TN: 2004 Château Latour à Pomerol (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol)

[jmccready]

• 2004 Château Latour à Pomerol - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (2/24/2013)
  Dark crimson with amber rim. Heady nose, classic cedar and currants.
  Mouthfilling and velvety, but firm tannins pucker the richness. The
  vintage keeps the rich fruit tendency of this property in check.
  But a decent buy at the right price as are many 04s. We may wish
  one day we all had more of this vintage cellared, unless you have
  already wisely purchased. JM (90 pts.)
  

Posted from CellarTracker

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

I have more 04s than I thought, which looks like it may be OK. I bought a few wines early on simply because they seemed inexpensive - Leo B. and Pontet Canet come to mind - even if the "vintage" were middling overall. I was quite impressed when trying a couple of wines - maybe La Tour Figeac comes to mind - and over the past two or three years bought in a few more, like Montrose, Sociando Mallet, du Tertre and Magdelaine. In the case of Montrose it was practically a giveaway compared to what that fetches in a "great" vintage. My impression is that the wines have almost uniformly seemed ripe, dense and rich to me, but also cooler and softer.

[OrlandoRobert]

I have more 04s than I thought, which looks like it may be OK. I bought a few wines early on simply because they seemed inexpensive - Leo B. and Pontet Canet come to mind - even if the "vintage" were middling overall. I was quite impressed when trying a couple of wines - maybe La Tour Figeac comes to mind - and over the past two or three years bought in a few more, like Montrose, Sociando Mallet, du Tertre and Magdelaine. In the case of Montrose it was practically a giveaway compared to what that fetches in a "great" vintage. My impression is that the wines have almost uniformly seemed ripe, dense and rich to me, but also cooler and softer.

I did the EXACT same thing and am a very happy man. Two in particular were total winners: Montrose and Leoville P. I paid $40 for the Montrose and $45 for the LP. Crazy, eh?

I definitely wish I had bought more, tho.

I think this may be BobbyGoulet fave vintage of the 2000s.

[robertgoulet]

Unabashed '04 lover

[DavidG]

I bought a few cases of '04s as relative value plays when I saw the '05 en primeur prices. Angelus, Pavie, Smith Haut Lafitte and a few bottles of first growths - last time they were available at $200 = maybe never again? I haven't dipped into any of them yet but the right bankers and the SHL may be about ready to go. 2002 seems to be better-loved around here, but I have zip from that year.

[jmccready]

Look forward to your comments on the SHL if you pop one soon. JM

[pomilion]

Though '04 is a middling, uneven vintage in my view, there are definitely some nice wines and (relatively speaking) great bargains. A couple years ago I picked up a few cases of Lascombes for $29.99/bottle and a bunch of Pontet Canet for $55/bottle ('04 PC showed really well at a dinner with Alfred Tesseron at which '94, '96 and '00 through '08 PC were tasted). I've been disappointed in some of the right bank '04s I bought - some have an unpleasant stewed/vegetal note.

[robertgoulet]

Orlando Robert and I recently shared an '04 shl....once again this wine showed well...but I must say...every bottle I've tasted of this has been different...mostly always good...sometimes real good...one time jaw dropping/stunning. This bottle we shared had the typical pessac terroir with some new world oak. If you get the bottle with the raw slate-like stoney minerality...look out!!

[Claret]

In 2004 I only bought 6 bottles of La Dominique for $13 on WC. In 2006 I bought exactly one bottle of Bordeaux and none since for a variety of reasons. My Bordeaux buying days are over.

This post is less about 2004 which is limited to the 2 tasty bottles of La Dominique I have enjoyed but instead is for Latour a Pomerol. I drank a good deal of the inexpensive 1994 and tasted the awesome 1982 at the NYC convention. When they are on they be very enjoyable. Supposedly the legendary 61 brought tears to the eyes of Parker.

[robertgoulet]

I thought '47 lafleur made bob cry, little do I know

[Claret]

Bob was a man of many tears back in the day.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Supposedly the legendary 61 brought tears to the eyes of Parker.

Get out! Pics or it didn't happen.

[Bacchus]

Picked up half a case of the 04 Gruaud Larose about a week ago at $29 per bottle. I can't tell you what a steal that is up here in Canada!

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Even south of the border, if you bought if for $29 off your addled grandpa you would be at least open to claims of undue influence.