Latour de force

[Comte Flaneur]

From a recent dinner in London where we managed to gather four vintages of Chateau Latour 50 years apart

Hommage a Chateau Latour

With gougeres and pork belly two very different but equally thrilling champagnes:

Selosse Initial 2022 Release: this wine includes vintages from 1986 to 2014 and has quite an evolved colour. It is earthy, slightly oxidative, intense, mealy (in a good way), and meaty; a really serious and outstanding champagne; blind I would guess Krug, top drawer…94

Piper Rare 2002: intense citrus bouquet just sweeps you off your feet, gorgeous, rich and racy, laser focused with a sensational finish…even better than its flight mate but a very different creature, my champagne of the year…95

With Plaice, White Asparagus, Chicken Boudin Blanc, Morel sauce

Ceritas Marema Chardonnay 2015 (Sonoma): Pale, slow out of the blocks, emphasis here is on finesse (only 13% abv), but builds slowly and weaves its charms on you, a wine to contemplate but beautiful nonetheless…93

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2019: Bright citrus aromas, conspicuous but well-judged oak, restrained power – straining at the leash, fine acidic cut and delineation, needs a lot of time, for now…93

With Wild Boar Ragout Tagliatelle, Parmesan

Barbaresco Riserva Quindicianni, Baricchi 2006: Only recently released, and a last minute addition to the line-up when we lost the 1982 Giacosa Falletto. It is already really complex and interesting with violets and roses on the nose with cherry, plum, herb and tobacco licks on the substantive palate. The only minor drawback is a sense of woodiness – it has spent too long in wood – without that it would command a slightly higher score…93

Barolo Falletto, Giacosa 1996: This is big, brooding and meaty with a lot of pent up energy; it has bright acidity, big structure, but has already developed some autumnal notes. Lacks the ethereal translucence and diaphanous quality one often finds in other Giacosa wines, and this is probably because it is still some way from full maturity…great potential, come back in five years…for now 94

With Roasted Beef Fillet, Baby Gem, PepperCorn Sauce

Latour 1952: This is not a particularly renowned vintage and so my expectations were suitably reined in. A little wobbly out of the blocks it had plenty of weird but at same time alluring aromas of tropical fruits and anchovies. A wine which could go one of two ways, and happily it started to get better and better as the evening wore on, with ripe cherry notes, sea shells and roast chestnuts; a really superb complex wine which really delivers enormous pleasure…95

Latour 1962: Remarkably youthful, both in colour and aromas, looking at it you would think this decades younger than its 62 years (people say similar about Yours Truly). This has plenty of ripe red and black fruits, pure cassis, it is so elegant and smooth, such a treat to behold, with a superb finish. Yet, it gradually got reined in and overtaken by the 1952, which was a little more complex…95

Latour 1995: Fabulous though the two Latours from the 50s and 60s were, in my opinion this (and the 2002) is a step up, and this was when Latour was going through a patchy period. I found it difficult to describe this but it has everything you could wish for in great claret, and it is not foreboding but actually well into its drinking window. I much prefer this to drink now than the more brutal 1996. It is a masterclass in elegance and finesse…96

Latour 2002: Similar to the 1995 but if anything even finer. This is when Frederic Engerer started to ring the changes at Latour and it has laser like delineation. It is youthful, but at the beginning of a 30-60 year plateau; it is as good as 2002 Mouton which is high praise…my wotn….96

Pichon Lalande 1995: Big structure, tons of graphite, impressive density, this is a riveting wine, but it is put in its place by the 1995 Latour. It has a bit of brett and high toned-ness and a little rough round the edges compared to the two younger Latours…93

With cheese selection – the Thriller in Manilla

Rayas 01: Only the third Rayas I have tried and this was really billed as the star of the show. And it was a good bottle that didn’t let us down. It is a luxurious wine, with orange zest, cherry fruit, kirsch, smoke, incense, and a hint of smoky bacon and mineral notes. With plenty of elegance, and a certain levity. A treat and a thrill….95

Marie Beurrier, Bonneau 1998: Compared to the Rayas a bit of a bruiser and a street fighter – think Joe Frazier to the Rayas Mohammed Ali. Savoury and fulsome, with plenty of meaty notes, and a bit heavier on its feet than the Rayas, but had its opponents on the ropes a few times. The Bonneau stood toe to toe with the Rayas but ultimately lost on points…94.

Tirecul La Graviere, Cuvee Madame 2001: Agree with Chris’s note, a lovely wine to finish on…93

It is not every day you taste four vintages of Latour, and this dinner demonstrated why Latour is one of the most revered of the first growths.

Rumours of the death of BWE are surely exaggerated…long live BWE!

[stefan]

Ho-hum. Just another fabulous Comte evening.

I've had a fondness for Piper Heidsieck Rare since the early 1990s, when American Air Lines served it in international business class. I had enough status on AA that I frequently was upgraded. In those days it could be fun to fly.

Sounds like the 2002 Latour has matured quite a bit since I last drank one, which IIRC was around five years ago.

[robert goulet]

Boooom 2002! Luv it

I've never tasted the Piper Rare...def. a Champagne that has eluded me... I saw the 2008 here locally has anyone tasted it?

[Nicklasss]

Nice report Comte Flaneur, on the great Latour.

In the past i wanted to buy few bottles of the 1995, but never did… bitting my tongue with your report.

For the Bonneau Marie Beurrier, this 1998 seems concentrated… not that i am an expert of that wine, but i brought a bottle of the 1995at a sdr dinner that the theme was CdP, and that 1995 clearly reminded me… Rayas or Charvin style. It was just great. I remember buying that 1995 in Cincinnati, and a 1988 Haut Brion, during a weekend visit to JScott, what a great time! I wanted to open the two wines with his family that weekend, he never accepted…

So Comte, a little trip to DC this fall?

And i’m very sorry, it is probably me that is depressing Jim about BWE lately. This board/ community has been a 3 stars Michelin place for a long time, but since sometimes, it seems more like a « leftover » place, so a bit hard for me. Worst thing, change BWE from a board to JimHow Bordeaux blog?

[SF Ed]

I was very glad to see your review of the 2002 Latour, Comte. I've had it a couple of times and was very impressed with not only its quality but also how approachable it is.

I've got a couple of magnums of it I could open now or I could open 30 years from now (if I make it that long). I like wines with long plateaus.

SF Ed

[JimHow]

It is youthful, but at the beginning of a 30-60 year plateau; it is as good as 2002 Mouton which is high praise…my wotn….96

Wow. 2002 left bank. Say no more.