1982 Chateau Latour

The cepage for the 1982 Latour consisted of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. At the time, Hugh Johnson wrote that he considered Latour to be “the most consistent great wine in France and probably the world”.

Nick’s barrel notes at the time read:

Dark deep crimson with purple mauve edges, still a little cloudy, but not yet fined. Intense spicey pepper fruit with deep pevetation. Excellent flavour in the middle palate of cassis and cherry. Very firm tannin and long aftertaste of blackcurrant. Relatively soft acid, otherwise superb.

Twenty years later the tasting notes read:

Very deep brick red colour, with brick red hue, showing more developed character than the 1982 Mouton. Superb nose, but totally different. Aroma of leather, earth and liquorice emerging. Mouthfilling, yet drier than the Mouton and much tighter palate structure, with its tight tannins still evident. Outstanding length and persistence. Aftertaste of earth and spice. Over the next 10-15 minutes as the wine warmed up, the ‘animal’ character of the wine dissipated a little with the cedar, cigar box leather flavours taking hold.
Cellar 5-8 years (2005-2010)
Alc/Vol: 13.0%

RATING: 96/100

VALUE: NOT RATED