Chateau Latour is known for its ability to produce exceptional wines to exacting standards all their own. The release of the 2014 (finally!) is the third vintage released since Latour left the Bordeaux En Primeur system, choosing to feature their wines when they're ready rather than in their most early stages of development. The 2014 vintage is a sleeper of a vintage that seems to have endured growing conditions that even the Bordelais have struggled to categorize and have compared to previous vintages that fall into styles from ripe and powerful camp, as well as those that are more classically chiseled and structured. Regardless, the wine is in exceptional condition and shows promise to be one that will only improve in reputation in time.
James Suckling
- js99
So much violets, licorice, pencil, flowers and currants define this on the nose before it moves to fresh mushrooms. It’s full-bodied yet compacted with tension and a compressed center palate. Incredible, fine-grained tannins and energy. The length is truly great.
Wine Spectator
- ws97
This shows terrific cut and drive from the start, with mouthwatering acidity and a chiseled graphite note leading the way, backed by a core of pure cassis and blackberry preserves. Licorice snap and sweet tobacco details flitter through the finish, where the graphite edge reemerges and sails on and on.
Wine Advocate
- wa97
The 2014 Latour is one of the very finest wines of a vintage that favored the northern Médoc. Mingling aromas of wild berries and cassis with hints of cigar wrapper, loamy soil, black truffles and classy new oak, it’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated, its broad attack segueing into a deep, tightly wound mid-palate that’s framed by powdery, chalky tannins and bright acids, concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. This classically balanced, youthfully structured young wine looks set to enjoy prodigious longevity. It’s reminiscent of a modern-day version of a cooler vintage such as 1996, though of course these days maturity is more complete and selection even more rigorous than was the case two decades ago.
Wine Enthusiast
- we97
The tannins in this fine vintage of Latour are still enormous, dominating the black currant fruit. It has spice, tannins, impressive fruit and a pure, cool character. To be released in the mid-2020s, the wine is likely to age for many years.
Vinous
- v96
The 2014 Latour is deep and beautifully layered in the glass, with deceptive power and plenty of structure lurking in the background. Powerful and vivid, yet also super-refined, it possesses remarkable nuance and polish for a young Latour. It will be interesting to see if it develops more explosiveness or remains on the more understated side of things. There is plenty of time. If the current schedule of releases from bottle is any indication, the 2014 will likely not be released before its 15th birthday.
Jeb Dunnuck
- jd96+
The 2014 Château Latour is still a baby and relatively closed and backward, offering darker, meaty black fruits, tobacco, truffly earth, and graphite on the nose. It's much more dense and structured than I would have imagined from tasting on release and offers full-bodied richness, a beautiful mid-palate, fabulous overall balance, and no shortage of tannins on the finish. This vintage was terrific for the Médoc, particularly the northern Médoc, and this beauty warrants another 7-8 years of bottle age, after which I suspect it will have well over 3 decades of overall longevity. The blend is 89.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.2% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that hit 12.8% alcohol.